Often seen rolling down the streets of downtown Phoenix with bells ringing, Ollie the Trolley provides a unique way to experience downtown nightlife and has been selected as a finalist for the W.P. Carey School of Business Spirit of Enterprise Award because of its impact on the community as an entrepreneurial business venture.
It will be announced today whether the antique trolley service and its owners at Dunn Transportation, a Scottsdale-based company, will receive the award, which celebrates local entrepreneurship and community engagement. The winners will be honored at a luncheon at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale.
“The trolley provides the added value of accessibility and exposure to downtown restaurants and bars,” said Jovanna Perez, operations project coordinator for the Downtown Phoenix Partnership. “The benefit lies in the exposure of patrons to businesses they might not have been to before as well as the new customers that businesses gain due to the trolley.”
Operating out of Scottsdale since 1991, Ollie has become a go-to mode of transportation for those looking for an alternative to walking or riding the light rail while enjoying a night out. Introduced to downtown Phoenix in early 2009, Ollie gets anywhere from 50 to 100 nightly passengers, who enjoy free transportation around the area from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. on Thursdays and 2:30 a.m. after longer nights on Fridays and Saturdays.
Special charter occasions, such as First Friday and pub crawls, can attract anywhere from 800 to 1,000 passengers.
“A lot of students have filled it to the brim,” driver Monti Allison said. “One time the trolley was so full I had to pull over because the bumper was hitting the street.”
Ollie’s companion trolley, the Downtown Evening Express, makes free evening tours of the downtown area Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. Beginning in front of Chase Field and U.S. Airways Center on Jefferson Street, the 15-minute tours include stops at hot spots and historical buildings alike, including CityScape, Heritage and Science Park, the Phoenix Convention Center and Taylor Place.
“One of our biggest pickups is at First and Taylor (at Taylor Place),” Downtown Phoenix Ambassador Hans Hughes said. “The benefit or taking the trolley is … it’s a centralized way to see what is popular downtown.”
From their red and green antique-looking exteriors to the wooden benches in the interior, the trolleys certainly look different than anything else on the road. During the trip, a Downtown Phoenix Ambassador, as well as the trolley’s driver, provide interesting facts and anecdotes about each stop.
Later in the night, pop music often blasts from installed speakers as disco-ball lights flash throughout, inviting a pub crawl-inspired dance environment for riders who are both sober or otherwise.
The trolleys old-time charm, punctuality and friendly service attract new customers frequently.
“I’m here on a whim,” said Megan Maclain, a Phoenix resident. “I see it all the time but have never actually taken it. It’s definitely a different experience.”
In addition to their public transit division and charter systems, Dunn Transportation also runs the Rosemary Trolley, connecting inner-city kids from Phoenix to nature in the Valley by sponsoring field trips to sites like the Desert Botanical Garden and Phoenix Zoo.
“It’s opportunity for kids in lower socioeconomic situations that often don’t get an opportunity to go to field trips,” said Margaret Dunn, CEO of Dunn Transportation.
Over the years, Dunn Transportation has made it a priority to give back to the community and provide the best service possible, Dunn said.
“We really try to have respect for our team members and community and the passengers we serve,” Dunn said. “We make it really fun and friendly and we want to make it a nice experience for people — not another bus ride.”
Contact the reporter at rylee.grafil@asu.edu
