MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A piece of the past is still waiting to be brought back to downtown Memphis.
After years of promises, the Riverfront and Madison Avenue trollies are still no where to be seen, despite being expected by 2023.
“It was wonderful…and all of a sudden it stopped," Gwen Campbell told reporters back in 2022.
Almost a decade after two trolley cars caught on fire six months apart, questions continue to remain about when they will come back. While the Main Street Trolley Line continues to be a Memphis landmark after returning in 2018, the trolley lines at Riverfront and Madison have not had a trolley car on them for years, almost a shell of what they used to be in 2014.
In 2022, MATA said the Madison and Riverfront rides were supposed to be ready by the end of 2022, but they were not. Then in March this year, MATA claimed to be close once again and was looking for contractors to fix the four trolley cars they acquired two years ago, but no updates have been announced since then.
Dedicated to finding answers, ABC24 reached out multiple times over the course of a week to MATA, and asked for an interview. The request was denied multiple times with a MATA spokesperson saying no one was available due to it being a busy time of year. Even when a list of questions was sent to the transit service about the delays and a potential timeline, those two remained unanswered.
Instead, ABC24 was sent this statement:
"At MATA, we recognize the significance of the historic Riverfront and Madison trolley lines to our community and acknowledge the inconvenience caused by their absence and share in the desire to swiftly resume operations. However, the transit industry faces challenges stemming from rising costs and inflation, necessitating strategic investments in infrastructure to expand and update all modes of transportation. We reaffirm our dedication to providing reliable and accessible transportation options for riders and tourists alike. Throughout the year we have found innovative ways to add to our fleet of on-demand Ready! vans, fixed route buses and leveraging rubber wheel trolleys to serve passengers along the Madison and Riverfront corridors.
At MATA, we are steadfast in our efforts to Transform Transit in the Mid-South. By embracing creativity and adaptability, we remain dedicated to delivering safe, efficient, and inclusive transportation solutions for all."
“Some direct upfront communication would be nice," said Julien Salley Jr., Tandem Restaurant Partners COO. “When the trolleys are in operation, people love them and take advantage of their convenience.”
Salley is one of the many people waiting for the trollies to return, telling ABC24 those same trollies can be a vital part of the downtown economy. Tackling the parking struggles and accessibility to downtown people face, while cutting down on car break-ins and potential drunk driving is just some of the benefits Salley said the trollies could offer.
“And after 10 years you would have thought we’d be further along on figuring out the logistics involved with that,” Salley said. “Memphis has been struggling, and I think any and all help that it could get would be a huge benefit to that area.”
ABC24 again reached out to MATA on May 9, 2024, to see if an interview was possible and are still waiting for a response.