Summer trolley still an option

A summertime transit system is still in the cards for Whitefish.

The Whitefish Chamber of Commerce hosted a public meeting Dec. 7 to discuss the functioning parts of a summer transit system and whether it’s something the city actually needs. Most attendees agreed that the idea should be further explored, but with fiscal caution.

The chamber floated the idea of a summer transit loop earlier this spring and a task force was later formed to sort out preliminary details.

Some of the task force’s ideas include using two vehicles — possibly an open-air trolley — on a one-hour loop around town with service every half hour. The trolley would service all major lodges and hotels, commercial areas and some residential areas. Hours of operation were suggested to be 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., from mid-June to mid-October. The trolley or a bus could go up to Whitefish Mountain Resort three or four times a day.

The vehicles could be city-owned, they suggested, while operation and maintenance could be contracted out to a private company. The chamber suggested leasing vehicles during a two-year trial period in 2013 and 2014. The city’s tax increment finance funds could be used at an estimated cost of $60,000.

In April, city council voted financing a summer trolley as a “minor” TIF priority project.

It was noted at the public meeting that an easily identifiable and unique vehicle would be an important aspect of a summer transit system.

“We need a signature vehicle that will catch the eye of tourists,” chamber director Kevin Gartland said.

Rocky Mountain Transportation owner Dale Duff agreed, saying the vehicle should be “something the city can be proud of and that is fun to ride.”

Whether a trolley is the best vehicle was up for debate.

Downtown business owner Tom Gilfillan said the SNOW buses used in the winter could be used in the summer.

“We’ve got something good going we can branch out on,” he said.

Dawn Studick with Montana Trolley Co., out of Kalispell told the group that most people are attracted to their trolley when it’s in town. Their trolley was recently used for a pub crawl in Whitefish.

“People kept coming up to us and asking if it was a new service in town,” she said. “People love trolleys, they’re part of the old world.”

It was noted that a trolley might fit with Whitefish’s railroad history.

A trolley, however, would have a tough time going up and down the steep Big Mountain Road.

Duff said he has a nine-person bus available that could be retrofitted to include air conditioning for summer use.

Whitefish Convention and Visitor Bureau director Jan Metzmaker suggested a low emission vehicle would appeal to eco travelers.

“It would interest the people who travel here and it shows we care about the environment,” she said.

City engineer Karin Hilding said it’s important for the trolley to be able to carry bikes.

North Valley Hospital CEO Jason Spring noted that a summer transit system could alleviate some of the downtown parking issues. He also suggested the hours of operation could be tweaked to include service later in the evening.

Chris Schustrom of the Garden Wall Inn said putting intoxicated folks on a public system could get messy. He wanted to see a transit system between Whitefish and Glacier Park.

Rhonda Fitzgerald was hesitant about the whole idea of summer transit and whether it would get used. She said the chamber should conduct a survey this summer to study demand before spending money on a trolley or bus.

“If it flops, you won’t get a second chance,” she warned.

Funding to maintain a system is another challenge. Grants were suggested, as was a rider-donation system.

The free SNOW bus is paid for by the Big Mountain Commercial Association. Whitefish Mountain Resort pays almost 85 percent of the cost with businesses in town picking up the remaining 15 percent.