Golf Cart Rental Fleet

Golf style carts, licensed for road use, could be available for rental to people arriving by train, boat or air.

When I lived in NYC I would take the Amtrak train to Westport at least once each summer. My purpose was to play golf over a long weekend at the best club in the Adirondacks. I would need to walk from my B&B to the course. With a reasonably priced rental, even one that was shared, it would have been much easier to get around and more fun as well.

I would like to propose that we do a pilot program this summer involving the follow:

• Obtain at least 4 street legal golf or similar style cars for rental. Examples can be seen at GEM or e-zride.
• Have a similar program in at least one other village along the Lake Champlain route, such as Ticonderoga.
• Do joint promotions in Montreal and NYC with Amtrak, the rental fleet manufacturer, Westport and Ticonderoga businesses, tour package providers, etc.
• Combine the marketing with an Amtrak promotion that allows passengers to buy a special ticket that allows a week pass on the NY to Montreal route, similar to a Britrail pass, that allows the holder to disembark and reboard anywhere along the route as often as they wish.
• Have businesses provide other "special services", such as discount bicycle rentals, overnight storage of golf equipment, discount boat rentals, discount golf, etc. for "by train, sea and air" travelers. Local businesses should make every effort to make this a fabulous and fun experience for the traveler.
  
• Possible local ordinance to allow actual golf carts to travel during daylight hours in special lanes within the town limits.

With the ExploreNY Quadricentennial coming in 2009 this type of program should provide positve press for our communities, Amtrak, the environmentally friendly rental fleet and everyone involved.