By Debby Woodin

dwoodin@joplinglobe.com

A proposal to expand Joplin’s trolley service, via two vans, to three routes with individual pickup available drew a favorable, but informal, vote Monday night from the City Council.

Five members of the council voted in favor of giving formal consideration to the plan to expand transportation service after a session in which many questions were raised about whether the expansion would cost too much or would displace current curbside cab service subsidized by the city for elderly and disabled riders, and job seekers.

Robert Lolley, director of the Metro Area Publictransit System and trolley service, proposed the expansion based on results of a survey taken earlier this year, the budgeted amount of money the city has earmarked for public transportation, and changing requirements of subsidies available from the federal government.

Lolley told the council that 622 people responded to a survey the city conducted. More than 400 said they wanted transportation to shopping areas, more than 350 to hospitals and doctors’ offices, and more than 300 to restaurants. Between 400 and 500 of the respondents wanted trolley service available Mondays through Saturdays, and more than half said they needed service on Sundays.

Lolley said two of the current 11 MAPS vans could be replaced with vans that could provide trolley service, allowing the city to expand trolley service to three routes instead of the current single route. He proposed what he called “deviated” service, which means that potential riders could call in advance to be picked up at their homes or a specific location near the trolley’s route.

Service currently is provided by the city’s cab coupon program, which subsidizes the use of cabs, and by the MAPS van service, which picks riders up at their door and delivers them to specific destinations by appointment. MAPS also serves Carl Junction, Webb City and other locations in the county, with advance appointments required.

The three routes proposed were the trolley’s current route from downtown to Range Line, a north-south route looping Main Street and Maiden Lane from Second Street to 32nd Street, and a third route looping 20th and 32nd streets from Duquesne Road to Maiden Lane.

The routes would overlap so that people needing to go from one section to another could transfer among the vehicles.

Lolley said the vans, similar to the current MAPS vans, would be needed instead of buses like the current trolley because the trolley is too large to easily and safely maneuver through parking lots and along residential streets.

The current budget calls for the city to spend $1.1 million on MAPS, cab coupons and the service of one trolley. About $650,000 of that is reimbursed by federal subsidy, said Leslie Jones, the city’s finance director.

Lolley said it would cost about $62,000 to buy each van for use along with the trolley. That type of van would be equipped with a wheelchair lift and hold 14 passengers.

He said the budget earmarks $180,000 for replacement of MAPS vans, so he could supplant two MAPS vans with trolley-route vans and stay under budget. The vans would have to be ordered by late this month to be ready for service by the start of the next fiscal year Nov. 1.

Councilman Bill Scearce said he is on the board of Joplin Workshops, and that workers there rely on the cab coupon program and MAPS for transportation. He said he is concerned that expanding the trolley service would force cutbacks in the availability of cab coupons and MAPS service.