Joplin public transportation available for free

With hundreds of cars crushed by the tornado a lot of people need a ride to work or even just to the store.

Joplin's Sunshine Lamp Trolley is offering that service free of charge.

Through at least June 13, trolley and MAPS bus riders do not have to pay.

Also, while the red and blue routes are still the same, the green route was modified because of tornado damage to stops and debris on streets.

Officials say riders can still make connections to get where they need to go.

"We'll be happy to tell you all those things, where the closest route is, what's still open - what's not still open for us," says Joplin transportation coordinator Robert Lolley.  "The first three or four days we had to go through our schedule and see 'are these pick ups and drop offs still even still there'.  There were so many of our riders were either picked up in devastated area or they were going to doctors offices that aren't there anymore."

Lolley would also like doctors to contact him as they relocate so they can help patients find their new offices.  Many riders only know their doctor's names and drivers would find the addresses.

The new temporary routes are posted on the city's website: Trolley routes (PDF)