30A Beach Trolley - Hop On, Hop Off

Several have come and gone I don't know if there will be one this year.

I saw the vehicle parked in Seaside this morning

The 30A Beach Trolley Company Introduces Service to Scenic Highway 30A
New service starting?

GRAYTON BEACH, Fla., February 7, 2020 (Newswire.com) - The 30A Trolley Company today announced, at the Seaside Institutes’ 2020 Transportation Summit and EXPO in Seaside Florida, the introduction of a vintage trolley bus service on Scenic Highway 30A in Walton County.

The trolley service will commence operations on March 1, providing scenic tours and transportation between Gulf Place and Inlet Beach, connecting beachgoers to the 12 beach communities and over 250 merchants and restaurants comprising the 30A marketplace.

Utilizing four fun, open-air vintage trolley buses, each named after a local fish and branded “The Beach Trolley,” the service will operate continuously between the hours of 10 a.m.-10 p.m. from March 1 to Oct. 31. The 30A Trolley Company will be a hop-on/hop-off service, arriving and departing every 20 minutes, with planned trolley stops in Gulf Place, Blue Mountain Beach, Grayton Beach, WaterColor®, Seaside®, Seagrove Beach, WaterSound®, The Hub®, Alys Beach®, Seacrest Beach, Rosemary Beach® and Inlet Beach.

Besides providing a fun educational one-and-a-half-hour scenic tour for 30A visitors, the trolleys will help alleviate the overcrowding at public beach parking areas by serving the nine regional public beach accesses along the route. The trolley will also reduce car and golf cart traffic by an estimated 500 vehicles a day, providing a viable alternative to drinking and driving while enjoying the area's local restaurants and nightspots.

Bob Dickhaus, founder of The 30A Trolley Company, said, “We expect the beach trolley to provide a viable alternative to guests having to drive once they get to 30A, reducing traffic and contributing to a safer environment."

Randy Carroll, member of the 30A Alliance Advisory Board and President of the WaterColor Homeowners Association, stated, “The trolley service is an important first step in proactively addressing transportation issues surrounding the housing growth in South Walton and a welcome addition to our community.”

About The 30A Trolley Company

The 30A Trolley Company, LLC is a private company, founded in 2020 and located in Grayton Beach, Florida.

The 30A Trolley Company, LLC is currently hiring tour operator drivers. For more information, please email Gary Gibson at ggibson@30a-tours.com. Applicants need to hold a valid CDL with a passenger designation.

More information and ticket sales can be found at www.30a-tours.com, emailing tickets@30a-tours.com or following us on Instagram @thebeachtrolley.

TICKET OPTIONS:
$5 – ONE WAY
$15 – DAY PASS
$35 – WEEK PASS

TICKET OPTIONS:
$5 – ONE WAY
$15 – DAY PASS
$35 – WEEK PASS

View attachment 81623

THAT’S not gonna work! A family of four who is staying in Seagrove for instance isn’t going to pay $60 a day just to be able to go to Seaside to shop or go to the Farmers Market or church in the morning then to Rosemary Beach for lunch or dinner later in the day when they can drive their car instead. I would think that 30A businesses, communities, St Joe and Walton County would fund the trolley in the entirety - or at least enough to significantly reduce ticket prices below what’s shown above. Also, unlike previous mass transit efforts, the trolley needs to stop where the population is the most dense- like right in front of the largest condo buildings and hotels- in order to make it as easy as possible for the largest number of people to use the trolley. They won’t use it if they have to walk a half mile to catch it or to get home upon returning. Just my opinion. I thought it was a great idea- until I read the ticket prices.

THAT’S not gonna work! A family of four who is staying in Seagrove for instance isn’t going to pay $60 a day just to be able to go to Seaside to shop or go to the Farmers Market or church in the morning then to Rosemary Beach for lunch or dinner later in the day when they can drive their car instead. I would think that 30A businesses, communities, St Joe and Walton County would fund the trolley in the entirety - or at least enough to significantly reduce ticket prices below what’s shown above. Also, unlike previous mass transit efforts, the trolley needs to stop where the population is the most dense- like right in front of the largest condo buildings and hotels- in order to make it as easy as possible for the largest number of people to use the trolley. They won’t use it if they have to walk a half mile to catch it or to get home upon returning. Just my opinion. I thought it was a great idea- until I read the ticket prices.

Some truth here. The paid model has already failed. I would bet they are hoping for major sponsors and/or public funding. You have to start somewhere though. Smaller autonomous electric buses are coming soon and communities like ours will likely be in the transportation business.

Thank you all! This is extremely helpful. I am personally willing to pay the prices listed to use the trolly but will only be doing so one or two days of my trip and there’s only two of us, can def see the prices might be an issue for larger parties. Still, hope it sticks around because seems like it would really enhance the 30A experience. Been lots of beach locations and always come back to 30A because of the non driving aspect. That’s really hard to find other places I’ve found.

TICKET OPTIONS:
$5 – ONE WAY
$15 – DAY PASS
$35 – WEEK PASS

View attachment 81623

I live in Seagrove and would use several days a week,going to work in seaside but not at those prices ,way to expensive

I live in Seagrove and would use several days a week,going to work in seaside but not at those prices ,way to expensive

What would you be willing to pay for a season pass?

What would you be willing to pay for a season pass?

Hi $125 to $150

Hi $125 to $150

About a 90% discount. Not sure the owners would consider that low but a season pass for locals is a good idea.. Since trolleys have been tried and failed surely the long term plan has to be some kind of sponsorships(s) and/or public funding. If public funding is hoped for then a low-cost pass for locals should be a part of the proposal.

TICKET OPTIONS:
$5 – ONE WAY
$15 – DAY PASS
$35 – WEEK PASS

View attachment 81623

At those prices it won’t last all season… Business owners Saint Joe TDC need to get some sort of reasonably priced mass transit up and running!

