The Easton trolley recently returned to the city’s streets on four Saturdays in July and August, and strong ridership during the four-week pilot program has led organizers to extend the free service through the end of the Easton Farmer’s Market season.
During the initial four Saturdays, 172 unique riders took advantage of the trolley, according to Julie VanOsdol, Main Street Manager with the Greater Easton Development Partnership. Ridership peaked at the beginning and end of operation, which VanOsdol says was expected, with early excitement and a desire to use the trolley before it went away drawing in residents in the first and final weeks.
Organizers believe ridership will remain consistent now that the transportation option is an ongoing one.
The program was initially aimed to provide transportation from Easton’s outer neighborhoods to the downtown area. VanOsdol explained that West Ward and South Side residents have often expressed that they feel the city’s downtown isn’t a space for them. Finding transportation into the city and parking have been barriers for some residents.
The Easton trolley has done more than simply eliminate those barriers–it’s also become an unexpected social space. Families have taken rides just for the experience, and riders have started conversations with one another about their Farmer’s Market purchases and more. That’s part of the reason organizers hope the trolley will better connect residents with the downtown and each other.
Easton’s trolley has a long history, although service has been inconsistent in recent years due to maintenance needs and a struggle to find a reliable driver. The GEDP is looking into sponsorship opportunities to keep the program running, with the possibility of resuming the program at the start of the Farmer’s Market in May.
