Sunshine Lamp Trolley to resume service following years-long hiatus

JOPLIN, Mo. — The Sunshine Lamp Trolley, which provided low-cost, fixed-route transportation along three different routes throughout the Joplin metro, shut down two years ago primarily due to a shortage of drivers and dispatchers.

"So we've worked very hard since the fall of 2022 to get staffed back up," said Tony Robyn, Joplin Assistant City Manager.

But the service will finally restart in the new year with more of both.

Assistant City Manager Tony Robyn says it's taken an increased investment to make that happen.

"Equipment, new trolleys, buses, employees of course, City Council and City Manager have been focused on pay plans and increasing those wages, so all those things have contributed to us being able to hire drivers," said Robyn.

The nonprofit, "One Joplin," has advocated for its return over the last two years, and Nicole Brown says the big winners will be residents that can't afford their own mode of transportation.

"It helps people to have access to jobs, have access to employment, for healthy meals, this is just a real game changer especially to our working poor in our community," said Nicole Brown, Director, One Joplin.

Robyn says there were only six drivers two years ago.

There are now twice as many and another two going through the certification process.

The trolley service is set to make its return the first week of February.

And Robyn says the exact cost hasn't been set yet but he hopes it's not much more than the one dollar fee from before the shutdown.