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Tag: Angela Rodocker

Old Town Tram requires better promotion and consistency

Old Town Tram requires promotion, consistency

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – The Old Town Tram parking shuttle program has reached an early crossroads in terms of advertising revenues, route consistency and other concerns.

Launched as an experimental pilot program in mid-November, the Old Town Trams are funded by the Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). Implemented to help address the lack of parking on and around Bridge Street, the program uses two electric trams provided for a monthly fee by the Sarasota-based EasyParking Group, owned by Joshua LaRose.

Lower-than-anticipated advertising revenues, inconsistent travel routes, passenger safety and the lack of signage and promotion were among the concerns expressed during the Feb. 3 CRA meeting. During the meeting, LaRose, the CRA members and City Attorney Ricinda Perry spent more than two hours discussing the tram program, with additional public input provided by Bradenton Beach business owners Angela Rodocker and Walter Loos.

The discussion stemmed partially from the $7,370 invoice the CRA received from LaRose for his January services. The invoice included a single $900 deduction for advertising fees received from the Anna Maria Oyster Bar, and it noted an additional $575 in ad revenues expected from Rodocker beginning in February.

When approving the long-discussed pilot program last year, the CRA members expressed hope that ad revenues generated by the trams’ advertising panels would cover the monthly operating costs. CRA members included more than $100,000 in the CRA’s 2020-21 fiscal year budget for the one-year pilot program that will determine whether the parking tram service becomes permanent or is discontinued. The CRA receives $450,000 to $500,000 per year in property tax-related revenues.

Advertising revenues

Because the CRA currently receives 100% of the tram-generated advertising revenues, LaRose assumed the CRA or the city would seek out advertisers and he would simply help close the requested advertising contracts. In contrast, the CRA members and Perry assumed those responsibilities fell more squarely upon LaRose. The CRA members said the advertising duties should be LaRose’s responsibility because his company stands to benefit the most from the long-term success of the tram program.

Old Town Tram requires better promotion and consistency
EasyParking Group owner Joshua LaRose appeared before the CRA board on Feb. 3. – Submitted

LaRose said he does not have a staff member who can dedicate significant time to the pursuit of advertisers. He said such an employee would result in unbudgeted labor expenses not accounted for in his CRA contract.

Perry said she would try to provide LaRose with additional potential advertisers and LaRose agreed to put forth more effort closing out recommended advertising contracts. LaRose said he expects to close out contracts with several business owners he’s already spoken to and he hopes those revenues will be reflected in next month’s invoice. Those interested in advertising on the Old Town Trams can call 941-404-6240.

Route consistency

As they did in January, CRA members again expressed concerns about the tram drivers not following a designated tram route that services the CRA district, which extends from the south side of the Cortez Bridge to the southernmost property lines along Fifth Street South. These concerns include tram drivers straying north of the Cortez Bridge.

The program intends to encourage motorists to park in the county-owned parking spaces at Cortez Beach – south of the Bridge Street roundabout, along Gulf Drive between Fourth Street South and 13th Street South – and catch a tram to the Bridge Street business district. Monthly data provided by LaRose indicates January ridership was heavier near the police station, the Bradenton Beach Marina, city hall and the Daiquiri Deck than it was at Cortez Beach.

Signs and promotion

The CRA members authorized up to $700 to be spent on banners and signs they hope will make motorists more aware of the available parking tram program. The CRA hopes to place one banner at the entrance to the city at the west end of the Cortez Bridge, one or two banners along the Cortez Beach parking areas and possibly another banner near the southern entrance to the city used by those arriving from Longboat Key.

Old Town Tram requires better promotion and consistency
This route map indicates where the Old Town Trams are supposed to travel. – EasyParking Group | Submitted

Proposed sign locations include the parking areas near the police station and the marina, at city hall, along Bridge Street, near the Bridge Street Pier entrance and at Cortez Beach.

LaRose said he’s also publishing printed promotional materials that include a tram route map, which he hopes to have distributed at the local businesses.

Public comment

Rodocker has consistently supported the parking tram program, but during the Feb. 3 meeting, she offered a critical analysis of the existing problems and the corrective actions needed.

“Josh, you’ve got to understand the purpose of this whole project is simply to move people who come to the Island and can’t find a place to park,” she said, noting there’s still a sense of confusion as to who the tram program is designed for.

Regarding route consistency, Rodocker said, “It has to run the same route, whether people are there or not. The first time I wait for that tram and it never comes, I don’t trust it. I’ll never, ever use it again. Make sure the system is run exactly the same, every minute of every hour of every day. It’s going to fail if we don’t.”

