A collaboration between Greenlink and Code for Greenville has resulted in a mobile app that allows riders to pinpoint the location of the downtown trolleys in real time.
By downloading the app, called Greenville Trolley Tracker, to their Android or iOS devices, riders can see where the trolleys are, view the stops along the route and estimate the time needed to walk to a trolley stop.
According to transit planner Grant Sparks, Greenlink provided Code for Greenville with detailed schedules, route patterns and stop locations, and along with the City’s IT staff, worked with them to help troubleshoot and fix any bugs. Code for Greenville conducted a six-month beta test and enlisted the public’s help through a dedicated website, called yeahthattrolley.com, where people could share ideas and converse about the app.
The downtown trolleys are free and operate year-round on Thursdays and Fridays from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. A special trolley route includes stops at the Hughes Main Library and The Children’s Museum of the Upstate on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Trolleys also shuttle fans from Greenville County Square to Fluor Field during Greenville Drive home games.
In February 2015, Greenlink introduced Lunchlink, a free lunchtime trolley service on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a route that travels a continuous loop from County Square to the Hyatt Regency. In July, Greenlink added County Square as a permanent stop on the trolley route, giving passengers the option of parking at County Square while they enjoy downtown shopping, dining and entertainment. And in October, Greenlink again expanded the downtown trolley route to include a stop at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
“With a total of 135,000 riders in 2015, the trolleys are enormously popular, and we’re continually looking for ways to make our riders’ experience even better,” said Sparks. “The fact that Code for Greenville identified the need and was willing to develop this app at no cost to us is a great example of the collaborative spirit that has contributed to so much of Greenville’s success.”
Owned and operated by Greenlink, the downtown trolleys are the result of a public-private partnership between Greenlink, the City of Greenville and the Greenville Drive. Information about the trolleys, including a route map, is available at ridegreenlink.com. Riders can download the Greenville Trolley Tracker app from Google Play or iTunes.