FREEPORT

Thursday kicked off the beginning of the new Metro Breez bus service joining Portland, Falmouth, Yarmouth and Freeport. To celebrate, Metro is offering free rides through Saturday.

After the promotional period, a regular fare will cost $3. Seniors, Medicare card holders and people with disabilities can ride for $1.50.

Offering nine daily weekday round trips and five on Saturday, the Breez seats 17 and features bike racks, wifi, USB ports, storage and is wheelchair accessible. The Freeport leg of the route stops right in front of the L.L. Bean flagship store.

Monday through Friday, the first bus will leave Freeport heading southbound at 6:50 a.m., with the last bus departing at 7 p.m. On Saturday, the first bus leaving Freeport will be at 9:30 a.m., with the last bus departing at 5:30 p.m.

Metro Marketing Director Denise Beck said it’s been an exciting day that the company has been looking forward to for some time.

Beck said officials from the Metro, as well as town representatives and some passengers took an inaugural ride from Freeport, where festivities kicked off, to Yarmouth. Beck said it was a cheerful environment to cap off months of hard work bringing service northward.

“It just opens up a lot more opportunities for people to travel around — people who might come on the train, people who might come on the bus — Concord coach, that’s our first stop in Portland. Now they can get up to Yarmouth or Freeport and they don’t have to worry about having a car,” Beck said.

Beck said Metro officials have also been in discussions with the towns of Brunswick and Gorham and while there’s nothing definite at this point, she said the Metro is still eyeing the towns for future possibilities.

Beck said Metro also just launched the Southern Maine Transit Tracker, a website where people can plan their trips and see in real time where their bus is.

“We also have apps now and that’s brand-new — we just introduced that two weeks ago. You can download Transit App and know where your bus is. So if you’re at a bus stop now, you will know when the next bus is coming,” Beck said.

Freeport Town Council Chairwoman Melanie Sachs said the town is very happy to be embarking on this project with their fellow communities and that Freeport is very thankful to have the opportunity to provide another transportation option to the residents of Freeport.

“It’s particularly important as the executive director of Freeport Community Services, which is my day job,” Sachs said.

Sachs said that during their community nights for the last six years, transportation has been the number one concern and now with the arrival of another option, Sachs said there is excitement in the community.

For full schedules, service and rates, visit gpmetrobus.net.

dmcintire@timesrecord.com

• OFFERING NINE daily weekday round trips and five on Saturday, the Breez seats 17 and features bike racks, wifi, USB ports, storage and is wheelchair accessible. The Freeport leg of the route stops right in front of the L.L. Bean flagship store.