Trolley System in Whittier May Reach End of the Line

Whittier’s trolley system may be due for an overhaul.

Not only are its trolleys nearing the end of their life expectancy, but the company that operates the fixed-route system is nearing the end of its contract.

The City Council has asked staff members to consider changes that could provide better transportation service for residents.

One possibility, City Manager Tom Mauk said, is a switch to bus service.

Although they are more quaint, trolleys have higher repair and replacement costs than the buses used by neighboring cities, Mauk said. And because they run on diesel engines, he said, the 34-passenger trolleys also are noisier and spew more pollutants than buses.

Staff members also are considering whether to contract with a different operator, whether it is a nearby city with its own transportation system or Whittier City Hall.

For three years, the current operator, ATE-Ryder, has driven the trolleys. But its contract expires in August, and Whittier has an opportunity to either shop around for another operator or hire its own drivers who may be able to offer more frequent service, Mauk said.

“It’s not an issue of the contractor being too high in cost,” Mauk said. “It’s more an issue if the city can offer more for the same dollars and can the city compete?”

He added that for at least 15 years the city has provided transportation to senior citizens and the disabled through its door-to-door bus service. The trolleys, on the other hand, run on fixed routes across Whittier’s residential areas.