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Residents warn of trolley driver shortage; council notes plan to expand service
Summary
Multiple public commenters raised concerns about a shortage of Ojai trolley drivers and service fragility; city staff told the council the intention is to increase, not eliminate, the trolley and councilors asked staff to explore recruitment and funding options.
Public comment at the June 17 Ojai City Council meeting highlighted concerns about the local trolley service—including a shortage of drivers, limited coverage and supervisor staffing issues.
"The trolley still only has 3 drivers," one commenter said, citing gaps when drivers are on vacation or ill. The speaker said the supervisor had been placed on indefinite leave and described operational strain that leaves riders (seniors, students, low-income and disabled residents) vulnerable to service lapses.
In response, a city staff member told the council: "Our intention actually is to increase it, not to take it away." Council members and public commenters asked staff to examine recruitment efforts, benefits, pay and whether more budget or outreach could expand recruitment. "If that's truly the answer and why we don't have sufficient trolley drivers, please act expediently and get us some more drivers," a resident said.
Staff and council discussed that some transit duties fall under existing budget and personnel constraints and that hiring and benefits would affect costs. The council requested staff report back with options to improve service reliability, including targeted recruitment, potential budget adjustments and outreach about openings.
No budget appropriation was made at the meeting; staff will return with recommendations for recruitment, funding and potential short-term measures to avoid service disruptions.