About a 90% discount. Not sure the owners would consider that low but a season pass for locals is a good idea.. Since trolleys have been tried and failed surely the long term plan has to be some kind of sponsorships(s) and/or public funding. If public funding is hoped for then a low-cost pass for locals should be a part of the proposal.

Love the idea of the trolley I would support and I believe a lot of locals would also if it is reasonably priced , parking is a nightmare if trolley it is made convenient and affordable it’s a win win

About a 90% discount. Not sure the owners would consider that low but a season pass for locals is a good idea.. Since trolleys have been tried and failed surely the long term plan has to be some kind of sponsorships(s) and/or public funding. If public funding is hoped for then a low-cost pass for locals should be a part of the proposal.

Since it only serves 30a, public funding should be out of the question. I don't live on 30a so not interested in helping pay for it. Thanks but no.

Since it only serves 30a, public funding should be out of the question. I don't live on 30a so not interested in helping pay for it. Thanks but no.

Public transportation is not, and should not be, all or nothing.

Public transportation is not, and should not be, all or nothing.

This is mass transit not public transportation. It serves a very finite group in the private sector on one road. I equate it with public subsidized Uber or taxi service to and from the bar. I am supportive of the public transportation for the workforce from the north end to south end; that affects a much wider group. I do wish the trolley success as a privately run and privately funded business that could potentially have a positive impact on 30a.

Since it only serves 30a, public funding should be out of the question. I don't live on 30a so not interested in helping pay for it. Thanks but no.

This statement is, shall I say, not only “unneighborly” but also reflects a lack of recognition of the importance and benefit to ALL of Walton County of a viable, thriving 30A. 30a is, in addition to many other positive and unique things, the “cash cow” of the county that should be well- tended and maintained- not allowed to suffocate by those who benefit from it even though they don’t see it every day.

This is mass transit not public transportation. It serves a very finite group in the private sector on one road. I equate it with public subsidized Uber or taxi service to and from the bar. I am supportive of the public transportation for the workforce from the north end to south end; that affects a much wider group. I do wish the trolley success as a privately run and privately funded business that could potentially have a positive impact on 30a.

Buses from Defuniak Springs to SoWal and back as a priority might be a good argument. I believe that is in the works. However if we use your logic then the businesses should pay for it because they need the labor. The trolley serves tourists (and locals), and reduces congestion and pollution. Or it is intended to.

Eventually I think we'll have parking lots/garages on 98 and feeder roads with small, autonomous, electric trams running in loops all over SoWal mostly be used by workers and tens of thousands of locals that will be moving to subdivisions and apartments from 30A to north of I-10. Daily and weekly overflow paid parking by tourists will help offset operating costs.

This statement is, shall I say, not only “unneighborly” but also reflects a lack of recognition of the importance and benefit to ALL of Walton County of a viable, thriving 30A. 30a is, in addition to many other positive and unique things, the “cash cow” of the county that should be well- tended and maintained- not allowed to suffocate by those who benefit from it even though they don’t see it every day.

Then you took what I wrote the wrong way.

This statement is, shall I say, not only “unneighborly” but also reflects a lack of recognition of the importance and benefit to ALL of Walton County of a viable, thriving 30A. 30a is, in addition to many other positive and unique things, the “cash cow” of the county that should be well- tended and maintained- not allowed to suffocate by those who benefit from it even though they don’t see it every day.

I’m not sure your claim of “cash cow” is accurate, but even if it is the only reason it would be true is because of the beaches and those beaches belong to every citizen of Walton County no matter where they reside. There is one Walton county not two.

1. Until we get those stupid golf carts off of 30A, there will be congestion.
2. Crazy idea, but don't the Walton County Schools yellow buses sit idle all summer, the peak season? Utilize them! They won't be "30A chic", but running those big boys up and down 30A all summer will alleviate some congestion. And honestly, I don't see many tourists complaining if it's a free ride. Come On Get Happy!

1. Until we get those stupid golf carts off of 30A, there will be congestion.
2. Crazy idea, but don't the Walton County Schools yellow buses sit idle all summer, the peak season? Utilize them! They won't be "30A chic", but running those big boys up and down 30A all summer will alleviate some congestion. And honestly, I don't see many tourists complaining if it's a free ride. Come On Get Happy!

I hate the golf carts too, but they are not going anywhere. I love the school bus idea. Heck, why not use them as shuttles for folks who live up in north Walton to get to work down here? I suspect the answer would be "no" but why not ask?

A beach trolley transportation system is really needed here in South Walton, especially along Scenic 30A, but all over town would be even sweeter. I wish the new Beach Trolley Tours the best and hope it will find the right way to deliver alternative transportation to our beach town. It works well in other places (and sometimes FREE for passengers), so why can't it work here? Our beach town is worthy of a well developed trolley system with excellent staff/drivers and dependable/safe service. Hope it can work this time with community support.

Recent post looks like start date has been moved to March 15.

Starting March 15th...the awesome NEW @thebeachtrolley leaves #GulfPlace30A for its first of many, unforgettable rides across Scenic 30A.

1. Until we get those stupid golf carts off of 30A, there will be congestion.
2. Crazy idea, but don't the Walton County Schools yellow buses sit idle all summer, the peak season? Utilize them! They won't be "30A chic", but running those big boys up and down 30A all summer will alleviate some congestion. And honestly, I don't see many tourists complaining if it's a free ride. Come On Get Happy!

I agree about the golf carts they have created traffic and safety problems that 30A is unable to handle. Your school bus idea is a perfect solution for free transportation throughout the busy summer months… This new trolley venture is not going to work it’s too expensive and it’s not air-conditioned people will not use it because it’s not free