For many who visit the town of Ocean City, summertime means long strolls down the busy Boardwalk, a beloved destination with a 120-year-old history. For others, it means hopping on a tram and watching as shops and pedestrians drift by as it slowly but surely chugs along.
Now, as the tram service returns for the 2022 summer season it brings with it certain changes that may impact your trip to the resort town.
The past few years brought limited staffing, hours changes and more. As conditions continue to shift, here’s what to expect for 2022.
Tram and bike hours
In recent years, as the town contended with a limited staff, the daily start time for the tram service was shifted from 10 a.m. to noon. The change presented two additional hours to cyclists who were granted more time to peddle along, undisturbed, on the Boardwalk until the trams appeared.
This year, the town is seeing a significant increase in staffing for transportation, with a total of 25 tram drivers, 19 tram conductors and eight ticket sellers hired for the season.
“If we continue along this path, we should be able to have the full complement of trams out on the Boardwalk,” said Ocean City Mayor Richard Meehan at a March 29 Town Council work session.
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Even with an increase in staff, council members and Meehan, have, once again, settled on a daily start time of noon and end time of midnight. The decided hours will go into effect May 27 and last until Sept. 5. However, this will not apply to days of events, such as Springfest and Sunfest, when tram operations will begin at 10 a.m. to accommodate the influx of tourists.
Discounts
Residents who have a senior bus discount pass are allowed to ride the tram for free until 4 p.m. After that time, they will be given a $1 discount off the $4 boarding ticket price. Those who do not have a senior discount pass must pay the $4 price to ride the tram.
Additionally, the $8 unlimited ride ticket and the $26 discounted punch cards will not be offered for both the 2022 and 2023 summer seasons.
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As of April 19, the Maryland Department of Transportation has announced the wearing of masks is now optional on all forms of public transportation. Although the CDC’s mask mandate has been overturned, visitors are reminded to please be mindful of other passengers while riding.
