MAINE, USA — If you need a ride to the polls tomorrow, there are free options out there for you.
The Community Connector, which serves the greater Bangor area, the Greater Portland Metro and City Link in Lewiston-Auburn are just a few of the options of public transportation that will offer free rides to and from the polls.
Riders don't need to show any proof they're going to or returning from voting. Anyone can ride for free Tuesday on the public transportation's regular weekday schedule.
The Community Connector in Bangor is even stopping at each polling place.
"So anybody that needs to get to a polling site in all of the surrounding towns, including Old Town, Orono and Veazie, Brewer, Hampden and of course Bangor, we are going right into the polling place to drop you off," says Community Connector Superintendent Laurie Linscott.
The Community Connector serving the greater Bangor area is offering free bus rides for everyone. The aim is to eliminate a key barrier preventing many people from getting to the polls.
"We do have the wheelchair lift, so if anybody is in a wheelchair, we are able to load you and get you to the proper door," Linscott said.
The Community Connector also stops at Husson University to pick up students who want to vote on Election Day.
"Bus stops right here on campus, and it's a great opportunity. They know right where that bus stop is and that's something that they are used to using so we are going to try and leverage that," Trop Morehouse, Husson University associate dean of student life, said.
The Metro in Greater Portland is another free option in Southern Maine.
"Since COVID started and the pandemic, we've really stepped up our guidelines with extra cleaning. We make sure everybody wears a mask. We also have shields that the bus driver is behind," says Denise Beck, marketing manager at Metro.
Beck says only 30 people will be able to ride a bus at a time and everyone has to wear a mask before boarding the bus.
"Most of our routes are walkable to polling locations. We don't drop people right off at polling locations, but in most cases, the bus stop is not very far from the locations where people vote," Beck said.
Uber and Lyft are offering discount rates. Both are apps on your phone where you can request a ride in case you prefer to ride alone. Not free...but they will be offering 50 percent discounts to polling places.
Click here to learn more about how to get a discounted UBER ride on Election Day.
Click here to learn more about how to get a discounted LYFT ride on Election Day.
The City Link/Purple Bus in Lewiston-Auburn will also offer free ride day tomorrow. Here are its guidelines and polling location stops.