Rodocker agrees signs and banners will help. She also feels there should be a dedicated website that is specific to the Old Town Trams in Bradenton Beach and clearly states what the service is for. The CRA trams are currently promoted at the www.oldtowntram.com website that also promotes LaRose’s tram operations in Siesta Key and Venice. According to Perry, the trams are supposed to run from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Rodocker said tram drivers who stray off-course and travel north of Cortez Road should be fired if that continues. She also said she’s seen Old Town Trams carrying more passengers than allowed and has witnessed two tram drivers sitting idle and chatting instead of circling the designated tram route.

“If I don’t see that running its route regularly, I’m going to tell the city they’re wasting their money with you,” Rodocker told LaRose.

“We need this to be successful, but we have to understand this is to move people who can’t find parking,” she said, noting the free trolley provides free transportation for those not in need of a place to park a vehicle.

After noting CRA funds can only be used for projects that benefit and enhance the CRA district, CRA Chair Ralph Cole said, “That’s why we need to pinpoint the exact route.”

CRA member Jake Spooner offered to research a tram-mounted GPS tracking system that would allow LaRose and the CRA members to identify where the trams travel. It was also suggested that a phone or web application be developed that allows users to locate the trams in real-time.

When providing his input, Loos said, “Looking at it from a user experience, and what it is currently, I wouldn’t use the service. Many of the businesses want to see this succeed, but we need to find a way to educate our visitors and make sure the overall experience is visitor-friendly – and that they know there’s a service that can take them from where they want to go and help them identify proper parking.”

LaRose and the CRA members left the meeting expressing hope that the concerns discussed can be addressed as this work in progress continues.

BridgeWalk resort enforcing reserved parking spaces

BridgeWalk resort enforcing reserved parking spaces

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Drivers should pay close attention to the signs when parking in front of the BridgeWalk resort in Bradenton Beach.

BridgeWalk resort owner Angela Rodocker has received additional assurances from the city regarding her exclusive use of three Bridge Street parking spaces. On Thursday, Jan. 21, the Bradenton Beach City Commission adopted Resolution 21-940, a resolution that codifies in writing the verbal agreement Rodocker and her late mother, Barbara Rodocker, reached with the city regarding the development of the BridgeWalk resort and retail shops in 2000.

The three parking spaces along the 100 block of Bridge Street have long been designated for the exclusive use of BridgeWalk resort guests while checking in, but that exclusive use is often ignored by others in search of a hard-to-find parking space, especially on weekends.

The adopted city resolution now supports and further clarifies the development approvals granted in 2000.

When presenting the resolution to the city commission, City Attorney Ricinda Perry said, “That parking agreement is not a new approval. That was a use that was already granted and approved verbally but missed somehow – we could arguably state it was scrivener’s error – in the final approval prepared by the attorney at that time.”

When addressing the commission, Rodocker said, “The reason this even came up is because I kept having to deal with people parking there. From the very beginning of this, I always believed that BridgeWalk had exclusivity over those three spots, and that’s what I think should be honored.”

Rodocker said some drivers in the community have the wrong impression about the public’s use of the reserved parking spaces along Bridge Street. She said she recently had to call the police in response to a verbal confrontation that ensued with a man who questioned the BridgeWalk parking restrictions.

“My staff has had to deal with this on and off for years, so I want my signage to be strong and I will fulfill it – which means it’s going to be uncomfortable for some local people for a little while,” Rodocker told the commission.

“There’s been way too many verbal things going on between my staff and people. There’s just so much miscommunication, even for the police department. The guys don’t even know what to do if somebody’s parking there and I call. We just need clarification,” Rodocker said.

Rodocker offered to make the three reserved check-in spaces available to the public during non-peak hours, similar to the after-hours parking allowances provided at the post office parking lot.

Police Chief Sam Speciale said it would be easier for his officers to enforce a parking prohibition that remains in effect at all times, so the BridgeWalk resort parking restrictions will be in effect 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“That way there’s no question about what those three places are for. That way Angela doesn’t have to deal with people and it’s easier for us to take care of it,” Speciale told the commission.

The commission unanimously supported the resolution request and the resort’s need for the three reserved parking spaces.

Three parking spaces along the 100 block of Bridge Start are reserved BridgeWalk resort guests who are checking in.
These signs help designate the BridgeWalk resort’s reserved parking spaces.- Angela Rodocker | Submitted

Those who continue to improperly park in the reserved spaces now do so at the increased risk of being ticketed and possibly towed. When contacted later, Rodocker said she’ll soon be adding new signs that reinforce the existing signs that say, “Check-in Parking Only Please.”

“I’m so happy that we’re going to get this resolved. The last thing I want to do is have somebody’s car towed away, but we may have to do it to get the message across,” Rodocker said.