OCEAN CITY – An ad hoc committee tasked with researching coach and power unit models that will replace the aging Boardwalk tram brought three potential options to Ocean City officials this week.
In a Transportation Committee meeting Tuesday, Transit Manager Mark Rickards shared ongoing efforts to vet options and costs of overhauling the 13-year-old system. According to Rickards, the committee has researched three types of trams from Trams International that could replace the current system including gasoline, diesel and electric.
“There is, of course, quite a price variance there,” Rickards said. “But there are pros and cons to each and we are going to look closely at that and try to come out with a decision.”
The three proposed options would have a design similar to the trams already in use and will reuse existing advertisement panels, according to Rickard. Yet, he added that the newer models will have updated intercom systems, additional leg room and other modern features.
Currently, the committee estimates that replacing the fleet with a gasoline model like the one already in use will cost between $1.7 million and $1.8 million. The numbers increase from there, with a diesel model costing approximately $2.2 million and an electric model costing between $4 million and $4.5 million.
Jennie Knapp, the town’s budget manager and member of the ad hoc committee, said the town would probably enter a lease-purchase agreement and use $200,000 from the fund balance for the first year’s payment.
“If it’s a $2 million purchase, $200,000 is 10 percent, which is about what it would be,” she said. “I don’t have any definite figures because we don’t know where we are headed yet.”
Public Works Director Hal Adkins said the town could recoup some of its money by selling its current tram fleet, but added that the committee has yet to discuss that option. Mayor Rick Meehan, chair of the committee, discussed the possibility of keeping a couple of trams for the annual Winterfest of Lights event.
Adkins said the next step will be for committee members to run the numbers and make detailed side-by-side comparisons of each model. Although Rickards said he is leaning toward the environmentally-friendly electric model, Adkins added that the numbers will have to justify the decision.
Rickards said the ad hoc committee will report back to the Transportation Committee next month with more concrete research, in an effort to meet the 2018 budgeting process and eight-month delivery schedule.
“We have done our research and our homework,” he said, “and we are ready to call another meeting probably this month.”
