When the trolley buses ran in Ocean City, Md., they operated 4 p.m. to midnight and were only in the downtown area.(Photo: The (Salisbury, Md.) Daily Times)
WEST OCEAN CITY, Md. — Maryland's easternmost county is planning a trolley bus service this summer that would transport passengers to areas outside Ocean City, including a casino about five miles inland from the beach.
But Shore Transit, which is buying eight used 30-passenger municipal buses with outer shells that look like old-fashioned rail trolleys from Ocean City, doesn't have any operating money for the venture. To put the trolleys on the road for this summer, sponsors have to be lined up in less than a month — by May 1.
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"This is something we're adding at the last minute, so we need to find funding to make it work," said Brad Bellacicco, Tri-County Council/Shore Transit representative.
Beach resort town Ocean City, Md., operated the shuttles downtown for three years but stopped the service for lack of riders, according to Brian Connor, assistant superintendent for transportation for Ocean City. Then for two more years, it used the shuttles for special events.
In this incarnation, Shore Transit hopes stops that include West Ocean Park & Ride, the Casino at Ocean Downs, downtown Berlin, Ocean Pines, Assateague Island, Frontier Town, Castaways RV Resort and Francis Scott Key Motel in Worcester County will entice riders.
Two trolleys would run in opposite directions from West Ocean City to Berlin to Assateague. A full route would take about 90 minutes, depending on summer traffic. The trolleys would run six routes a day, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. seven days a week.
Officials hope the rides will be free, or they could charge a fare of $1 or more.
The state of Maryland, which helps many counties finance the purchase of transit vehicles, has 90% ownership in the trolley buses.
Shore Transit will reimburse Ocean City for 10% of the trolleys' cost. That comes to about $7,000 per vehicle, though the town has not set a final figure. Shore Transit will use a special fund set aside for expansion of services to purchase the trolleys.
The Francis Scott Key Motel and the Castaways Resort already run shuttles from their locations to the beach in Ocean City. Both report they are highly successful and transport hundreds of visitors a day.
The total cost to get the trolleys rolling is $140,000. Worcester County Tourism has committed $10,000 and the town of Berlin $5,000.
Shore Transit is planning to raise the remaining $125,000 through sponsorships. No business has signed up yet.
Joe Cavilla, general manager at The Casino at Ocean Downs, said he is considering sponsoring the trolley service but also said the casino may start its own shuttle service.
"We might do both, actually," Cavilla said. "I think the way they're involving the local towns and county and businesses, it's a great concept. So we're taking a hard look at it."
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