BIDDEFORD — Walmart sales associates and customers can keep riding the bus, as plans to discontinue local bus service to the retail giant have been scrapped.

ShuttleBus-Zoom Director Al Schutz said he had planned to discontinue the stop at Walmart on the local bus line on Sept. 22, if Walmart did not pay to have the bus stop.

Schutz said in recent years, other businesses with stops along the local line have been paying annually, and the bus service needs these sorts of partnerships in order to sustain itself.

Beginning Oct. 1, Walmart will pay ShuttleBus $6,000 annually to have a stop on the local line, and the retailer and the bus service will work together to install a shelter for the bus stop.

Store Manager Michael Lilley said 37 of the store’s employees use the local bus to get to work.

“It’s very important … not only for our associates, but for our customers as well,” said Lilley. “For a lot of them, it’s their only mode of transportation.”

Lilley said as soon as word got out that the service might be canceled, his office was “flooded” with customers and associates who were concerned, so he called Schutz.

Lilley said the arrangement was a “win” for Shuttlebus, his employees and customers.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected].