Following the recent completion of the Husky Bus line’s first ten months of serving the Gorham to Portland route, Greater Portland METRO released information showing some positive ridership numbers. Using actual ridership numbers obtained through May 2019, METRO projects that the total number of Husky Bus boardings for all riders is projected to slightly exceed 200,000 for its initial eleven month statistical period, which began September 18, 2018 and will end August 19, 2019.
METRO estimates that the total number of USM-related boardings for students, faculty, and staff will be between 120,000 and 130,000 during this period. Based on these statistics, METRO staff estimate that the total number of boardings by riders who are not associated with USM will be around 70,000 to 75,000 for the eleven month period. USM has stated that they do not have ridership numbers for any of the previous academic years, when the Gorham to Portland student bus service was operated by private bus companies.
Several upcoming enhancements to the METRO system are causing METRO officials to predict that there will be even more ridership gains during the upcoming August 2019 to August 2020 operating period. These include: a new stop which will serve the Westbrook Crossing and Rock Row commercial areas; a new combined transit pass program in conjunction with Maine Medical Center; and a long-planned electronic fare payment system. METRO management is also looking at the possibility of making a few minor changes to the Husky line’s route, schedule, and bus stop locations around the start of the fall semester. However, no definite route or scheduling changes have been announced yet.
Photo courtesy of METROMETRO is planning to conduct a system-wide ridership survey this fall which it hopes will provide significant, detailed information about all of METRO’s routes (including the Husky Line), regarding the percentage of riders who use the bus to go to school; to go to work; for shopping and recreation; for medical appointments; for appointments with various other types of service providers; and for other purposes, such as visiting with family and friends.
Among other stakeholders, University of Southern Maine staff are pleased with the new Husky Line bus service due to the increased range of scheduling options that it offers to commuting students.
“We (the USM administration) are very pleased with performance, ridership and overall service. Students have adjusted well and there have been very few concerns brought to our attention. METRO has been very responsive in addressing all issues and/or concerns raised by students and the administration,” said David E. Roussel, USM’s Interim Vice President for Student Affairs.
In addition, Gorham Town Council chairperson Ben Hartwell stated that he sees a larger picture in which more and more people will see Gorham Village as an attractive walkable place, not just to reside in, but also a place for working, shopping, and recreation. Hartwell believes that the new Station Square and some other possible projects will be part of this larger picture. He said he is aware of people who plan to move into Station Square without cars as they intend to commute to Portland or Westbrook by riding the Husky Bus.
The Husky Bus Line is a year-round public transit system serving Gorham, Westbrook, and Portland. It links up with all the other METRO bus lines at the Elm Street Pulse transit hub in downtown Portland. The Husky bus line is continuing to run seven days per week throughout USM’s summer vacation break, using virtually the same schedule as during USM’s regular academic year.