MaineDOT Awards $2 Million to Strengthen Transit Across Maine
Funding supports seventeen projects designed to expand service, modernize systems, and meet statewide transportation goals
(AUGUSTA – October 1, 2025) – The Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) today announced the award of $2 million in state funds for fiscal year 2026 to support discretionary transit projects across the state.
The funding, distributed among ten transit agencies across the state for seventeen projects, will advance the goals of MaineDOT’s 2023 State Transit Plan and other statewide initiatives. Projects were selected based on how well they help:
- Increase access to transit service
- Improve public information about available transit options
- Remove barriers for new riders
- Address the needs of underserved populations in rural Maine
- Upgrade transit facilities and fleets
- Support workforce and labor needs
- Transition to more environmentally friendly vehicles
Award Highlights
- Aroostook Regional Transportation System – $343,211 to extend and expand a successful workforce transportation project
- Bangor Community Connector – $320,603 for improved bike racks, a hybrid ADA-accessible vehicle, and mobile fare payment technology
- Biddeford Saco Old Orchard Beach Transit – $383,850 for technology improvements, an electric bus charger, a southern Maine microtransit project, and a hybrid bus
- Kennebec Valley Community Action Program – $209,221 for three new vans
- Greater Portland Transit District (METRO) – $176,000 for marketing campaigns and system technology upgrades
- Penquis Community Action Program – $152,000 for three new hybrid SUVs
- Regional Transportation Program (RTP) – $187,715 for microtransit pilot projects in Harrison and Gorham/Standish
- West’s Transportation Services – $170,000 for a new bus
- Western Maine Transportation Services – $6,000 for technology upgrades
- York County Community Action Corporation – $51,400 for real-time vehicle tracking technology
“Our goal is to provide accessible transportation options for all, including those who don’t have access to personal vehicles,” said Acting MaineDOT Commissioner Dale Doughty. “These awards help expand opportunities and address transportation needs throughout our state. We look forward to working with our transit partners and the communities they serve.”
“New services like these will make it easier for our neighbors to stay connected to their communities while strengthening transit access in towns that have been underserved for far too long,” added Don Libby, Executive Director of Regional Transportation Program (RTP).
“York County Community Action Corporation (YCCAC) is honored to receive a MaineDOT discretionary award to advance our public transportation services,” said Tom Reinauer of the York County Community Action Corporation. “This funding enables us to enhance the accessibility and visibility of our on-demand transit by publishing and integrating service data into widely used trip planning platforms. This initiative directly supports YCCAC’s commitment to improving rider experience, expanding mobility choices, and strengthening regional coordination across York County and beyond.”
The awarded funds will directly support the objectives outlined in the 2023 Maine State Transit Plan, the 2023 Locally Coordinated Plan, and other MaineDOT planning and policy priorities. Collectively, these projects will expand access, modernize systems, and ensure transit remains a vital resource for Maine’s urban and rural communities.