Wheels in motion to put ads on trolley

Tarpon Springs wants to sell space inside and outside the trolley to help offset the cost of operating it.

By CANDACE RONDEAUX, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 13, 2003

TARPON SPRINGS -- City commissioners have approved a plan to allow advertisements on the trolley that circles through parts of the city and to extend its route to local hotels.

The two-pronged plan, approved during Tuesday night's City Commission meeting, could generate much-needed revenue for the money-losing transportation service, city officials said.

The new plan calls for selling ads inside and outside the trolley to interested businesses.

Monthly ad prices included in the current plan range from $30 to $150, depending on their size and placement. But businesses may also be able buy ad packages for six-month periods for rates yet to be determined, said Charlie Attardo, city business services specialist.

Projected income from the ads could be as much as $6,000 a year.

Officials with the city and Tours & Detours Motorcoach Co., the trolley's Largo-based operator, say they also plan to solicit more riders by extending the operation's route to local hotels.

Participating hotels would guarantee to provide four riders a day at $5 per person. Regular fares are currently $1 per rider and $3 for an all-day pass on the trolley.

Although no hotels have signed on to the plan, city officials hope to bring in as much as $20,000 a year by extending the service to them.

"It could generate some significant additional revenue," Attardo said.

The city has lost between $12,000 to $14,000 since trolley service started about 10 months ago, officials said. The city initially projected a shortfall of $55,000 a year for the trolley.

Tours & Detours owner Bob Wendt said ridership numbers were not available, but city officials say it has been exceptionally low. Low ridership and the sluggish tourism economy since Sept. 11, 2001, are the leading culprits in lowered revenue. But budget shortfalls are also not unusual for many tourist trolley operations, Wendt said.

"The trolleys as a rule for the city lose money," Wendt said, "but with the advertising and so on, we think we can keep that to a real minimum."

Wendt said his company has not worked out all the details of added stops at local hotels, but the trolley would likely have an extra stop scheduled at each new location two or three times a day. He said the company has received inquiries from area hotel owners interested in participating and hopes to sign up several hotels in the coming weeks.

That's especially good news for downtown and Sponge Docks business owners. They hope the extended service to hotels will help bring new business.

"It can only be positive," said David Gauchman, vice president of the Sponge Docks Merchants Association.

"The more people you bring down here, whether from hotels or otherwise, means more money being spent down here."

Several residents who attended Tuesday's commission meeting and local business owners said they eventually would like to see trolley routes extended to other tourist attractions such as beaches and parks around the city.

City commissioners said there is no plan for such an extension in the works, but some say it's worth looking into.

"Anything we can do to offset the expense of the trolley to the city is going to help taxpayers," city Commissioner Karen Brayboy said.

-- Candace Rondeaux can be reached at (727) 445-4182 or rondeaux@sptimes.com.

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