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Historic Tours of America manager discusses beach bus, hometown pass and event sponsorship in St. Augustine Beach
Summary
Mayor Dylan Rumrell interviewed Dave Chatterton, general manager of Whole Town Trolleys and representative of Historic Tours of America, about HTA's operations, the beach bus that links island lodging to downtown attractions, a free hometown pass program for county residents when accompanied by a guest, and HTA sponsorship of local events.
Mayor Dylan Rumrell spoke on a Monday morning with Dave Chatterton, general manager of Whole Town Trolleys and a representative of Historic Tours of America (HTA), about HTA services that serve both visitors and county residents in St. Augustine Beach.
HTA operates sightseeing attractions in multiple cities and provides the Old Town Trolley service used in St. Augustine. “Historic Tours of America operates in nine cities,” Chatterton said, adding the company also runs mid-level attractions including the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, the Key West Aquarium and the Harry S. Truman Little White House, and operates larger vessels including a “200-plus passenger high-speed catamaran.” He also noted HTA is “the proud provider of tours for Arlington National Cemetery.”
Chatterton described the beach bus as a dual-purpose shuttle that brings island guests into downtown St. Augustine to connect with the Old Town Trolley and returns them to their lodging at the end of the day. He said the bus also provides access to local attractions: HTA sells discounted attraction tickets that allow riders to reach sites such as the Alligator Farm.
On resident benefits, Chatterton highlighted HTA’s hometown pass program. “The hometown pass is one of my favorite programs,” he said, and explained that Saint Johns County residents ride free on the service when they are accompanied by a paying guest. He directed residents to the program website as a way to register and use the benefit.
Chatterton also described HTA’s community involvement in St. Augustine Beach, including sponsorships for events such as Night Up the Lights and the Beach Blast Off fireworks. “Managing HTA’s philanthropies is probably the favorite part of my job,” he said, noting the company’s support for family events in the city.
The mayor thanked Chatterton and HTA for their participation and sponsorships in city events. The conversation closed with a brief promotional note about the hometown pass website and appreciation for the company’s local involvement.
