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Updated: 9:34 PM Jan 24, 2012
How Come the Bay Town Trolley is Inconvenient?
Panama City - Several local officials are calling for possible changes to Bay County’s only public transportation system. They want to move the Bay Towne Trolley out from under the West Florida Regional Planning Council.
Posted: 7:29 PM Jan 24, 2012Reporter: Amber Southard Email Address: amber.southard@wjhg.com Bay Town Trolley');">  |
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5 Comments 
Panama City - Several local officials are calling for possible changes to Bay County’s only public transportation system. They want to move the Bay Towne Trolley out from under the West Florida Regional Planning Council.
Some say the trolley system inconveniences the public, and trolley management is blaming the West Florida Regional Planning Council. Brothers Mike and Greg Meeks help run the Bay Towne Trolley.
Their job involves maintaining the buses and serving the needs of the 800,000 people who ride the trolley each year. Tuesday the Meeks told the trolley task force the West Florida Regional Planning Council is not doing its job, planning routes and buying more buses.
"It's their job description. It's what they get paid to do. We don't get paid to do that and it’s pretty clear in our contract," said Greg Meeks.
Members of the task force want to remove the regional planning council from the equation.
"I think, if we have some type of committee or some type of an authority to run this, I think we can do it and do it more efficiently than we're doing now," said Mike Nelson, Bay County Commissioner.
"The TPO should not be this politically charged and it’s charged in Bay County because of the trolley," said Bob Baronti.
The TPO will meet Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at the Bay County Government Center to further discuss the issue.
Latest Comments
I have never ridden the Trolley here. Even though there is a stop 2 blocks from my house and it goes right past my work. I would have to transfer twice & ride 3 Trolleys to get there, and I can bicycle the distance in the same amount of time it would take on the Trolley. I suppose this is better than when I lived in GA, though. End of the line was still an hour's walk from my house there.
It would be nice if the trolley had a small pull off space at its stops on the major roads in town. When they stop to pick up passengers and block 1 lane of a major 2 lane road, it really creates a bottleneck for the rest of traffic, a pull off would be safer for the trolley and its passengers also. I cant speak for the routes, i dont live in town so im not a rider. Im sure the drivers would have some valuable input about the routes, they drive every day and know where improvements could be made, but no one ever bothers to ask the low man on the totem pole, do they!?!
well the trolley is my only transportation, and just on 23rd street route changes are hard to get back home, because you can't catch it on the other side of the road. each time i get on the trolley they are nearly packed, so i don't know what is up with the route changes. panama city drives need to just be grateful for the fact their able to drive their cars. but many can't afford that luxury
