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Monmouth trolley survey: young riders, growing Dallas use and notable wheelchair ridership
Summary
A Monmouth trolley ridership survey of 128 respondents found that riders skew young (16–25), more than half lack regular vehicle access, Dallas-origin trips rose to about 10%, and roughly 9–10% of riders use wheelchairs, prompting council calls for accessible stops and more targeted future surveying.
Monmouth City officials heard a trolley-ridership update Dec. 2 showing the service is serving a mix of students and occasional riders and highlighting accessibility and data gaps.
Sabra Jewel, who led the survey effort with community planner Carter Craig, said the one-month June–July effort collected 128 completed surveys. The results show a large share of riders aged 16–25, modest senior usage (about 8% 65+), and that about half of riders do not have access to a vehicle. Dallas-origin trips grew from zero in the prior local survey to roughly 10% of responses in 2025, Jewel said.
Jewel said the survey also found many riders use the trolley for shopping, particularly groceries, and to avoid costs tied to car maintenance or ride‑hailing. She told the council that nearly half the riders have driver’s licenses but still choose the trolley for convenience or cost reasons.
“One of the surprises was how much of the boarding is a walking or biking trip to the stop,” Jewel said, noting researchers observed walking, biking and even wheelchair access on routes. The survey recorded about 9–10% of riders arriving in wheelchairs.
Councilors praised the outreach and urged more detailed follow-up. Councilor Bill recommended future surveys capture walking time to stops and trip duration; another councilor suggested testing how a fare or a monthly-pass option would affect ridership. Councilors and staff also urged doing seasonal surveys during the school year to better measure student and commuter trips to Central and Western Oregon institutions.
Jewel and Carter said the city will consider adding questions on distance to stop, day and time of ride, and whether a fare or monthly pass would shift rider behavior. They also noted the city partners with Cherriots for stop siting and ADA compliance.
The council expressed support for repeating the survey and using the data to refine grant applications for Safe Routes and other transit programs.
What’s next: staff plan to integrate the council’s requested metrics into any follow-up surveys and to report back on potential grant timing and partnerships.
