On April 4, the Downtown Trolley Express, which transports passengers back and forth from downtown Oxford to downtown Lake Orion, was involved in a minor accident. According to Oxford Village Police Officer James Irish, it occurred on the east side of N. Washington Street around 7 p.m. The report stated a white, 2019 Dodge Ram 1500 truck was legally parked and the trolley, traveling northbound, struck the driver’s side mirror, causing damage.
The trolley is owned by the Oxford Downtown Development Authority (DDA), driven and maintained by the North Oakland Transportation Authority (NOTA).
Officer Irish’s report stated the trolley driver Ronald Hames, 61, of the village, contacted the truck’s owner, a 58-year-old Metamora man, provided his name, insurance, registration and NOTA’s contact information, then left. The Metamora man then contacted the village police.
“While driving the trolley, Lorraine (our main driver) was training Ronnie, when he came too close to a truck parked on M-24 and accidentally damaged the truck’s mirror. To rectify the situation, they entered a nearby bar to locate the owner and exchange contact information. NOTA covered the entire cost of the damages,” DDA Director Kelly Westbrook said. “The Oxford DDA and NOTA are cognizant of the incident and recognize the challenges of driving on M-24, especially when larger vehicles are parked in parallel spaces. The DDA and NOTA are committed to promoting continuous training for our drivers and hiring only the best candidates through NOTA.”
In May, the trolley provides free rides from Oxford to Lake Orion on Fridays, 5 to 9 .m. and Saturdays, from 3 to 9 p.m. – D.R.