When I was little, the city had both street cars which ran on rails (like the trolleys in the movie) and trolley buses which ran on overheard wires but could weave in and out of traffic. But they were all private companies and they all failed one by one. In 1980, you were about twenty years too late to see them. They saved the regular bus service by consolidating and making it public.

Ding, ding, ding! Yes, the drivers rang the bell three times, just like in the movie.