Overview
- Town leaders said the trams will not return in their previous form after what they described as thoughtful review and extensive discussion.
- The Boardwalk service began in 1964 and typically ran seasonally along roughly 2.4 to 2.5 miles from 27th Street to the inlet parking lot.
- No tram funding is included in the fiscal 2026 budget, and transportation expenses are projected to drop by about $460,000, with prior tram revenue around $1.5 million and operating costs near $1 million.
- Local reporting says a police investigation found braking and towing issues contributed to the 2024 crash, and a review of 2015–2019 records logged 10 tram accidents, including a 2017 case that led to a serious-injury lawsuit.
- Officials are exploring safer ways to connect visitors on the Boardwalk, have retrained tram hires to drive city buses, and added three buses to the fleet.