Bangor officials outline $10 million bus-barn project and new driver recruitment push after 21% ridership jump

Community Connector staff told the Bangor City Council at its April 30 budget workshop that rising fuel costs have driven a sharp short-term increase in ridership and prompted a push to shore up driver staffing and facilities.

Assistant City Manager Courtney O'Donnell and Community Connector staff said the agency, which serves six communities including Bangor and the University of Maine, is largely able to offset operating costs with federal funds while partner communities cover a formula-based local share. Staff outlined a planned rehabilitation of the bus barn and an attached workforce-development training center estimated at about $10,000,000.

"The $10,000,000 is the project total; the grant total is $7,800,000," staff told the council, noting the remaining roughly $2,000,000 would be filled by $1,000,000 from the Maine Department of Transportation and $1,000,000 from partners. Councilors were told Maine DOT has committed to fund half of the local share, which reduces the city’s burden.

Lori Linscott, a Community Connector representative, described short-term fuel-price moves and their effect on ridership: "Our diesel price in January was $2.91. Our February price is $3.54. And in March, we're paying $4.33…from January of 26 through this March '26, we've had a 21% increase in ridership in 3 months." She said the ridership gain is larger than recent trends and welcomed the growth but emphasized staffing limits.

To address driver shortages and build a steady pipeline, staff described a near-final partnership with Eastern Maine Community College to provide CDL training. Jim Landry said full-entry classes typically include two weeks of classroom work followed by about 10 weeks of road and range practice; P-endorsement-only courses also require about 10 weeks.

Staff asked the council to fund a new program request that would move existing drivers toward full-time status and create one initial position to facilitate the transition. The proposal was framed as a long-term investment to restore full service and improve reliability, which officials said would encourage sustained ridership.

Councilors also pressed staff on recent discretionary grants. Staff said the agency received roughly $486,000 in discretionary awards last year and about $300,000 in FY26 for items such as bike racks, mobile-fare systems (about $200,000), and a van (about $90,000); an additional $1,000,000 was awarded separately for the bus-barn project. Staff characterized the system's total expenses at roughly $7.4 million, with Bangor’s share about 32% (~$2.3 million).

The presentation noted the agency continues to balance federal reporting, capital needs and workforce development while relying on partners for local funding. The council did not take a final vote at the workshop; staff said the items will return as part of the budget process with more detailed materials and ridership charts distributed to councilors.