Newburgh considers returning trolley service and watching regional transit authority study

Councilmembers revisited the idea of providing visitor transport — previously via a donated double‑decker bus and later a trolley — and discussed practical obstacles to reviving a town vehicle service. The town’s earlier double‑decker bus and later trolley both became impractical over time because of parts and maintenance issues; more recently the problem is finding drivers with the required commercial driver’s license (CDL) and public‑passenger endorsements. Staff reported difficulty sourcing CDL drivers for regular service and special events and that some buses and fleet options require a CDL for vehicles carrying 16 or more passengers. Council members noted past arrangements where school or county buses were used for events but said that option has become less reliable. The council heard that the National Planning League (NPL) has issued an RFP for a study to examine a regional transportation authority (RTA) covering Vanderburgh, Posey, Warrick and Henderson counties; the planned study would evaluate an RTA model that could offer coordinated routes, event shuttles and potential federal funding for expanded service. Several council members favored waiting to see the study results before committing town funds to a vehicle purchase, and one recommended coordinating with the RTA study so Newburgh could access regional buses or jointly funded services for special events.