MO: Joplin trolleys to roll again Feb. 3

Once again, those in need of transportation in Joplin will be able to climb aboard a Sunshine Lamp Trolley. Service restarts the week of Feb. 3.

Details of the renewed Joplin public transportation option were outlined Thursday at City Hall, where an audience of about 50 who attended a morning meeting applauded the trolley's relaunch.

Public transit officials said they are targeting the restart for Monday, Feb. 3, hoping for a weeklong soft opening.

To get trolley service rolling again, the city's transit service will resume for now using the same three fixed routes — red, blue and green — that existed before the service was put on hold in 2022. Buses will run from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, with the last route pickups at 5 p.m., said Gina Thompson, transportation coordinator.

She said the routes will be analyzed over time to determine if changes to routes or the location of stops is needed.

The red and blue routes start and finish at 123 S. Main St. but can be boarded at designated stops. The green route starts at 19th and Main streets. The red route makes stops that sweep the west side of town, the blue serves east and northeast Joplin, and the green route makes stops in south Joplin.

When the trolley previously operated, rides were $1; now they will be $2.

Those who have to change routes to get to their destinations will have to pay for each boarding, city officials said. However, $1 tickets are available to riders who are age 60 or older, on Medicare and those who are disabled. Tickets can be acquired at the trolley office at 123 S. Main St. or the city's finance office on the third floor of City Hall, 602 S. Main St.

Trolley riders can pay cash, although drivers cannot make change, so riders must provide the exact price for the rides. Riders also can buy Handipass Booklets through the transit office that provide ride coupons or trolley tokens that can be used in lieu of cash.

Driver contingentWhile trolley transportation was put on hold because of a shortage of commercially licensed drivers, now the city has been able to hire a full contingent of drivers because shorter buses have taken the place of full-sized trolleys. Recently, there were 16 employed and one more was needed, city officials said.

Trolley drivers need only a chauffeur's license rather than a commercial driver's license.

There are no changes planned at this time for the trolley's alternative service, the Metro Area Public Transit System — MAPS. That service has remained in operation throughout the stoppage of the trolley. That is because MAPS uses short buses that require only a chauffeur's license for drivers.

MAPS provides curb-to-curb service from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Rides on MAPS must be booked in advance. Those rides are $4 per trip.

Cavanaugh Studyvin, community organizer for the Economic Security Corp., welcomed the trolley service back at Thursday's meeting.

She oversees a free-ride program offered by ESC using volunteer drivers. It is called CARS — Community Action Ride Service. Still, there is a need in the area for public transportation, she said.

CARS is "super, super busy. In eight months, we've done about 167,000 miles," she said. CARS started with about five volunteer drivers; now there are about 36.

Unlike the trolley, which travels only within Joplin city limits, CARS spans four counties. "We serve Barton, Newton, Jasper and McDonald counties. It's really busy. The need is there and we're always getting calls," Studyvin said. "I think it's going to be a natural partnership of working together" with CARS, the trolley and MAPS. Clients of the ESC program are looking forward to having the trolley available again, she said.

"We still anticipate being busier than ever, but it's definitely going to help and we're excited the trolley is going to be another option because there are very few transportation options for our citizens," Studyvin said.

'Thrilled'

Carolyn Plassman, a care coordinator at Watered Gardens, sees the trolley as essential to clients of the shelter.

"We are thrilled the trolley system is starting back up because of the people we care for and connect to resources — mental health, medical, dental and family. We we have volunteers twice a week that drive for us. But you can't have all your appointments on just two days a week, so we are thrilled. This was a great resource when it was operating before," she said.

CARS has been important to shelter clients in the absence of the trolley but the trolley is an affordable option, Plassman said.

The affordable trolley also provides assistance to those who seek help from St. Philips Episcopal Church, 706 Byers Ave., said deacon Carol Peterson.

"I'm absolutely thrilled that the trolley service will be starting up again," she said. "We do have quite a number of people who come to our church with different needs. It's really great we can have a resource like this to help them. Transportation is a big issue and it's very difficult when people can't get to the grocery store, the pharmacy, their doctor's office, or their jobs. Those are really big barriers for people in our community."

City officials are still working on forming a regional transit authority, which could involve surrounding communities, said assistant city manager Tony Robyn. The city received a federal $400,000 grant to build a regional transportation program.

___
(c)2025 The Joplin Globe (Joplin, Mo.)
Visit The Joplin Globe (Joplin, Mo.) at www.joplinglobe.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.