Citylink seeks $570,000 net for FY27 as city weighs shelters and demand-response tradeoffs

Larry Allen, transit program manager for the Citylink transit system and the Lewiston–Auburn Transit Committee, told the council the transit committee is seeking $634,597 for FY27 but is applying a $64,597 carryforward from prior CARES-era funds, "so, it totals 570,000."

Allen said the committee reduced its state revenue assumption to the statutory minimum because MaineDOT funding has fluctuated: after a high in 2024 the system saw $228,000 budgeted for FY26. He warned that federal CARES and ARPA carryforwards that smoothed recent budgets are mostly spent and called the next cycle a potential ‘‘fiscal cliff’’ if state or federal support does not increase.

On service changes, Allen described the Citylink zone-response demand‑response van service as complementary to fixed-route service and explained the city’s policy to avoid double fares: if a passenger is covered by a van trip that connects to a fixed-route leg, fares are co-mingled so riders are not charged twice. He said the system’s mode change and a new five‑year contract with RTW Management contributed to cost increases in parts of the system but also brought new technology and the ability to flex service to emerging demand.

Allen summarized outreach and early uptake tied to the new demand-response app: targeted mailings to roughly 9,000–10,000 addresses led to 30 new Citylink app signups in February and 46 in March, with about 95% of new accounts located in the targeted zones. "So, we know that the message is getting out there," he said.

Councilors pressed staff on bus shelters. Allen said Bates College has offered a donation (discussed in the meeting as $20,000) toward a shelter, but cautioned that spending that donation outside the transit system could jeopardize the non‑federal match for a discretionary FTA capital grant the city has been awarded but that is not yet active. "If we exercise their 20,000 ... that 20,000 is not available as the non‑federal match in the grant that we have been issued," Allen said. He proposed returning with a recommendation after confirming how the donation and potential RFP would interact with the FTA match requirements.

Councilors and staff agreed next steps: staff will refine FY27 assumptions if state aid or farebox receipts change, report back on the status of the FTA grant, and return with options for using the Bates College donation without jeopardizing the grant match. The council did not take a vote on funding during the workshop; the request remains part of the broader budget deliberations.

The transit discussion is likely to reappear as the council finalizes the FY27 budget and as staff clarifies FTA requirements, contract implications and projected ridership outcomes.