BIDDEFORD — ShuttleBus-ZOOM will reduce the number of daily runs of the Portland intercity bus service beginning Jan. 13 because of insufficient funding at the state level, according to ShuttleBus-ZOOM officials.

The Portland intercity bus runs seven days a week, making stops in Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Scarborough and Portland.

According to the current schedule, the Portland bus makes 11 runs a day. The revamped schedule, which is posted on the ShuttleBus-ZOOM website, will only make seven runs a day.

ShuttleBus-ZOOM Mobility Manager Perian Carpenter said the Portland intercity bus line has averaged about 35,000 riders a year for the past three fiscal years.

Because of the growth in the Biddeford-Saco-Old Orchard Beach region, the intercity route has been designated as urban instead of rural which changes the allocation of funds available to pay for the service, said Carpenter.

Because of this, there has been a $160,000 reduction in funding for the intercity line from federal money that is distributed through competitive bids by the state, said Carpenter.

She said that exact figures about how this impacts ShuttleBus-ZOOM’s total budget were not readily available, but as a result of this reduction in funding, ShuttleBus staff had to make some changes to the bus line.

Carpenter said that staff reviewed options and came up with a solution so that the area that the bus serves remains the same.

The new schedule for the Portland intercity bus, beginning on Jan. 13, is as follows:

• The first bus of the day will stop at Southern Maine Health Care in Biddeford at 6:30 a.m., Saco Main Street at 6:40 a.m., Old Orchard Beach Chamber of Commerce at 6:55, a.m., The Clambake restaurant in Pine Point at 7 a.m., Scarborough Dunstan Corner at 7:05 a.m., Scarborough Oak Hill at 7:10 a.m., Maine Medical Center Scarborough at 7:15 a.m., Maine Mall at 7:30 a.m., the Greyhound station in Portland at 7:40 a.m. and Portland City Hall at 7:55 a.m.• •

• The Portland intercity service second run of the day will begin at the Old Orchard Beach Chamber of Commerce at 9 a.m., at The Clambake restaurant at 9:05 a.m., Dunstan Corner at 9:13 a.m., Oak Hill at 9:18 a.m., Scarborough MMC at 9:23 a.m., Maine Mall at 9:30 a.m., Greyhound station at 9:40 a.m. and Portland City Hall at 9:55 a.m.

• There will be a run that begins at 11 a.m. And follows the same schedule as the 9 a.m. run. There will also be runs beginning at the Old Orchard Beach Chamber of Commerce at 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. that will not stop at the Maine Mall but will otherwise follow the same schedule as the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. runs.

• The final run of the day will begin at the Old Orchard Beach Chamber of Commerce at 9 p.m., stop at The Clambake at 9:05 p.m., Scarborough Dunstan Corner at 9:13 p.m., Scarborough Oak Hill at 9:18 p.m., with a final stop at the Maine Mall at 9:30 p.m.

• For the return runs, the first run of the day will begin at the Portland Greyhound station at 8 a.m., then stop at the Maine Mall at 8:15 a.m., MMC Scarborough at 8:25 a.m., Oak Hill at 8:30 a.m., Dunstan Corner at 8:39 a.m., The Clambake at 8:45 a.m., and end at the Old Orchard Beach Chamber of Commerce at 8:50 a.m.

• There will be runs that begin at the Greyhound station at 10 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. that follow the same schedule.

• There will be a run beginning at the Greyhound station at 7 p.m., that will make stops at the Maine Mall at 7:15 p.m., Scarborough Oak Hill at 7:30 p.m., Dunstan Corner at 7:39 p.m., The Clambake at 7:45 p.m., with a final stop at the Old Orchard Beach Chamber of Commerce at 7:50 p.m.

• The final return run of the day will begin at 9:30 p.m. at the Maine Mall, with stops at Oak Hill at 9:35 p.m., Dunstan Corner at 9:45 p.m., The Clambake at 9:50 p.m., the Old Orchard Beach Chamber of Commerce at 9:55 p.m., with a final stop at Saco Main Street at 10:05 p.m. This bus will make a stop at SMHC upon request.

The schedule will be in operation until July 1. Call the ShuttleBus-ZOOM office at 282-5408 with any questions. For more information, visit www.shuttlebuszoom.com.

 

 

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 780-9015 or email egotthelf@journaltribune.com.

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