"The LAP" Commuter Bus - News Releases
News Release for July 18, 2024
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
AUGUSTA - "The LAP" - the Maine Department of Transportation's new commuter bus service between Lewiston/Auburn and Portland - will begin serving customers on Monday, July 22nd.
Service will include several runs throughout the day from 4:30 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday and from 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on weekends. While the focus is on workforce transportation, the service will be open for all trip purposes. There will be six stops on the route:
- Bates College,
- The Oak Street Bus Station in Lewiston,
- The Auburn Transportation Center,
- The Maine Turnpike Exit 75 Park and Ride in Auburn,
- Monument Square in Portland, and
- The Portland Transportation Center.
This pilot bus service will serve as an indicator of the latent demand and potential market for enhanced public transportation between the Portland and Lewiston/Auburn regions. This program will operate for at least two years.
The contractor on this project is RTW Management, Inc. of Salt Lake City. The contract amount is $2.8 million.
View weekday schedule details here: https://www.maine.gov/mdot/transit/thelap/_assets/docs/thelap-2024schedule.pdf
Note: We are still working to make "The LAP" visible in the Token Transit app.
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News Release for June 11, 2024
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Transportation has selected a contractor for a pilot program to provide commuter bus service between Portland and Lewiston/Auburn. RTW Management, Inc. a transportation services provider based in Salt Lake City was the preferred bidder on a request for proposals issued by MaineDOT in January. The contract amount is $2.8 million. Service is expected to begin in early July.
MaineDOT is advancing the design and implementation of a minimum two-year pilot commuter bus service that provides a level of frequency and service envisioned by recent rail studies of this corridor. This pilot bus service will serve as an indicator of the latent demand and potential market for enhanced public transportation between the Portland and Lewiston/Auburn regions.
Throughout the summer and fall of 2023, MaineDOT and consultant Cambridge Systematics gathered stakeholder input and analyzed several potential routes, ultimately identifying a preferred alternative that includes stops at Bates College, the Oak Street Bus Station in Lewiston, the Auburn Transportation Center, the Maine Turnpike Exit 75 Park and Ride in Auburn, Monument Square in Portland, and the Portland Transportation Center. Service will include several runs throughout the day from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Monday through Friday and from 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on weekends. MaineDOT will work with RTW to identify any variations on the recommended route, schedule, and stops. While the focus is on workforce transportation, the service will be open for all trip purposes.
The Lewiston-Auburn to Portland Commuter Bus Implementation Study is available at https://www.maine.gov/mdot/transit/publications/.
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News Release for January 31, 2024
For more Information:
Paul Merrill, Director of Communications - 207-215-9297
MaineDOT Seeking Bidders for Pilot Commuter Bus Service Linking Portland and Lewiston/Auburn
AUGUSTA - The Maine Department of Transportation has published a Request for Proposal, seeking bidders for a pilot program to provide commuter bus service between Portland and Lewiston/Auburn.
MaineDOT is advancing the design and implementation of a minimum two-year pilot commuter bus service that provides a level of frequency and service envisioned by recent rail studies of this corridor. The goal is to begin the service in the first half of 2024. This pilot bus service will serve as an indicator of the latent demand and potential market for enhanced public transportation between the Portland and Lewiston/Auburn regions.
Throughout the summer and fall of 2023, MaineDOT and consultant Cambridge Systematics gathered stakeholder input and analyzed several potential routes, ultimately identifying a preferred alternative that includes stops at Bates College, the Oak Street Bus Station in Lewiston, the Auburn Transportation Center, the Maine Turnpike Exit 75 Park and Ride in Auburn, Monument Square in Portland, and the Portland Transportation Center. Service will be provided from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Monday through Friday and from 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on weekends. Bidders may propose variations on the recommended route, schedule, and stops. While the focus is on workforce transportation, the service will be open for all trip purposes.
The Lewiston-Auburn to Portland Commuter Bus Implementation Study is available at https://www.maine.gov/mdot/transit/publications/.
The Request for Proposal is available here: https://www.maine.gov/mdot/cpo/rfps/. The deadline for proposals is February 26th.
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