WPCNR BUMPER TO BUMPER. By John F. Bailey June 14, 2007: Councilman Benjamin Boykin confirmed to WPCNR this evening that tonight's passage of the resolution with an oblique reference to a Department of Transporation was the second step in putting into place a trolley shuttle system in downtown White Plains:

"We voted tonight to get the other federal money that Nita Lowey has allocated for the trolley(s), and this money ($242,000) will be used to actually purchase the vehicles," Boykin said.  “Nita has provided us two grants. The first grant ($200,000) was provided for the study of the trolley. The second grant (resolution to accept it passed this evening) is for the funds we will actually use for the purchase of those vehicles. Again we will have to get input from the county, also input from the state, but that’s what that resolution does tonight.”

Boykin said,  “I’m very excited that we’re moving forward (with the trolley system). And this grant will also put in place the service plan. The service plan will take about a year (to implement). If all goes well and everyone signs off, we should have this up and running next year.”

Next Spring, The CitizeNetReporter asked. “Sometime next year. Sooner rather than later. I’ve been talking about the trolley for five years. It was one of my key initiatives in my previous campaign and it is a key initiative in this year’s campaign, and you’ll see it on my palm card.”

Boykin said a rather thick study was delivered to the Common Council this evening, but he had not gotten a chance to read it completely.  WPCNR asked what was the scope of it?

Boykin said  “The study was done by an independent expert in that area and we got a copy of the study tonight. It’s pretty thick.”

WPCNR asked what the study concluded. Boykin said, “There is a need…we think we can have a trolley.”

WPCNR asked if it spelled out why trolleys had failed in the past. Boykin said that would be addressed: “We know we’ve had a high failure rate all over the nation on these. That’s why we want to make sure we put a service plan in place we will still be working on it and get it hopefully right.”

Boykin said he thought the three trolley buses would be hybrid. “It will be a hybrid vehicle.” He did not know what capacity the buses would carry.