HomeMy WebLinkAboutTrolleys 120303After a century, trolley cars
return to streets of Bryan
By Greg Huchingson
PRESS Editor
Nearly a century after a trolley
system first hauled citizens of
Bryan up and down Texas Avenue,
public transportation has returned to
the Brazos Valley.
In the early 1890s, local citizens
travelled on a trolley system which
operated on tracks. Two weeks ago,
rubber - wheeled replicas of those
same trolleys began reappearing all
over town. And based on the
performance of its first two weeks,
the new Interurban Trolley System
will be a resounding success.
"The early returns show this will
be a very successful system," said
Lyle Nelson, associate administra-
tor for transit operations. "This is
something Bryan- College Station
has needed for a long time. It is
about 10 years overdue."
The Interurban Trolley System
was developed by the Brazos Valley
Community Action Agency and
Brazos Transit System. The
vehicles being used are even called
see Trolleys, p.7A
Two weeks ago, Brazos Transit initiated the Interurban Trolley
System as a way to provide transportation to most parts of
Bryan - College Station.
from p. 1A
"1890 Vintage -Style Replica
Trolleys."
Fares to ride the ITS are 50 -cents
for adults and 25 -cents for children
ages 6 -12, senior citizens, and the
handicapped. Children under age
six can ride free with a paying pa-
tron. Patrons can buy a book of 40
riding passes for $20, or a monthly
"flash pass" for $25.
• Peak riding periods, according to
Nelson, have been before and after
work (6 -9 a.m. and 4 -6 p.m.) and
; during the lunch period (11 a.m. to
1 p.m.)
There are five routes currently
servicing 300 different stops in B-
CS. Nelson said the system has
averaged about 700 passenger
'boardings the first two weeks, and
he expects "in excess of 1,000" per
week from now on.
"On any new transportation sys-
tem, there's going to be an orienta-
tion period," said Nelson, who has
been with Brazos Transit for four
and a half years. "When people get
used to seeing these trolleys make
stops every hour on the hour, they
F will want to use them more."
Nelson sp ITS has not been in
operation long enough to determine
its exact clientele. While many
passengers come from families
without a car, some are from fami-
lies who do own cars.
"People are getting to where they
don't like to drive as much as they
used to," Nelson said.
While some Texas A &M students
are utilizing the system, Nelson
estimated over 100 high school and
even intermediate school students
are riding the trolleys to and from
school every day.
"Most of the student riders live
within a two -mile radius of their
school and are not picked up by the
school buses," Nelson said.
Brazos Transit has been in opera-
tion for 15 years. Nelson said the
company also operates "very suc-
cessful" systems in Huntsville,
Lufkin and The Woodlands.
"We forsee ITS being as useable
here as the Metro Transit Systems
are in Dallas, Houston, San
Antonio, and Austin," Nelson said.
ITS started on a subsidy from the
Urban Mass Transit System, and is
not intended to be a revenue pro-
Thursday, November 23, 1989, Section A, P
e7
JUST SA Y "I SAW IT IN THE PRESS!"
Trolleys roll into B -CS with ease
ducer. It is intended to benefit the
community by enhancing public
mobility, much like sidewalks do
on a smaller scale.
"Studies show that for every dollar
spent on a transit will be returned (I
three times, either directly, indi-
rectly, or induced," Nelson said.