Trolley / Tram on Scenic 30A

[BeachArkie]

I think they should charge $1 a ride to help offset costs. I would gladly pay that.

 

[Maystrong]

I think a $1 charge is cheap transportation in this day and time with gas prices like they are. The "trams" that operate in the area just taking people across the street to the beach on a glorified golf cart, are free, but the tourists tip like crazy for that service! On another note, I'm a business owner in Seacrest, and I haven't ever been contacted by anyone, and to my knowledge neither have any of the other businesses in this area. I'm just saying....

 

[heartbren]

I am so glad to see this is actually in the works. I would gladly pay $1 or a donation to a money bank if they put that in. It seems the majority of the people here want and will use the tram service and mostly for the same reasons. We will be traveling to more places on 30A that we do not usually frequent because of congestion or the fact that if you want to have a drink you just don't stray far from home. I think many would like to be able to hop on a trolley and visit wheterver they like without the fear of drinking and driving. Personally I don't go out much or travel far because of that fact. I also just don't like driving 30A when it is tourist season because it is so hard to turn into places and get out of places because of the traffic. I can see no negativity in having this desperately needed tram service. It ill also boost business since people will travel further and frequent places they want to, but don't want to drink and drive. Even to have dinner further from home and a few drinks, it can be scary. I for one would eat out much more than I do. I would go more places just because I could with no worry. I sure hope this happens for all of the people and tourists and the benefit it will have for the businesses that need the customers.

 

[scooterbug44]

$1 a ride would add up fast and I would pay 2-3x that.

Don't think it's fair for businesses to have to foot the entire bill. It's been a rough couple of years for many.

 

[heartbren]

payment for tram

I would also easily pay $1.00 to $3.00 for use of the tram on 30A. It would be well worth it, anything to get one started on 30A. I agree that businesses should not have to foot the whole bill. It would be a huge benefit for the people that live here and visit here to have use of.

 

[scooterbug44]

I'm really getting annoyed that many of the big 30-A developments are not supporting this.

Not only are they the main cause of the traffic and will have the biggest number of users, in many cases any visitor to their development is charged a fee ON EVERY TRANSACTION that could easily be used to fund the shuttle.

Watercolor, Watersound, Rosemary, and Alys need to step up.

 

[heartbren]

I hope they read this or someone is keeping up with this and will influence them to do so. This would be such a great thing for everyone that lives and visits along 30A to use. So nice not to have to drive or be limited to where you go because of the driving issues. It is so much cheaper than a taxi and much safer than driving.

 

[scooterbug44]

Support the 30-A Tram!

Due to lack of business support for funding, the tram is a no-go for this season, but we need to let the TDC know that we want this for next year!

Traffic and parking conditions on 30A are just going to get worse unless we do something.

Thought this was a nice editorial in the Sun about it:

As the owner of “Shorty’s Surfside” at Grayton Beach, I want to express my sincere hope for the inaugural run and success of the 30A trolley operation about which we have all heard. The idea grew from the Friends of 30A promotion of the need for “public transportation” to ease the traffic congestion on 30A.
I applaud Sunshine Shuttle for its efforts to build a system based on the Friends of 30A ideas. I understand that two trolleys could operate for 12 hours a day running the length of 30A from noon to midnight. The trolleys each carry 30 passengers with the potential to reduce the number of cars on the highway by up to 60 per hour. Already this season, I see the time needed to pass through the stops on 30A is growing with vehicles backed up a mile each side of the stop at Hwy. 395.
About half of the businesses on 30A have committed to supporting the trolley system this season, but it wasn’t enough to get it off the ground. Next year, I hope all the businesses along the whole length of 30A will join with those of us who believe in the need for public conveyance. Our highway is only two lanes wide while it carries a four-lane flow of traffic for most of its length.
Being very “green” and environmentally conscientious, I personally believe the trolley service will have a significant and positive effect on the traffic and parking issues we all encounter, and locals and tourists alike should support the merchants who are paying for this resort amenity on 30A.
Why hasn’t the TDC taken the lead in funding the operation? It certainly should allocate the funding for the trolley system in its budget for 2012. The TDC’s job is to promote the increase of tourism for South Walton and 30A, and I believe the trolley system should be and will be a major component of the TDC’s promotion efforts.
To ensure the success of the 30A trolley, we need to join together and encourage the Tourist Development Council to immediately allocate funding for the trolley operation in the TDC’s budget. The trolley will be a fun experience and a signature amenity for the visitors of 30A.

 

[Kurt]

http://www.wmbb.com/story/15045437/2011/07/07/30a-tolleys-on-hold

A plan to place a trolley in the beaches of South Walton is on hold tonight. That after Sunshine Shuttle, the company behind the trolley, fails to get enough support from area communities. According to Sunshine's owner John Finch the communities in South Walton wanted the Tourism Development Council to foot the bill. Now, the project is in limbo.


Last month in an interview with news 13, Finch said he only needed a few more businesses to get on board, but he ultimately didn't get enough support. The main problem Finch said was communities like WaterSound, Seaside and Watercolor not being 100 percent willing to pitch in for the service.


In a statement from Sunshine Shuttles, he said "The owners of the homes in the communities pay a bed tax to the TDC, and they thought that the TDC should subscribe to the shuttle service." However over at Rosemary Beach, they say its the high cost - not the TDC issue - that's the problem.


"I think everybody in theory loved the idea of having a trolley on 30A, the mechanics of working that out and paying for it was just a bridge too far this year," said Rosemary Beach Town Manager Jim Bagby.


And as for the TDC funding, this statement from TDC executive director Dawn Moliterno Thursday night: "The South Walton TDC advisory Council met and reviewed Mr. Finch's proposal and determined that it was private venture that in it's current form was not in our mission or appropriate use of bed tax dollars."


Finch says he's pushing for the trolleys in 2012, but the TDC seems to be standing firm.

 

[Sunshine Shuttle]

The 30-A Tram service being developed by Sunshine Shuttle will not yet be operational for the Memorial Day week, but we are hoping to have it up and running by the following week. While we are in the final lap of getting to our goal of becoming operational, we want to thank the business leaders who are supporting the 30-A Tram service. Our service plan is based on having drop-off and pick-up stops only at the subscribing communities and businesses on 30-A.We will have two resort style Trolleys that will provide safe and fun experiences for the riders. Since each Trolley has 30 passenger seats, the two Trolleys have the potential to reduce up to 60 vehicles being on 30-A every hour. The Trolleys will make two stops at every stop each hour. They will run from noon until 2:00 AM (approximately).
We continue to have many inquiries about the service, and if you are interested in having the Trolleys stop at your businesses, you should call Sunshine Shuttle at 850-974-9911 to learn more. Our website is www.30atram.com.
The project’s information and a map will be linked to all the subscribing businesses and on the following websites: Walton County Chamber of Commerce, Tourist Development Council, SoWal.com, 30A.com, and 30atram.com.