Good morning.

If you want to ride a trolley tour in Boston, I suggest you get here before June 25.


Why?

Our base of operations is moving from South Boston (in the city) to Malden (North of the city).

In a poorly thought out move, corporate bought a run-down trucking facility in Malden, and sunk somewhere around $15m into it to renovate it into a new home base. This came about because of a fiasco right around COVID. We signed a lease on a garage just over the city line in Quincy, without doing proper vetting of the property.

It was fortunately discovered before we parked one trolley in there that the ground under the floor had subsided by some two and a half feet, leaving the floor suspended in space. While it would support the weight of a car or two, had we driven a 13-ton vehicle in there, the floor would have collapsed.

Long story short, it took two years of legal wrangling to undo mistake number one. By that time, the developer that bought our building in Southie was itching to have us leave so he could demolish the place. In desperation, the first property available was bought.

It's Armageddon.

Most of the crew lives South of Boston. Moving to Malden will add 30-40 minutes to all but a few's commute. The only way into Boston from Malden where a trolley will fit is on I-93, which on a good day takes an hour. The days of getting a relief trolley or a mechanic to an emergency in 15 minutes will be long-gone, with all the trouble that will ensue.

But the big deal is the brain drain that is coming. We don't have a lot of drivers to begin with. Less than 40 right now. Since the move to Malden was announced, we have lost at least 6 drivers, and now counting me, another 6 are either leaving or on the fence.

All I know is that in a few weeks time, when I drive past the cruise terminal and see two or three of them tied up, I can say to myself "I'm glad I don't have to deal with that today".

I've been there 7 years...I don't want to repeat that oft-cited red flag, "We're like a family here", but in our case - we actually are. It's more like the Marines, though. A driver observed last year that millions of people visit the city of Boston every year. Last summer there were only TWO companies doing a hop-on hop-off tour, less than 100 drivers working the gig between the two of us.

Nobody else in this city, perhaps in the entire tourism industry, can do what we do. It makes for a strong bond among the team.

This is what I regret walking away from. As you are probably aware, my highest personal core value is Loyalty. It is what kept me driving for as long as I did.

But signs are there. Some random thoughts from people I've told that I'm leaving....

"I'm surprised you lasted as long as you did."

"We could tell a month ago that you were done."

"Good for you. I'm glad you got out." (From a MANAGER. This one stunned me.)

Stunned silence and actual tears from two members of the sales team that I'm close to.

And the one that encapsulates it all. From a Ghost actor (nighttime tours) that I trained.
"Over the last year, I have watched you go from happy and gung-ho about trolleys to being sadder and tireder every day. I wondered when you would finally have enough."

I am reluctant to make the comparison, especially since I have survived it once already. Working in Tourism is like cancer. It's relentless. Neverending, backbreaking work. My soul has been crushed.

As I told the bosses when I finally gave up: "I have reached the inescapable conclusion that the only clear answer is for me to hand you my resignation today."

What has surprised me somewhat is that I thought it would make me feel better. It has not - I actually feel worse. I can only hope for that perceived greener pasture across town on a different bus.