This summer, thousands of visitors will come to Downtown Fort Worth for conventions and vacations. To make it easier for people to get around, several downtown organizations have joined together to test a new shuttle service. The route will link the
Fort Worth Convention Center and hotels on the south end of downtown to the office workers and hotels in the center and
Sundance Square at the north end of downtown.
Molly the Trolley, a whimsical take on Fort Worth’s longhorn mascot, is a rubber-tire trolley that will appeal to visitors and locals alike. The downtown trolley started running on Wednesday, May 27. Free trolley service will run on the “Downtown Get Around” route every day through August 22 from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. The schedule and routes will also be available through www.mollythetrolley.com, or by texting the word “Molly” to 38714. “In Fort Worth, we have a history of partnering for the common good, and this is another great example of that. I like to call it ‘the Fort Worth Way,’” said Fort Worth
Mayor Mike Moncrief. “As we prepare for larger events like the Super Bowl, the time is now to explore ways to make our downtown experience unique and convenient for those who live here and those who visit.”
“We have excellent convention business this summer and will provide this free service to anyone who wants to utilize it,” said
David DuBois, president and CEO of the
Fort Worth CVB. “Molly the Trolley will benefit downtown employees, our guests
and visitors tremendously, and we are hopeful that they will frequent our downtown hotels, shops, bars and restaurants.” The name “Molly the Trolley” will also be branded on trolleys serving two currently operated routes: a weekday lunchtime circulator that connects west downtown to Sundance Square and a shuttle that connects downtown to the Historic Stockyards.
Stops will include the
Omni Fort Worth Hotel,
Sheraton Fort Worth Hotel and Spa, Park Central, the
Hilton Fort Worth, the
Courtyard Fort Worth Downtown/Blackstone, The Ashton and the
Embassy Suites Fort Worth Hotel-Downtown, the
Renaissance Worthington Hotel and
Sundance Square. The total round trip should take approximately 15 minutes. Operated by The T, the downtown route is a pilot program for Summer 2009, and will end on August 22. Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. (DFWI) will conduct surveys tracking usage, value and customer satisfaction to help determine if the trolley should become a permanent amenity downtown. Funding partners are: the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau (FWCVB), Sundance Square, the T, the Omni Fort Worth Hotel, The Ashton and the Sheraton Fort Worth Hotel and Spa.