Franklin Trolleys rolls onward and upward

F. Scott Fitzgerald said there are no second acts in American life, a remark disproved by Mr. T, George Foreman - and the trolley. The Franklin Trolleys, the city of Franklin's four-year old public transportation system, has been a popular local revival of an American tradition; this Spring, having moved into new headquarters and preparing to expand its service areas, the trolley is flourishing in Franklin.

The public is invited to visit the new Franklin Transit Management Center (708 Columbia Ave.), the spanking-new digs of the Transportation Management Association (TMA) Group and the Franklin Trolleys' main terminal. The TMA Group, which manages the trolleys, has offices upstairs. The facility's downstairs area was laid out with the transit rider in mind, with a beautiful waiting area, a ticket window, public restrooms, vending machines and a trolley stop. The building is ADA compliant, as are the trolleys (two wheelchairs can be accommodated on each).

"We want riders to feel like the Center's been designed for them," says Debbie Henry, Director of Communications for the TMA Group and the Franklin Transit Authority. "We're very tuned in to the public."

Henry defines three groups, or sectors, of the trolley-riding population. The first is the transit-dependent - people with no other means of transportation. The second consists of those with other means of transportation who choose to take the trolley instead, for reasons of economy, convenience, or a concern for the environment. (The trolleys operate on clean-burning bio-diesel fuel.) Senior citizens, who comprise a large proportion of the trolley patronage in the city, can fall into either of the first two sectors, and many seniors, Henry says, ride the trolley because it keeps them connected to the community. And all fares are one-half price to seniors (and the disabled).

The third sector Henry calls "Teeners & Tweeners" - kids 12 and older (12 is the minimum age for riding without an adult) that ride the trolley when school's out. The trolleys hit all the spots any teener or tweener would wish to hit, and young people, as we all know, care more about the environment than us adults.

Henry says the tourist market for the trolley is growing. The depot has maps and information about the area.

The Franklin Trolleys average about 4,500 trips a month, covering the Franklin and Cool Springs areas. Beginning this month, they'll be providing more and even better service - shorter route times, more stops, an expanded service area, an all-day pass, and the addition of the new TODD (Transit On DemanD) service. TODD will answer the need for flexible service - going out of the regular fixed route. With the additional trolley, turnaround time will go from an hour to a half-hour.

Before the trolley debuted in Franklin, in 2003, the TMA Group did studies to determine the level of need for public transportation in the area, and the type of transportation favored. Buses got a lukewarm reception, but when a trolley ("a bus in a cute suit," Henry laughs) was brought in, it was immediately embraced.

"It fit in very well in this community," Henry says. "It's become a part of the fabric of Franklin."

The Franklin Trolleys serve Franklin and Cool Springs. They are heated and air-conditioned. Tickets to ride are $1 for a one-way, $4 for an all-day, and $25 for a Franklin Fast Pass (31 rides with no expiration date). All tickets are one-half price for seniors and disabled.

For more information, including route maps, visit www.franklintrolleys.org; call 615-790-0604.