trolley

A trolley is a wheeled cart used to transport goods, materials, or supplies. The term has regional meanings: in North America it often refers to a streetcar or tram that runs on rails and draws electric power from overhead wires with a trolley pole; in British English, trolley more commonly denotes a wheeled cart for carrying items, such as a shopping trolley, a service trolley in hotels or hospitals, or a luggage trolley in airports and stations.

There are several kinds of trolleys. Manual hand trolleys and platform trolleys are used in warehouses, factories, and shops to move boxes and heavy objects. Shopping trolleys, or grocery carts, are designed for consumer use in supermarkets. Service trolleys are used in hospitality, healthcare, and catering to transport meals, utensils, and medical supplies. In airports and rail terminals, baggage trolleys help passengers move suitcases. In transit contexts, a trolleybus is an electric bus that collects power from overhead lines, while trams or streetcars run on rails and similarly rely on overhead power delivery in many systems.

The word trolley has historical and technical associations. The modern shopping cart was developed in the 1930s in the United States, popularizing the term in retail contexts. Electric tramways emerged in the 19th century, and the name “trolley” for the streetcar derives from the trolley pole that conducted current from overhead wires. Today, trolleys remain widely used for both everyday tasks and urban transit, with designs ranging from compact service trolleys to full-scale rail vehicles.