Tide Trolley Offers Fun Way To Experience Havre De Grace

HAVRE DE GRACE, MD — One of the most fun ways to tour Havre de Grace and soak up all it has to offer is by taking a ride on The Tide.

The brainchild of Mayor William T. "Bill" Martin, the Tide Trolley is kid-friendly, free and offers 14 stops on its route that are marked with blue signs.

The trolley travels through downtown Havre de Grace and takes about 20 minutes to complete the full route. Passengers can hop on and off at any stop or sit back and enjoy the whole ride. Seatbelts are installed at every seat for safety's sake.

The trolley doesn't run in inclement weather and operates Fridays from 5 to 10 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. and certain holidays from noon to 5 p.m. The official route map is available on Tide Trolley. The route may change due to road closures and special events.

Martin told Patch that, on his travels across the country, he noticed many flourishing towns he considered beautiful and friendly to visit had some kind of trolley or transportation service. He decided that Havre de Grace needed something similar, Martin told Patch.

"I thought to myself, Havre de Grace is beautiful, we are friendly, and we are also historic with an arts and entertainment designation. I believed we were the perfect candidate to get a trolley service up and running. But I wanted to do something different," Martin said.

Instead of an enclosed vehicle, Martin wanted an open-air system and an all-electric trolley.

"I did not want a gas-guzzling vehicle that would add exhaust and fumes to our lovely downtown. Which would be counterintuitive to our mission as good stewards of the Chesapeake Bay," Martin told Patch.

However, his team faced a hurdle - the state of Maryland did not allow low-speed, all-electric vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 3,000 pounds to operate on Maryland roads.

So he and his staff members worked with the governor's office and the Department of Motor Vehicles to have leaders change the regulations that initially prohibited a vehicle like Tide Trolley from operating.

"It took almost four years, but it was worth the effort," Martin told Patch.

The purpose behind Havre de Grace's electric trolleys ultimately is to show off the beauty of the community, but also help boost its economy.

"Our city receives many visitors every year. If you are unfamiliar with Havre de Grace's layout, it is very possible to visit our town and miss the lighthouse, or the downtown historic district, or the Lock House, etc. The Tide Trolley was designed to loop around our city to ensure that happy visitors have a chance to see some of our better-known attractions," Martin explained.

The trolley system also encourages people to park in the town's large parking lots, such as at Tydings Park, Lock House and the STAR Centre lot, which are collector lots. The trolley helps relieve parking pressure around town and leaves a small carbon footprint, the mayor said.

Havre de Grace's Tide Trolley has the same operational tools as a passenger vehicle, such as a gas and brake pedal, steering wheel and turn signal. The Tide Trolley can accommodate up to 12 passengers, but the ADA trolleys do seat fewer passengers than a standard trolley.

Initially, leaders considered charging $1 per person for an all-day ride. But the trolley drivers, fondly called ambassadors, asked to waive the charge for the first month of operation while they adjusted to driving the trolleys. Then they'd switch to a pay-and-ride format.

"What we learned after the first month of operations was eye-opening. While the trolley service was designed for visitors, we learned from our ambassadors that over half the riders are our own Havre de Grace citizens. That was a welcome realization we hadn't factored in. And because of this, we decided not to charge for rides on the all-electric trolley," Martin told Patch.

Of course, Havre de Grace residents - and visitors - love the Tide Trolley. It's become a staple of the downtown landscape. When weather forces suspensions, residents are truly bummed, Martin said.

"It is a very common sight to see families eating their ice cream while taking a leisurely ride around the city on the trolley. We feel that the Tide is now and will continue to be a signature Havre de Grace activity for visitors and residents alike. The ability to safely and efficiently move citizens around our city cannot be overstated. Getting this program running was definitely worth the time and effort," Martin told Patch.