In June, the Metro Breez hit the road, providing express bus service between Portland, Falmouth, Yarmouth and Freeport. Greg Jordan, general manager of Greater Portland Metro Transit, says that the service, which is a three-year pilot, is on its track to meet its ridership goals.
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In June, the Metro Breez hit the road, providing express bus service between Portland, Falmouth, Yarmouth and Freeport. Greg Jordan, general manager of Greater Portland Metro Transit, says that the service, which is a three-year pilot, is on its track to meet its ridership goals.
In addition to freeing up parking spaces and reducing traffic congestion, Jordan sees the potential for the Breez to help ease one of the problems that employers often cite as a contributor to their chronic labor shortages: consistent and affordable transportation for workers.
The Breez can provide a ride for employees who want to work in any of the cities and towns that the Breez serves, but don't have the means to get there or can't afford to live there.
The Breez makes 10 round trips each weekday and five on Saturday. Each of the three 17-passenger buses is equipped with WiFi, USB ports and space for storage, among other amenities.
Jordan recently spoke to Mainebiz about the Breez expansion plans and the often overlooked quality-of-life benefits public transportation can provide.
Mainebiz: How is ridership so far?
Greg Jordan: Our target is 30,000 boardings per year. I think we'll meet those expectations. I'm confident that in year two we'll surpass that. For a new service, it's around two years before it hits its peak. We are seeing that those who are using it really love it.
MB: How can the Breez benefit Maine businesses?
GJ: I do see it as a way to get employees to and from work. I don't have any numbers on how many people are right now. Before launching we had a lot of engagement with downtown organizations in Freeport and Yarmouth and Freeport. They have been very positive. Especially in Freeport, there's also the desire to attract employees to use transit, as opposed to parking in and around downtown, which can be very congested at certain times of day.
MB: Could you make arrangements with businesses like the one you have with Baxter Academy?
GJ: Once we launched, we developed a special pass program that allows Baxter Academy students to ride for free [with the school paying the fare]. It allowed the school to do away with some of its costly student transportation to the northern suburbs. We definitely would love to move in that direction with employers. Once we have our new electronic fare collection system, in 2018, any number of employers could offer Metro Local or Breez passes to their employees free, at a discount or in combination with federal commuter tax benefits.
MB: Any expansion plans?
GJ: We're hoping to add Brunswick in the summer of 2017. To have Brunswick be the northern link would really complete the route. Data from businesses that shows where employees are traveling from indicate that there's a strong employment link between Brunswick and Freeport. It's as strong as the link between Freeport and Portland.
MB: What has been the biggest challenge?
GJ: The challenge of any new transit service is finding the right balance between access and speed. You want to provide plenty of access points in communities, but not overdo it to the point that you sacrifice the swiftness of the trip. You can't really learn where the balance is until it's been in operation for about a year. We'll be surveying communities to see how we can and should make corrections or tweaks in 2017.
MB: Are there other benefits to using the Breez?
GJ: Once you're on board, your time is your own to check email, read the newspaper and do things you couldn't do if you were sitting in traffic. Plus, there's the walking [to the stop and your ultimate destination]. It is often viewed as a hardship. But a walk is a good way to start or end your day. I have been a transit user for a long time. I often find that you just feel better after you use it.