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Fate Of Tarpon Trolley To Be Decided June 17

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By Mark  Schantz | The Suncoast News

Published: May 31, 2008

TARPON SPRINGS - Will the Tarpon Trolley ride off into the sunset because of rising operating costs and the city's budget crunch?

The fate of the trolley rests on how much the city is willing to spend to save the quaint tourist attraction that ferries riders between Tarpon Avenue and the Sponge Docks via Craig Park.

The City Commission is slated to decide the future of the trolley at its June 17 meeting.

City commissioners recently asked staff to recommend options on how the trolley might be saved since it has become a tourist attraction.

The city has been subsidizing the trolley to the tune of about $23,000 a year. A preliminary city report estimates the cost of a hiring a new vendor to operate the trolley would nearly double that expense.

Jay Jackus, purchasing administrator, says the city has only two options; operating the trolley itself or hiring a vendor to run the service.

The trolley earns about $16,400 in advertising revenue a year, half of that revenue is split with a vendor.

The city could reduce operational costs by only running the trolley during the peak tourist season and not during the normally slow summer months, Jackus says.

If the city operated the trolley it would see an annual deficit of about $70,000 even if it were to keep all the ad revenue, he has told commissioners.

That price includes the salaries for a trolley manager, $35,401, and driver, $16,055.

By contrast, it would cost the city about $43,000 a year to pay a vendor to operate the trolley. The exact amount would depend on the terms of a contract with a vendor, city officials say.

Commissioners have said they want to keep the trolley in operation and even enhance its service.

Commissioner Chris Alahouzos suggests the trolley might be enlisted to serve older residents who cannot drive and want to go to shopping areas or local doctors.

Instead of waiting for passengers at trolley stops, other tourist attractions could be added to its route such as Fred Howard Park or Sunset Beach, Commissioner Peter Dalacos recommends.

Sue Thomas, Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce president, says the trolley was meant to transport tourists to city attractions. Tourists want to take short trips between scenic areas such as downtown and the Sponge Docks, Thomas says.

Visitors to the city, however, would not likely be willing to ride all over town ferry locals to shopping plazas, she says.

Mark Schantz can be reached at 727-815-1075 or mschantz@suncoastnews.com.

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