News & Events: Press Releases
October 23, 2008
New Trolley Shelters an Added Convenience to Trolley Riders
WFRPC Purchases Transportation Shelters for Bay County
Media Contact: Allison Fogt
850-878-5531 x223
afogt@kidd.com
(Panama City, Fla.) - As the weather begins to break for the fall, Bay Town Trolley riders can escape the elements while they wait for their trolley underneath 19 new transportation shelters in Bay County. Seventeen of the shelters were purchased by the West Florida Regional Planning Council (WFRPC) for the local cities and the county.
The Gulf Coast Women’s Club donated the other two shelters, one at Gulf Coast Community College and the other on the corner of MLK Boulevard and 17th Street, with money they earned through a fundraiser for this purpose. Through WFRPC’s donation, each of Bay County’s nine municipalities were given a certain number of shelters to place in their jurisdiction.
“The planning council is here to support Bay Town Trolley in any way that we can,” said Rob Mahan, WFRPC’s Senior Planner. “With the trolley’s ridership steadily growing and a significant percentage of the riders being elderly or having a disability, we recognized not only the want, but the need for these shelters in the area. Ultimately we’re helping the trolley fulfill its mission of meeting the growing needs of the community.”
This improvement comes at a time when Bay Town Trolley is experiencing increased ridership and enhanced service. With September’s ridership coming in at 43,338 the trolley’s year-to-date ridership is up 14 percent from 2007. Trolley officials are expecting ridership to continue increasing with its new route the Career Connector, which runs through the downtown area into the business district and allows riders to transfer to routes one through four.
“We’re definitely in exciting times right now as we’re consistently able to provide for our riders,” said Beth Coulliette, Bay Town Trolley’s Executive Director. “These are just more examples of how we listen and act upon the concerns of our community.
For the past 12 years Bay Town Trolley has provided public transportation services to Bay County with the mission of moving riders of Bay County with clean, safe, efficient and dependable transportation while enhancing the quality of life and meeting the growing needs of the community. The system operates Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. The Pier Park Express, Bay Town Trolley’s weekend beach route runs Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. – midnight. For information on all routes, fares, Ride On Commuter Services and other news and updates log on to www.BayTownTrolley.org.
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