By Maureen Werther
Upstate Transit of Saratoga LLC has just completed its trolley service in and around Saratoga Springs. According to Craig LaFave, outside manager for the company, it was a success.
LaFave said service ran through the month of August. It consisted of two trolleys taking customers on tours of the city. The route included visits to Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Casino Hotel, many of the Victorian homes in town and the historic springs.
Upstate Transit, whose parent company is Brown Coach, is encouraged by its inaugural success.
“We purchased two trolleys, to be used for tours as well as chartered events,” said LaFave, who has been with Upstate for 25 years.
The tours were held on Tuesdays during August and they took approximately two hours to complete.
“It was very well received and we had the full support of the Saratoga Springs Convention and Tourism Bureau, who helped advertise the tours and served as guides,” said LaFave. “By the end of the meet, we were sold out.”
He noted that, in addition to the out-of-town people who took the tours, there were many locals as well.
“Many of them were surprised by all the history of their city that they didn’t know,” he said.
Tickets for the tours went for $15 and the company plans to ask $20 per ticket next year.
During the rest of the year, the trolleys will be used for privately chartered events, weddings and other excursions in the region. The company plans to also expands its geographic reach starting next season, with trips planned to historic destinations throughout the state. They will also offer it for weddings, as a creative alternative to the traditional limousine service.
In addition to trolleys, Upstate Transit operates charter buses for group travel to locations around the northeast. They also partner with colleges and universities to transport athletic teams and other school organizations to events throughout the state. Their wedding and special event transportation business is a large part of their portfolio.
Brown Transportation has been in operation for more than 40 years and its line of services range from school buses to charter buses and high-end sleek coaches for special events.