Joplin mayor says trolley overhaul could mean more routes, shorter trips

Joplin’s trolley system could undergo a big overhaul, with city officials considering more routes and direct service to shorten trips.

A transit improvement plan being presented to the Joplin City Council Monday calls for increasing the system from three fixed routes to five and moving from exclusively one-way loops to a combination of loops and bidirectional routes.

Joplin Mayor Rob O’Brian said the city is looking at the system after the Sunshine Lamp Trolley was re-established and riders had time to experience the restored service.

“I don’t think there’s an issue,” O’Brian said during an interview Monday on Newstalk KZRG's Morning Newswatch. “I think as the bus service got re-established again and operating, it looks similar to the way it was before it was stopped.”

That system is built around one-way loops, something O’Brian said can make even a relatively short trip take considerably longer.

“If you were getting on in one place and wanted to go, you know, a place that might be a mile away, you actually are on the bus for a while because it’s making the loop before it gets to that place,” O’Brian said.

The city currently operates three fixed routes with three vehicles and 17 employees. Trolleys arrive about every 60 minutes, and two of the three routes connect at the MAPS office.

The proposed near-term system would increase that to five routes and five vehicles. Four of the five routes would connect at the MAPS office, and the redesigned system would provide access to additional destinations, including the Missouri Department of Revenue driver license office, Access Family Care and the Social Security Administration.

O’Brian said staff have been studying whether point-to-point service could make the system more convenient.

“Staff has been looking at that, and they’re coming back with some ideas on how we can do some point-to-point routes as well for those areas that seemingly are where people want to go directly and come back,” O’Brian said.

The mayor stressed that the proposal remains under review.

“It’s a long process,” O’Brian said. “It also is a change-up in the operation. So we’ll hear their feasibility on how this can be done and what it’s going to take to do that.”

O’Brian said the discussion is currently informational and no final decision is being made Monday.

The near-term improvements carry an estimated $307,100 in one-time and capital costs. About $194,830 would come from grant funding, with the remaining $112,270 coming from the city’s transportation sales tax.

The plan calls for one additional vehicle and no additional staffing. Other costs include relocating trolley stops and adding new stops, benches and signage.

The presentation identifies driver pressure, workload challenges, route timing, route efficiency and scheduling as issues the changes are designed to address.

O’Brian said rider feedback has also played a role in the review.

“The drivers are very attentive. The staff is very attentive to what people are talking about,” O’Brian added.

He said the existing system centers around downtown, where riders can transfer between buses before the vehicles head back out on their respective routes.

“People always have their thoughts on where they’re going and how they can get there,” O’Brian said. “The staff has been listening to people and saying, ‘How can we improve?’”

The proposal also offers a glimpse at a much larger long-term vision for public transportation in the Joplin area.

The long-term plan calls for eight fixed routes serving four cities, 21 vehicles and service every 30 minutes on most routes, with 60-minute service to Webb City. It also envisions Saturday service, a nonprofit operator and a dedicated funding district to provide stable long-term funding.

Before moving forward, the city plans to incorporate council feedback, include the proposal in upcoming budget discussions and conduct public outreach.

Implementation of the near-term changes is anticipated for late spring 2027.