This year, Bakersfield residents have been enjoying a new way of getting around in the downtown area at no cost with the Bakersfield trolley.
“With this new electric trolley, we are hoping to help the downtown Bakersfield lunch crowds to get around downtown,” said Cathy Butler, president of Downtown Business Association.
The 22-passenger trolley initiates its route at the trolley stop every 15 minutes on L Street from Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
It will follow its route south, down to L Street and loop west onto Truxtun Avenue, then North on H Street, before turning back east on 19th Street, completing the loop.
The trolley makes six different stops, and the complete ride is over one mile.
“Having this trolley is a great deal,” said Butler. “We have it thanks to PG&E, who donated it to BARC (Bakersfield Association for Retarded Citizens) last year.”
The electric trolley has now been running since last December. In order to have it functioning, the trolley is charged every night and has a capability to run for 60 miles per charge.
Terry Springfield, 55, a Bakersfield resident, believes that riding the trolley is the best way of enjoying the downtown area.
“I really like this trolley. I get on it as much as I can,” she said. “And it’s going to sound absurd, but it really makes me feel like I am in Disneyland because it is extremely fun.”
Butler added that the DBA is looking into adding more stops and more trolleys in the future.
“I am re-doing the maps really soon because we are planning to add more stops,” Butler said. “We have been wanting to do this project with the trolley since day one, and now that we have it our next step is to probably make it available on evenings as well.”
Riding the trolley gives riders a chance to win $100 in a contest for a downtown-shopping spree to those who ride the trolley at least five times.