OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — In this edition of the Morning Lift, KMTV's Zach Williamson trades in his keys for a ticket on Ollie the Trolley – an Omaha icon that has been on the road since 1985.
He catches a ride with Ollie the Trolley co-owners Deb Skinner and George Davis. The two are both from Omaha and have owned Ollie the Trolley for the last 13 years. Both have an awful lot of experience in transportation, which played a big role in them deciding on Ollie the Trolley.
Recently, Ollie the Trolley helped support small businesses that have been struggling due to streetcar construction.
George was a Presidential appointee in the George H. Bush Administration at the Federal Department of Transportation. He also spent 7 years with the Union Pacific Railroad and was Assistant Mayor of Omaha under Hal Daub.
Deb handles most of the marketing for Ollie the Trolley, but she also served as a Tourism Marketing Consultant for the State of Wisconsin for 13 years. She also worked at the Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau.
In the video above:
- We learn about Ollie the Trolley's entire fleet of trolleys, including their names.
- Deb and George highlight the different public tours Ollie the Trolley provides
- Including: Holiday Lights Tour, Haunted Cemetery Tour, Dive Bar Tour, Bloody Mary Tour, Speakeasy Tour and Taco & Tequila Tour
- We learn the origin of Ollie the Trolley
- Deb tells us weddings is the number one thing they do
- They also do a lot of conventions and reunions
- Corporate groups & tours are growing
- Deb says they're looking to find sponsors to support an ongoing visitors tour
- George gives us a tour of some spots around Omaha and provides loads of Omaha history
