NEWPORT BEACH : Lonely Road for Pier Tram Driver

John Giraudy’s six-passenger tram is empty more often than not as it meanders through pedestrian traffic at the Newport Pier.

Every day, Giraudy guides the gasoline-powered vehicle 1,100 feet from the base of the pier to Fisherman’s Restaurant and back, waiting 10 minutes at each end for riders.

But, for the most part, he makes the trips alone.

Since Giraudy began offering the service Feb. 1, he’s slashed his fare from 50 cents to a quarter, citing the economy and construction in the area. But pedestrians walking along the pier say a ride is not what they’re looking for at the beach, even if it’s only a quarter.

“Somehow paying a quarter to drive it doesn’t seem worth it,” said Ann Brukardt, a resident who was strolling along the pier recently. “It’s so Orange County-ish to take a tram up the pier. We’re forgetting what we’re here for.”

A retired interpreter and complaint officer from the Dade County, Florida, Sheriff’s Department, Giraudy, 60, now lives on Lido Isle. After relocating, he operated a portable key-making business, using an electric tram to travel between businesses in Anaheim, but the venture failed.

While his key-making operation failed because of high expenses, Giraudy said his difficulties in the tram business lie with factors beyond his control, notably the construction vehicles that crowd the parking lot in McFadden Square, which is undergoing a $1.9-million renovation.

But despite the construction vehicles and the hard-core strollers, Giraudy and his operation have managed to attract a few devotees.

One tram fan, Fred Caywood, said the tram is a “neat” convenience for him because he makes several trips back and forth to shops in the area while fishing off the pier.

“I like to ride and the person who operates it is pretty nice to talk to,” he said.