Greenlink Previews New Downtown Trolleys During Green Day Ribbon-Cutting

GREENVILLE, SC – One of two new downtown trolleys made an appearance on Main Street today as part of the city’s annual Green Day celebration. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at 4:30 p.m. in front of City Hall, followed by an inaugural ride to Fluor Field. The new trolleys are expected to begin service by Aug. 15.

Owned by Greenville Transit Authority and operated by Greenlink, the new open-air, red and blue trolleys offer a vintage look and feel complete with a cow catcher on the front and wooden bench seats inside. Both trolleys seat 35 passengers, are handicapped accessible, and are equipped with bicycle racks. The trolleys also feature a co-pilot seat for tour guides or special guests.

The new trolleys are the result of a public-private partnership between Greenlink, the City of Greenville and The Greenville Drive, and are an extension of a trolley program that began in 2006 when the Drive purchased a trolley for the debut of Fluor Field. In recent years, the Drive and the City of Greenville have enjoyed shared use of two trolleys. The new partnership gives The Greenville Drive exclusive advertising rights on the new trolleys.

“Trolleys have become a highly visible part of transportation in downtown Greenville, and are extremely popular among residents and visitors alike,” said Greenlink Transit Director Mark Rickards. “We’re excited to roll out the new trolleys, and already we are working on plans to enhance trolley service with longer hours and coverage of a wider geographic area.”

Added Greenville Drive Owner Craig Brown, “The joint partnership between the Greenville Drive, Greenlink and the City of Greenville is one of the most unique partnerships of its kind and extends the widely acclaimed public-private partnership that resulted in what is now known as Fluor Field in 2006,” said Brown. “The impact of this partnership is now felt far beyond the walls of Fluor Field, and is consistent with the goals of each of the entities; all of which strive to create a better quality of life for Greenville and the Upstate communities in which they serve. We are excited to be a part of the unveiling of these new trolleys and the unique and fun experience they will create for riders on a daily basis.”

There will be no fare to ride the new downtown trolleys, however the route for the new trolleys will change to a continuous loop that begins at Field Street in the West End, continues north on River/Richardson Streets, and south on Main Street. Hours of operation for the trolleys are:Thursday 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.; Friday 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.; and Sunday 1 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Greenlink provides fixed route transportation services Monday through Saturday in the city of Greenville and throughout Greenville County, and operates a daily connector to Clemson University and a CU-ICAR/St. Francis Shuttle on weekdays. The system also features Greenville Area Paratransit (GAP), an ADA service provided for disabled individuals who are unable to use Greenlink’s fixed route bus service.