The downtown trolley will be back in operation beginning May 1. Though seating will be limited, officials with the Owensboro Transit System said they’re excited for trolley services to resume as more businesses and venues begin opening back up.
The trolley, which operates in the downtown area only, has been on a year-long hiatus since the number of COVID-19 cases began rising locally in April 2020. OTS director Pamela Canary said it didn’t make sense to keep the trolley operating when so many businesses and venues in downtown Owensboro were closed.
“But now things are looking up because we’re having the Bar-B-Q Block Party, the Owensboro HydroFair and Friday After 5,” Canary said. “We transport people because of those special events.”
The trolley’s main purpose, Canary said, is to provide transportation for visitors and those enjoying downtown Owensboro. If someone is staying at one of the riverfront hotels and doesn’t want to drive or find parking a few blocks away, the trolley can pick them up and drop them off at their destination.
With stipulations still in place, Canary said the trolley will hold roughly 12-13 passengers at one time — which is the same number for city busses.
“We’ll have to use some kind of banners to separate seating because the trolleys have bench seating,” she added.
Canary said OTS had received a lot of support from the City of Owensboro and the Federal Transportation Administration over the last year, making it possible for her department to successfully reopen transportation methods for people to enjoy.
“Things are improving and ridership in general has increased,” Canary said. “The trolley brings a uniqueness to the downtown area. I think we’ll start getting back to normal pretty soon.”
The trolley’s operating hours will be:
- Monday-Thursday (11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 4 p.m.-8 p.m.)
- Friday and Saturday (11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 4 p.m.-10 p.m.)
