Trolley in Lake Worth

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Molly the Trolley

Lake Worth to Mull Bringing Trolley service back.

Back around 1977 during the mayoral term of Dennis Dorsey, the trolley was devised. Doris, his wife, was president of the Lake Worth Business & Professional Women's Club that was looking for a worthy project to help the city and the community. Larry Robbins, city manager at the time, met with the Club members and agreed that a trolley was a necessary service for Lake Worth and for those needing affordable transportation. The Club researched the possibility of bringing in a trolley service to the city. They believed that the most important factor for its success was that it have defined routes and be dependable...on time. If it could get a passenger to the grocery store and back without ice cream melting, it met the criteria.

Winter Park had a trolley service that ran from the condominiums, where elderly residents lived, to their downtown shopping. The trolley there had a big volume of passengers and was successful. The Club then decided to go forward with their idea. A trolley cost $40,000 each back then. It sold advertising to pay for the first two trolleys. Vendors were on yearly contracts, paying a monthly advertising fee. Advertising was not only on the outside of the trolley but throughout the interior. All the costs affiliated with the trolleys were paid from the advertising fees: the buses, the conductors, the gas and the maintenance. The trolleys were paid off within a few months and the ride was free with defined routes. The city then bought two more trolleys with one used only as a spare if one broke down. Dependability was the key.

The trolley was a part of the Lake Worth scene until 2007 when politics got in the way. The commission was looking for ways to cut expenses instead of looking for ways to make Lolly work and continue with a valuable landmarked service. It was during the time and the mindset to either get rid of it, shut it down or outsource to Palm Beach County. It was easier that way than to tackle and solve the problem. The Seniors, the disabled, the poor and others who needed the transportation were expendable. They were told to use Palm Tran, a service that didn't even run to Murry Hills. The trolleys were not paying for themselves. They voted to end the service and get rid of Molly the Trolley.

I'm all in favor of bringing back Molly the Trolley. It was a landmark for Lake Worth just like the cable cars in San Francisco. The idea of bringing back the trolley is good but few are going to drive into our city to take a trolley to the beach or to see bonfires. It needs to bring back its old routes and research the needs of the community and those who would use the trolley. The City is always talking about Grants--here is an opportunity--affordable transportation once again.