by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
Now starting its third year, the JTA’s Riverside Trolley has proven to be a popular ride for Downtown workers and people who work along Riverside Avenue. The service provides an economical and convenient way to take advantage of lunch options in 5 Points on one end of the route and Downtown on the other end.
The service debuted in May 2008 and recorded ridership of more than 40,000 passengers in its first five months of operation.
JTA’s 2008-09 fiscal year began Oct. 1, 2008, and in the following 12 months, ridership figures indicated 62,512 trolley passengers on the route. From Oct. 1, 2009, through the end of April, 30,497 riders have been recorded.
The average weekly passenger count goes up in the summer months and declines in the winter, probably because of the weather, said JTA Director of External Communications Mike Miller, who provided the passenger data.
Trolley driver Queen Howell doesn’t notice the weekly average. She’s more in tune with the daily passenger count.
“Mondays are the slowest days. I think that’s because a lot of people bring leftovers from home for lunch,” she said. “Fridays are our busiest days. Sometimes those buildings just empty out.”
On Friday, Haley Seabrook and Sarah Jones, who work at Lender Processing Services along Riverside Avenue, took the trolley headed for Sake House, one of their favorite lunch destinations in 5 Points.
“We use it at least once a week,” said Seabrook.
Jones added the trolley is her choice for a short lunch trip because “it’s a lot easier than using your car.”
Tanya Vance and Diane Allala work at Fidelity National and also said they use the trolley on a regular basis. “We’re on it at least once a week. It’s faster and more convenient than using the car. Sometimes we come to 5 Points and sometimes we go to the Landing,” said Vance.
The Riverside Trolley is also a hit with merchants in 5 Points. Ivy Stokes, the manager of Al’s Pizza, said the trolley stops at Margaret and Oak streets in front of the restaurant. Like at all stops, a trolley arrives every 10 minutes.
“As soon as we see the trolleys, we get ready for a crowd,” she said. Stokes also said riders account for about half of the restaurant’s weekday lunch business.
David Joudi owns Riverside Liquors and Village Wine Shop in the heart of the 5 Points shopping district. He described himself as the “ad hoc president” of the (loosely structured) 5 Points merchants association. “I’m the one everybody comes to to when they have an idea,” he said. He also said one reason the trolley has been so successful bringing people from Downtown to 5 Points is the wide choice of lunch options.
“We’ve got more than a dozen restaurants where you can get anything from a sandwich to a full meal. It’s the full spectrum and every culture of cuisine. The only thing we don’t have is a steakhouse and that probably wouldn’t work for lunch anyway,” said Joudi.
He also said there are about two dozen retailers who offer everything from clothing and accessories to tattoos. There’s also an old-fashioned full-service pharmacy, an antique mall and Edge City, which opened in 1976 as a classic ‘60s-style “head shop” and has since evolved into a specialty retailer and a 5 Points icon.
“I think the trolley has been successful in its mission and has served our area well,” said co-owner Tom McCleery.
The Riverside Trolley service is available Monday-Friday. The first departure from Downtown is at 10:30 a.m. and the last route begins at 2:30 p.m. From Riverside, the first trolley leaves the corner of Margaret Street and Riverside Avenue at 10:44 a.m. and the last departure is at 2:44 p.m. The fare is 50 cents per person each way. Exact change and JTA weekly and monthly transit passes are accepted. People age 60 and older ride free.
For more information and route map, visit www.jtafla.com or call 630-3100.
David Joudi, owner of Riverside Liquors & Village Wine Shop with former owner Bob Merendino, said he’s the ad hoc president of the 5 Points merchants association.
356-2466