AUBURN, Maine — At the end of June, Concord Coach Lines planned to end its bus service between Portland and Lewiston-Auburn.
But another service is prepared to fill the void starting mid-July.
The Maine DOT announced this week it signed a contract with Salt Lake City-based company RTW Management, Inc. to provide frequent bus trips between the state's two largest metro areas.
In addition to providing a service Mainers rely on, the two-year pilot program will provide data so the department can learn just how many people in the twin cities want public transit to other areas.
And there's a chance this could lead into more discussions about trains, which had become a hot topic of policy conversation in the Legislature and beyond in recent years. But MaineDOT spokesperson Paul Merrill explained rail is far from guaranteed at the end of this study.
"Because a passenger rail service between Portland and Lewiston-Auburn would be many times over the cost of what we're spending here, what we wanted to do was do this pilot program to gauge demand; to see how many people would be riding this bus," Merrill said during a Thursday virtual interview.
Auburn Transportation System Director Jonathan LaBonté said he understood Concord's departure, saying the company limited rides in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and found demand grew along other routes in the state. But he welcomed the DOT's program and felt public transportation among the three cities was still vital.
"The state's two largest urban areas—so, Auburn-Lewiston and Portland—really need to have sustainable transportation connections," LaBonté said, adding that more bus availability also fits into the cities' and state's climate goals.
The two-year contract with RTW Management is worth $2.8 million. The MaineDOT's announcement said multiple buses would run from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Friday and from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. The department said it and the company would reassess and adjust routes based on need.