For Immediate Release:
Brunswick Explorer to become Brunswick Link on December 1, 2021.
As a result of the Brunswick Transit Study which concluded last May, Western Maine Transportation Services (WMTS) is pleased to report significant changes are coming to the Brunswick Explorer as of December 1st.
A public meeting about the bus service changes is scheduled for 5:00 PM, Thursday, November 18th. This will be both in-person in the Brunswick Town Hall Council chambers, and virtual by Zoom and on Brunswick TV3 to review the route, discuss the system and answer questions. The link to the Zoom option is available on the Brunswick TV3 website.
According to WMTS Community Relations Director, Craig Zurhorst, “The Brunswick Transit Study was funded by MaineDOT and conducted by transit consultant AECOM, in cooperation with WMTS and the Town of Brunswick. The study confirmed that, after 10 years of operation, the Town of Brunswick’s needs have outgrown the original service model. The existing Brunswick Explorer has approximately-scheduled stops, and is able to travel off-route, by up to ¾ mile to pick up riders who are unable to access a stop due to a disability.”
Zurhorst continued, “The new service, which begins Wednesday, December 1, will be called the Brunswick Link. It will be a two-bus service, adhering to a set schedule. The new service will have a parallel Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) demand-response service to provide mobility options to riders for whom we currently go off-route.” Zurhorst stated that there are eligibility requirements for riders who wish to use the ADA service and that part of the public meeting will be dedicated to explaining the ADA service.
The new Brunswick Link will offer consistent times for stops throughout the day, service to Brunswick Landing on every trip, service for the newly renovated Cedar Street Park & Ride near Brunswick Station. It will also offer convenient connections to the METRO BREEZ bus service heading south to Portland in the morning, and back from Portland in the evening, on “express” commuter runs.
Zurhorst continued, “This new design provides 11 full trips, along with the additional morning and evening express trips, for a total of 13 trips per day, Monday through Friday, with the exception of major holidays. Departures, from Brunswick Station will be hourly, with full route times of 1 hour 42 minutes. This provides make-up time for heavy traffic, high ridership, wheelchair securement, construction and weather delays.”
“All of these features were requested during the course of the study and figured prominently in the system re-design,“ said Zurhorst.
Because of an industry backlog, new buses won’t be available for at least a year. WMTS is reassigning one low-floor bus, and has acquired a second used low-floor bus, each equipped with a front wheelchair ramp. “From what riders have told us, we believe, the return of reliable low-floor buses to serve Brunswick will be very popular, as this style of bus allows convenient access for everyone,” said Zurhorst.
The Brunswick Transit Study and its final report, are available through the Brunswick Link’s website. https://brunswicklink.com/
