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TBTA to discuss ways to improve trolley service

ALPENA — The Thunder Bay Transportation Authority discussed ways of making its electric/diesel trolley service more reliable during a Thursday meeting.

Authority President Greg Sundin said the discussion was the result of an editorial that appeared Dec. 31 in The Alpena News.

“It basically stated that the trolley service is a good program but we need reliable service and a better handle on the routes,” Sundin said.

The service was planned to be stopped for the winter months until a directive by the Michigan Department of Transportation forced the service to continue operations through the winter.

Officials decided to run the trolleys on a limited route and limited hours for the winter, Sundin said.

Sundin said the authority needs to make the changes suggested in the editorial.

“We need to focus on this coming year in having some very firm routes,” he said.

Sundin said if all four are in working order, there perhaps should be two different routes in the city and township.

Currently one bus does a loop around the area, completing it in around an hour. Riders can wait at one of the designated stops and pay a fee to ride the circuit and get off where they wish.

Sundin suggested that perhaps one route could be operated that focused on tourist spots in the city. He said a second route could be established for locals to get from location to location.

He said another aspect of the trolleys is TBTA has been contacted by special events to use the trolleys for transportation around town.

Managing Director Theron Higgins said he has had many requests but said due to MDOT regulations the service is limited what it can do. For example a group cannot hire TBTA buses for exclusive transportation.

But, according to Sundin, the service could agree to run a route around the event, and allow all riders to use the service to get around the rules.

Authority member Tony Suszek said TBTA had to be careful, however. He said it does not want to get accused of competing with a private bus company.

Sundin said he did not believe it was competing.

“If we’re doing a route I don’t think that we’re competing,” he said. “They don’t have a fixed route or anything. But we have to have open door, that is the key.”

Suszek said he has heard of different conventions in town where organizers have said they could use the trolley service to get convention visitors around town.

Higgins said one thing TBTA would have to do is modify its range of operating hours with MDOT so the buses could be used during the evening hours for the events. He said he could get creative in utilizing the trolley service better.

Suszek directed Higgins to come up with ideas for an upcoming trolley committee meeting.

Jason Ogden can be reached via email at jogden@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5693. Follow Jason on Twitter @jo_alpenanews.

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