Hello Trolley
New RABA Trolleys Bring Fun to Your Ride…
The jolly trolleys are here!
The Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA) welcomed two trolleys to its fleet in October, much to the delight of RABA board member Tenessa Audette, who doubles as a Redding City Council member.
Audette says she has been advocating for the trolleys for some time, hoping to add a little fun and energy to Redding’s transit system. John Andoh, Redding’s transit manager, found the trolleys for sale in Cary, N.C., and snapped them up for $300,000 for the pair. A pair of regular transit buses would cost about $600,000, Andoh says.
“The price tag was the most attractive part,” says Audette. “$150,000 each is a fraction of the cost of buses that size. That they are fun is an added bonus that we hope will encourage riders of all ages.”
Andoh says funding for the trolleys came from a state grant for fleet replacement administered by the Shasta Regional Transportation Agency. The trolleys replace two older Gillig buses that were scheduled for retirement; they are in daily use on RABA routes 3,4, 11 and 14.
The trolleys seat 24 passengers and offer standing room for 10 more. They are accessible for disabled riders and also feature bike racks. A full-sized transit bus seats 35, Andoh says. For an added touch of whimsy, the trolleys announce their arrival at each stop by ringing a bell.
“They’re just kind of fun and fun to be on,” says Kelly Sepelyak, RABA’s executive assistant. “It’s just a cool thing that’s bringing some excitement.” The trolleys are another touch of nostalgia, she adds, similar to the vintage neon Greyhound bus sign that was recently restored and installed at the entrance to RABA’s Downtown Transit Center.
Audette hopes the trolleys increase daily RABA ridership throughout the Redding Cultural District and she’s looking forward to them serving as shuttles for events like Kool April Nites and the Freedom Festival on the Fourth of July.
Within weeks of their arrival, the trolleys proved to be a crowd pleaser when 80 tickets for a “Boo Cruise” tour of Halloween decorations were snapped up in a matter of hours. Fares for the tour were the normal $2 for adults, $1 for seniors 65 and older and free for kids under 18.
The trolleys also will be in action this month, offering tours of Christmas decorations (schedule to be determined; check the RABA website for details) and appearing in the Dec. 6 Lighted Christmas Parade in downtown Redding.
For Andoh and Audette, the trolleys are just the latest example of a transit system working hard to come up with new and exciting ways to serve the greater Redding area. One new feature is the Runabout program, introduced earlier this year. It’s a “micro” transit service that provides customized on-demand trips within four zones (central and west Redding, east Redding, Shasta Lake/Mountain Gate and Anderson). It’s designed to offer affordable transportation for areas not served by a regular fixed route. It generally runs between 6 am and 10 pm weekdays, 9 am to 10 pm Saturdays and between 8 am and 4 pm on Sundays.
The RABA Runner program, also new, is a partnership with the ride-sharing service Uber that offers to pay half of a passenger’s Uber fare (up to $5) for eligible rides that start and end within the greater Redding area (including Shasta Lake and Anderson). It’s designed for RABA customers who don’t have bus service in their area or are traveling after service hours. Participants will need both the RABA Shasta Connect and Uber apps.
“As someone that needed to take the bus as a kid and a teen, it’s nice when the service is easier to manage and expect. Our new app helps achieve that,” Audette says. “Now with the trolleys it’s even more enjoyable. Our staff is looking for ways to make transit consistent, easy to use and desirable as a transportation choice.” •
www.rabaride.com • (530) 241-2877
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