It is a steamy summer day and you’re running late when your vehicle’s ignition fails. Frustration turns into worry because you need to be somewhere within 30 minutes. Fortunately, the Concord trolley offers the perfect solution for only $1.
This cheap mode of transportation recently caught my eye (it being Green Commute Week and all), and I felt the need to try it out. Thankfully, my car was running fine, but I wondered what an old-fashioned trolley ride through modern-day Concord would be like.
I boarded the 2 p.m. trolley at NHTI that was scheduled for a run through downtown and due back by 2:30 p.m. Curious whether the transit schedule would remain true to its word, I asked those who would know best: trolley regulars.
NHTI freshman Alex Martinez praised the trolley system for providing a reliable set of wheels.
“It’s convenient,” Martinez said. “You can pick it up every half hour. If it wasn’t for NHTI, I wouldn’t be able to transport around Concord.”
Before long, I spoke with the driver, Ann Ring, as she weaved her way through afternoon traffic and chatted with a passenger wearing particularly potent aftershave.
Main Street construction delayed her progress, but it was an everyday part of the job. “It makes it interesting, but you do what you can,” she said.
We made a few more stops getting back to NHTI at 2:30. The schedule lived up to its times – a surprise, I must confess.
Can anyone spare a dollar for next time?
