Joplin’s trolley service needs to expand because of increasing passenger loads and the need for more destinations, the city’s transportation coordinator told the City Council on Monday night.

“Our system is struggling for the citizens and for our drivers, and we need to be able to respond to what our citizens need,” said Gina Thompson, transportation coordinator.

She proposed expanding the system from three routes to five in order to serve an increasing number of passengers to get to the locations they need.

Some of the existing routes would be extended. The green route, for example, which currently goes to the Walmart store on 15th Street, will leave there and go to Davis Boulevard in the Joplin Industrial Park, Crowder College’s Advanced Training and Workforce Center and Sam’s Club.

Another route be extended on Seventh Street for stops at the courthouse in Joplin and west to Schifferdecker Park and pool as well as the West Seventh Street Walmart. It also would go south on Maiden Lane, adding a new stop at Aldi’s grocery store.

Another new route would go west on 26th Street to the Mercy Village area and Freeman Health System.

The Main Street route would be extended to stops at Mercy Hospital Joplin.

Council discussion favored the changes, and council members suggested or asked questions about ways to obtain resources to support the new and extended routes, such as another trolley bus and funding that could be used to hire more drivers.

The service has operated with the same three fixed routes since it started in 2007. There are three vehicles and 17 drivers to provide service. Thompson proposes an increase to five routes, which would require more trolley buses.

“The city is very sprawling, even though we are not a huge city,” Thompson said. “So we have to take into account Joplin’s layout and the resources that we have to have.”

The system needs more expansion than that proposed now. She said there is need for rides to stops on 20th Street, 32nd Street, North Main Street and the industrial park in east Joplin.

“But this is a solid, good first step for the city to have robust transit system,” Thompson told the council.

Trolley served was halted temporarily in 2023 because of a shortage of drivers and restarted early last year when more drivers could be hired.

Since then, things have been “crazy busy,” Thompson said.

Ridership is up by 20,000 this year, bringing the number of passengers served to 70,000 so far.

To determine the details of the proposal for expanded service, Thompson said she and her team used input from council members, Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce data, survey data, ridership numbers and street safety. Safety needs to be considered because of the space needed to turn the large trolley buses, she said.

The existing trolley service has been operating a decade with the same three routes. Each route is a one-hour loop. Riders are picked up and dropped off at 67 stops around the city. The number could grow to more than 100 stops under the proposal.

“Our city has changed and our system is struggling” because of the increasing need for public transportation and the expanse the existing buses must travel, Thompson said.

Fares would not change.

Public meetings

As Joplin’s Transit Division considers expanding trolley routes, it will be hosting two public meetings Thursday, Aug. 20, to get feedback from the community.

Meetings will be from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 5-6:30 p.m. in City Council chambers on the fifth floor of City Hall, 602. S. Main St. There will not be a presentation, but people will be able to view map boards and ask questions. The same information will be available at both meetings. Public transit riders and other members of the public are encouraged to attend and comment at either meeting.

In addition to the meetings, a 30-day public comment period about the proposal launched Tuesday. Public comments should be submitted to Thompson at 417-624-0820, ext. 1800, or at [email protected].

Those who need disability-related auxiliary aids or services for the meeting can contact the city’s ADA coordinator at 417-624-0820, ext. 1210, or the city clerk’s office at 417-624-0820, ext. 1220. The city requests 48 hours’ notice to arrange for the aids or services. The TTD number is 417-625-4774.

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