Gig Harbor’s big red trolley returns June 13. Here’s what will be different about it
The Gig Harbor Trolley is returning — three of them, actually, — and they’re brand new.
“The new ones are a little more trolley-ish,” said Rebecca Japhet, spokesperson for Pierce Transit, which runs the trolley every summer.
The trolley was absent from the Gig Harbor waterfront last summer due to COVID-19 restrictions. But in previous years, it’s been a popular ride, especially among tourists. In 2019, the last year it operated, the trolley carried 16,070 passengers.
Trolleys will run between June 13 through Sept. 2. Masks will be required, and some seats are marked off for social distancing.
The new vehicles, while still essentially buses, “look a little more like an old-fashioned trolley,” Japhet said, with a scoop in front and San Francisco-like red and yellow coloring
Trolleys will run every 30 minutes on Pierce Transit’s Route 101, which connects downtown Gig Harbor with the Uptown shopping district and Gig Harbor North along Peacock Hill and Borgen Boulevard. Trolleys also connect with Tacoma-bound buses at the Kimball Drive Park and Ride lot.
The fare is a very 19th-Century-like 50 cents a ride, and you can ride all day for a dollar. ORCA cards work, too. (Drivers don’t make change, so have exact fare ready.) A ride on the trolley is free for children under six, seniors and people with disabilities. There’s a bicycle rack in front, just as on all Pierce Transit buses, and there’s no extra charge for bikes.
There are over 40 trolley stops along the route, each marked by a distinctive burgundy sign. On weekdays, the trolleys start at 11:15 a.m. from the Uptown shopping center and end there at 8:32 p.m.
A printable schedule and a downloadable brochure are available on the Pierce Transit web site at: www.piercetransit/org/pt-trolley
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story stated incorrectly that the trolleys are powered by compressed natural gas. They are diesel powered.
This story was originally published June 9, 2021 at 5:30 AM.