BIDDEFORD-SACO-OLD ORCHARD BEACH – Starting July 1, Shuttlebus Zoom will debut a new model for area public transportation. The new format, titled Pulse, aims to create a more streamlined and user-friendly approach to the bus system that suits area riders.

“It’s loosely based on the T system in Boston, with lines assigned by color. People will be able to know where the blue line will go, or red line, so on and so forth,” said Fleet Manager Craig Pendleton. “It aims to make bus routes a lot less complicated and more rider friendly.”

The team at Shuttlebus has spent the last year working with the Maine Department of Transportation and attending community meetings to find out the needs of area residents to better tailor the system. These meetings and detailed market research taken from trends of current users have helped guide the decisions of the board to make the bus system more accessible for those who use it.

For example, this fall the Maine Department of Transportation hosted public meetings in Saco and Scarborough to discuss the traffic patterns of Route 1, the needs of residents who travel this stretch of road daily and what can be done to improve travelability. Representatives from ShuttleBus Zoom attended the meeting to gather input on how to improve the way it provides transportation along Route 1.

“That meeting ended up being really informative for us. We need to know if we need to add stops along Route 1, and to hear about the development and needs of the area,” Pendleton said. “There’s so much growth happening, we want to be able to accommodate everyone.”

Development in Biddeford and Saco has created a need for smarter travel, with easier to navigate lines and connections. Increased workers in the downtowns of both municipalities have lead to more employees and business people taking the bus than ever.

The Shuttlebus team also works to stay abreast of the increasing businesses that enter the area to deduce the need for expanded coverage.

“If we hear that there are a lot of new businesses going into the Industrial Park, we have to ask what that means for us. Will we need to add stops in the parks? Can we accommodate that?” Pendleton asked.

The shift in environmental awareness has lead more residents to turn from cars to a more eco-friendly option, such as taking the bus and ride sharing. For many who live and work in the same town, forgoing a car for public transportation can be a money saving option as well. A study performed by the American Public Transportation Association found that those who use public transportation as opposed to driving a car can save an average of $10,160 a year. Individuals who take public transportation daily to get to work can expect to save, based on 2018 gas prices, about $847 a month.

As the team at Shuttlebus works to include more people into the realm of public transportation, it must also shift public perception away from a common misconception about the bus – that it is only for the low-income community.

While in other metropolitan cities, such as New York City, San Francisco and Boston, public transportation is more readily available and used by people from all walks of life. In rural areas, public transportation has not been as readily available, but with the increased need, Shuttlebus Zoom is hoping to show residents that the bus is a viable option.

“The bus is for everyone. We serve all walks of life,” Pendleton said.

During a transportation study performed by the Maine Department of Transportation in November at Kennebunk Town Hall, senior residents spoke about the confusion of understanding the different bus lines and the need for wider availability. Age Friendly Saco Chairman Jean Saunders was at that meeting and said while seniors are forced to stop driving when it becomes unsafe, there is usually a gap in providing them with reliable public transportation to get to where they need to be.

“We need to find a solution for the seniors in our community,” Saunders said during the Nov. 1 meeting.

Pendleton hopes that with the new Pulse system will come a greater understanding of how to navigate the bus system. The team at Shuttlebus, Pendleton said, has a good handle on where the buses will stop and the adjustments that need to be made, but has yet to make any final decisions.

“It’s a challenge trying to decide what changes to make to the bus. Adding a stop can add five minutes to the trip, which means a bus that usually arrives in Portland at 7 will now arrive at 7:05. That leaves us having to ask what are, if any, the repercussions of delaying that arrival time,” Pendleton said. “It’s an interesting challenge to try and figure it all out. Lots of moving pieces.”

Contact Staff Writer Abigail Worthing at news@inthecourier.com.

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