San Pedro Goes Electric

Moving people around San Pedro has been a priority of city planners long before West Harbor started construction. 

Now that it is nearing completion this summer, many are asking what is being done to make it easy for locals to enjoy our town without competing for parking. 

I personally love using our complimentary San Pedro Trolleys provided by the Discover San Pedro Business Improvement District (PBID), a 501c6 public benefit corporation established in 2008, and the Downtown San Pedro Community Foundation, a 501c3, both led by CEO Ryan Blaney. 

These trolleys run year-round and are a free hop-on-hop-off service with regular routes along the harbor and around downtown. Being on rubber tires instead of tracks, they are also flexible and available for rent for specific needs and large events.

Thanks to a $600,000 investment by the PBID and Community Foundation, San Pedro is set to welcome two new all-electric eJest trolleys, marking another major step toward zero-emission transportation right here in our harbor community.

These sleek, modern trolleys will soon join the existing fleet of four diesel-powered and propane-powered trolleys already serving residents and visitors. But unlike their predecessors, the new arrivals will operate with zero tailpipe emissions, helping improve air quality while quietly moving people through some of San Pedro’s most traveled and treasured routes.

“This is more than just adding vehicles,” says San Pedro local and Trolley Manager Stacy Trevizo. “It’s about investing in a cleaner, more efficient way for people to experience San Pedro.”

Each trolley will feature audio-visual stop announcements, making routes more accessible for all riders, including seniors, visitors, and those with visual or hearing impairments. Riders will hear and see upcoming stops, along with announcements highlighting local landmarks and points of interest, and will also have room for human San Pedro ambassadors. Riders will also enjoy free onboard Wi-Fi, making the trolley easier to use and connect. 

Perhaps the most exciting feature is the GPS-enabled real-time tracking system. Thanks to a grant provided by the Goldhirsh Foundation and LA2050, the new TripShot software will allow riders to see exactly where the trolley is on its route and how far away it is from the next stop. No more guessing or long waits, just open your phone and know when your ride is near your stop.

The new electric trolleys will serve three strategic routes: the West Harbor Route, connecting riders visiting the waterfront, the amphitheater, and cruise ships with our historic downtown, including the shops and restaurants that will welcome the foot traffic; the Coastal Route, a scenic and practical line running between the USS Iowa, Downtown San Pedro, and all the way south to Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and the DoubleTree Hotel; and the First Thursday Route, supporting local businesses, artists, and cultural events during San Pedro’s monthly art walk. 

For San Pedro residents, this means easier access to shopping, dining, recreation, and events by parking once and getting around for free. For visitors, it means easy access to Downtown San Pedro businesses and the ability to figure out where to go and what to do on the fly.

By modernizing the fleet and reducing reliance on fossil fuels, San Pedro is aligning transportation planning with our long-term sustainability goals. This move may also open additional access to funding as a success story encouraging grant money to support our migration to cleaner fuels and vehicles.

As West Harbor continues to rise, downtown revitalization moves forward, the Battleship Iowa remains LA’s fourth most visited attraction, and Cabrillo Beach remains a beloved destination, these electric trolleys will quietly and efficiently tie it all together.

As I wrote last month about the water taxi Supervisor Hahn is bringing to town before the Olympics, San Pedro has always been a place of movement—ships, trains, ideas, and people. Now, that movement is getting cleaner, smarter, and a little more electric. spt