Public transit buses free on Fridays through New Year’s

    AUGUSTA – Governor John E. Baldacci recently announced a holiday season return for Free Fare Fridays. The promotion, which provides a free introduction to mass transit in Maine, is returning for a third time after experiencing success last summer and during the 2007 holiday season.     Free Fare Fridays is a month-long campaign that, beginning on Friday, Nov. 28, allows Maine citizens to explore low-cost transit options available in communities throughout the state. The program has been immensely popular during the previous campaigns, with bus ridership increasing by up to 38 percent on the state’s largest bus services.
    “Public transit is helping people cope during these difficult economic times,” said Baldacci. “This promotion is making a big difference for home budgets that are stretched and for people who may be struggling to meet transportation needs.”
    Free Fare Fridays is a partnership between Maine DOT, the GO MAINE commuter program and local bus providers. Local buses will be free on Nov. 28 and Dec. 5, 12, 19 and 26.
    During previous Free Fare Friday campaigns, ridership on the South Portland Bus and Greater Portland METRO services were up significantly. In July, Citylink in Lewiston-Auburn saw a 38 percent increase.
    The Biddeford-Saco-OOB ShuttleBus and ZOOM had hundreds of new riders, while Bangor’s BAT experienced an increase of more than 10 percent.
    “People have tried public transit and continue to use it,” said Baldacci.
    In addition to the upsurge in transit riders, commuters are also flocking to the GO MAINE commuter Web site. Since the beginning of 2008 the site has received more than one million hits as Mainers try to find carpool partners and vanpool availability. The GO MAINE commuter database has grown by more than 100 percent since the beginning of the year.
    For more information about Free Fare Fridays and the GO MAINE commuter assistance program, call 800-280-RIDE or visit www.gomaine.org.
    Participating transit services including: Aroostook Regional Transportation, Bangor BAT, Bath Bus, Biddeford-Saco-Old Orchard ShuttleBus Tri-Town, Biddeford-Saco-Old Orchard ShuttleBus Intercity, Coastal Trans, Downeast Transportation, KVTransit, Lewiston/Auburn Citylink, The Lynx, Greater Portland METRO, Sanford Transit “My Bus,” South Portland Bus Service, Waldo County CAP, Western Maine Transportation Services and ZOOM Turnpike Express.