Niagara Falls Council Approves $641K Contract to Continue NFTA Tourism Trolley Service

     The Niagara Falls City Council approved a contract to continue the city’s tourism trolley service, a program designed to move visitors between key destinations during the busy tourism season.

     Council members voted 4–1 to renew the agreement with the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) allowing the trolley system to operate from late May through the end of the year. The service is scheduled to run from May 22nd through December 31st and will cost $641,062 for the 2026 season.

     The funding for the trolley does not come from the city’s general budget. Instead, the program is paid for through 1% of the city’s 6% bed tax, a tourism-related tax placed on overnight accommodations. Under state law, that portion of the tax must be used specifically for the trolley service and cannot be redirected to other city expenses.

     Mayor Robert Restaino outlined the agreement and its funding structure in a memo provided to council members prior to the vote. In the memo, he emphasized that the program plays an important role in helping visitors move around the city.

     “The service provides free trolley replica vehicle transportation to the guests of participating hotels and motels while traveling between the Niagara Falls International Airport and the downtown area of the city,” Restaino wrote.

     The mayor also described the service as both “desirable” and “necessary,” noting its role in supporting the tourism economy that drives much of Niagara Falls’ local business activity.

     The service uses replica-style trolley vehicles and is offered free of charge to guests staying at participating hotels and motels. Tourism officials have often referred to the trolley as an important “people mover,” helping visitors travel between major attractions, lodging locations, and the airport.

     While the contract ultimately passed with broad support, one council member voted against it.

     Council Member Vincent Cauley opposed the agreement after asking city officials for a draft copy offf the contract during the council meeting. Acting City Corporation Counsel Thomas DeBoy told him he could not immediately provide the document.

     Following that exchange, Cauley attempted to postpone consideration of the contract until additional information could be reviewed. However, his motion to delay the vote did not receive support from the other council members and failed.

     With the motion rejected, the council proceeded with the vote and approved the contract.

     From May 22nd through June 7th, the trolleys will operate on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Starting June 8th, service will expand to daily operations during the peak summer tourism season and continue running every day through September 27th.

     After the summer season ends, the schedule will scale back again. From October 2nd through November 1st, the trolley will return to weekend-only service operating on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

     During its operating periods, the trolley will run from 9am until midnight.

     Once the trolley season ends in early November, visitors staying at hotels and motels will still be able to travel around the city using the NFTA’s regular transit network.

     Between November 2nd and December 31st, those guests will have free access to the NFTA’s standard Metro bus routes instead of the replica trolley vehicles.

     City officials say the arrangement ensures that visitors continue to have public transportation options available throughout the remainder of the year even after the trolley service ends for the season.

     The trolley system has become a familiar feature of Niagara Falls’ tourism infrastructure, particularly during the summer months when the city experiences its highest volume of visitors.

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Niagara Falls Council Approves $641K Contract to Continue NFTA Tourism Trolley Service