SACO — Mayor Don Pilon is on a fundraising campaign to pay for a new summer trolley bus service.

The bus service will run from Old Orchard Beach through Ocean Park to Camp Ellis to downtown Saco.

Shuttlebus-ZOOM Transit Director Al Schutz was able to acquire a used trolley-style bus for $38,000, and Mayor Don Pilon is spearheading a campaign to pay for the vehicle. The City of Saco has contributed $8,000, leaving Pilon to raise $30,000.  To raise money, Pilon is soliciting local businesses to purchase advertisement space on the bus.

Pilon also has an idea to use a paddle system to alert the bus driver to stop for riders, and to raise money. Under the proposal, passengers leaving the bus would be give paddles similar to those used at auctions, with a picture of a trolley on one side and a paid advertisement on the other. When patrons wait for a return ride on the bus, they will stand on the side of the street with a paddle in their hand, signaling the driver to stop.

Schutz said there is $70,000 available through a matching federal grant that can be used for operating costs for the bus. Matching funds will be raised through bus fares as well as contributions and advertisements from supporting businesses.

The trolley bus service will begin in late June and run through Labor Day, said Schutz, with days of operation likely being Tuesday through Sunday. The acquired bus has about 90,000 miles on it, and typically buses of its kind can run up to 500,000 miles, he said.

The new seasonal bus service will take passengers to local areas the bus service currently doesn’t pass through. The mayor said the area has much to offer, and the bus service will lead people to locations, restaurants and businesses they may not have known about.

“It’s a great tool in the toolbox to expose people from away to the city of Saco, Camp Ellis and Ocean Park,” said Pilon.

The 28-passenger bus is designed to look like an old-fashioned street car and has old-style wood and metal bench seating.

The unique look of the bus will make it somewhat of a tourist attraction and an appealing way for visiting families to travel, said Pilon.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected].