Upcoming town meeting votes in Windham, Raymond, Casco, Naples, and Bridgton could determine the fate of the Lakes Region Bus.

Regional Transportation Program, the nonprofit that runs the 18-month-old Naples-to-Portland daily shuttle, has seen its overall revenues decline by more than 50 percent in recent years, primarily due to an overhaul of the MaineCare transportation provider system in Cumberland County. In recent months, Jack DeBeradinis, Regional Transportation Program’s executive director, has sought to raise $48,000 from the five municipalities in order to keep the shuttle, which costs nearly $100,000 a year, running through June 2016, and also extend service to Bridgton.

The program has funded the bus service’s 18-month initial pilot program with money from a federal rural transportation grant and fare revenues since November 2013. According to DeBeradinis, due to financial constraints, the program can only commit $33,280 to the program annually starting this July 1. The program expects to collect about $15,000 in fares this year and values its in-kind staff support for the program at $12,440.

DeBeradinis has requested $9,656 from each town to help operate the service. With the exception of Raymond, all of the towns have fully complied with the request by including the funding in their budgets.

Article 23 on the Raymond warrant contains $5,000 for the Lakes Region Bus, following the recommendation of Conservation Commission Chairman John Rand, a regular rider of the shuttle who works in Portland.

In Casco, the $9,656 line item will stand alone as Article 14.

In Naples, the money is included in Article 44, while in Windham, the money is included in the Town Council Memberships line item.

In Bridgton, voters will weigh in on a warrant article inserted through a citizens’ petition that would raise the tax rate 1 cent in order to extend the bus route into Bridgton for a year.

The shuttle runs back and forth on Route 302 between Naples and Portland every weekday, starting in Naples at 6 a.m., and ending there at 8:20 p.m. There are stops in Naples, Casco, Raymond, Windham, Westbrook and Portland. DeBeradinis said he has not approached Westbrook and Portland for assistance because the municipalities are already contributing their fair share.

If none of the funding is approved, the bus service will likely discontinue, according to DeBeradinis. If a significant portion of the budget items are rejected, DeBeradinis said, the program might need to cut down on the number of trips per day.

“It’s up to the residents,” DeBeradinis said. “They have to weigh the cost. This is a new line item in their budget. The municipalities are under great funding pressure and we appreciate that, and so the voters have to decide if they can support this new line item in the budget and the benefits which we feel are significant now and in the future in terms of providing public transportation on Route 302.”

Ridership numbers are up about 35 percent over last year, according to DeBeradinis. Compared to last year, one-way rides were up 17 percent this January, 29 percent in February, 36 percent in March, and 55 percent in April, DeBeradinis said. In total, the bus provided 5,400 one-way trips last year, he said.

According to a survey of 451 people, 89 percent of whom live in communities along the route, strong majorities in each Lakes Region town support “funding a portion of the bus’ operating expenses with local, taxpayer money.” The survey, conducted by the Opportunity Alliance and the Greater Portland Council of Governments, found the highest support in Casco, where 83 percent of respondents supported funding, and Bridgton, where 81 percent supported funding the bus. In Naples, 74 percent said yes to funding, while in Windham and Raymond, the number dropped to 69 percent.

The survey also found that while 85 percent of respondents knew about the Lakes Region Bus, 12 percent had ridden it. Five percent of respondents had taken the bus only once, 3 percent once a month, 2 percent twice a month, 1 percent 1-2 days a week, and 1 percent 3-5 days a week.

According to the survey, which was conducted between March and May, 8 percent of respondents said the lack of a vehicle or reliable transportation is a barrier to their employment, while another 8 percent said those factors are “somewhat” of a barrier to their employment. Another 76 percent of respondents said the Lakes Region benefited “very much so” from having public transportation on Route 302.

At the Windham stop on Tuesday, bus riders gave the service contrasting reviews. Alicia Gardner of Raymond, a Windham Dunkin’ Donuts employee who uses the bus nearly every day, said she definitely supported funding the service with Raymond tax money.

“It’s helpful to people who don’t have a license,” Gardner said. “I don’t have a license. I never have. I just have never gotten it. It’s nice for people who don’t have a way to get around or even people who do have a license, but no car, or can’t afford it.”

But Brad McCurtain of Raymond, an investment broker who rides the bus to work in Portland regularly, said he wasn’t sure if he would vote in favor of the budget item for the bus.

“The service is very much needed but these aren’t the guys to run the service,” McCurtain said. “They just aren’t. They’ve got terrible policies, terrible customer service. Some of the drivers are great but the people running the company, I don’t think they are the ones. I don’t think anyone’s ridden this bus longer or more frequently than I do. I ride it four to five times a week.”

One night in Portland, McCurtain said, he arrived a few minutes early for the final, 7:45 p.m. bus heading north to Naples. The bus had already left, he said, stranding him in Portland until he “miraculously” found a ride with a fellow Raymond resident.

“When I complained they didn’t return my call,” he said. “Then eventually they blamed it on me for not being there 10 minutes early.”

“If the towns are going to pony up $50,000 or close to that, I suspect there are other people who would do it,” McCurtain added.

DeBeradinis said he was aware of what McCurtain said, but did not want to comment on it directly.

“With any public transportation, it’s important to be there a little bit before the bus is scheduled to leave,” he said. “If we turn around and go get someone then it makes us late for other riders. It’s important that riders do get to the stop five minutes, 10 minutes before.”

Meanwhile, the Bridgton Transportation Authority, a group that has been campaigning to extend the shuttle to Bridgton since last year, has been urging Bridgton residents to vote yes on the 1-cent property tax rate increase in appearances on Lakes Region TV. Member George Bradt said his fingers are crossed.

“We’re hoping for the best,” he said. “We always are.”

Alicia Gardner, a Windham Dunkin’ Donuts employee and a regular rider of the Lakes Region Bus, prepares to head home to Raymond after work. Gardner, who does not have a license, said she strongly supports continued bus service, which could be determined by a series of town meeting votes in early June meant to help deal with a funding shortfall. Staff photo by Ezra Silk

Upcoming town meeting votes in Windham, Raymond, Casco, Naples, and Bridgton could determine the fate of the Lakes Region Bus.

Regional Transportation Program, the nonprofit that runs the 18-month-old Naples-to-Portland daily shuttle, has seen its overall revenues decline by more than 50 percent in recent years, primarily due to an overhaul of the MaineCare transportation provider system in Cumberland County. In recent months, Jack DeBeradinis, Regional Transportation Program’s executive director, has sought to raise $48,000 from the five municipalities in order to keep the shuttle, which costs nearly $100,000 a year, running through June 2016, and also extend service to Bridgton.

The program has funded the bus service’s 18-month initial pilot program with money from a federal rural transportation grant and fare revenues since November 2013. According to DeBeradinis, due to financial constraints, the program can only commit $33,280 to the program annually starting this July 1. The program expects to collect about $15,000 in fares this year and values its in-kind staff support for the program at $12,440.

DeBeradinis has requested $9,656 from each town to help operate the service. With the exception of Raymond, all of the towns have fully complied with the request by including the funding in their budgets.

Article 23 on the Raymond warrant contains $5,000 for the Lakes Region Bus, following the recommendation of Conservation Commission Chairman John Rand, a regular rider of the shuttle who works in Portland.

In Casco, the $9,656 line item will stand alone as Article 14.

In Naples, the money is included in Article 44, while in Windham, the money is included in the Town Council Memberships line item.

In Bridgton, voters will weigh in on a warrant article inserted through a citizens’ petition that would raise the tax rate 1 cent in order to extend the bus route into Bridgton for a year.

The shuttle runs back and forth on Route 302 between Naples and Portland every weekday, starting in Naples at 6 a.m., and ending there at 8:20 p.m. There are stops in Naples, Casco, Raymond, Windham, Westbrook and Portland. DeBeradinis said he has not approached Westbrook and Portland for assistance because the municipalities are already contributing their fair share.

If none of the funding is approved, the bus service will likely discontinue, according to DeBeradinis. If a significant portion of the budget items are rejected, DeBeradinis said, the program might need to cut down on the number of trips per day.

“It’s up to the residents,” DeBeradinis said. “They have to weigh the cost. This is a new line item in their budget. The municipalities are under great funding pressure and we appreciate that, and so the voters have to decide if they can support this new line item in the budget and the benefits which we feel are significant now and in the future in terms of providing public transportation on Route 302.”

Ridership numbers are up about 35 percent over last year, according to DeBeradinis. Compared to last year, one-way rides were up 17 percent this January, 29 percent in February, 36 percent in March, and 55 percent in April, DeBeradinis said. In total, the bus provided 5,400 one-way trips last year, he said.

According to a survey of 451 people, 89 percent of whom live in communities along the route, strong majorities in each Lakes Region town support “funding a portion of the bus’ operating expenses with local, taxpayer money.” The survey, conducted by the Opportunity Alliance and the Greater Portland Council of Governments, found the highest support in Casco, where 83 percent of respondents supported funding, and Bridgton, where 81 percent supported funding the bus. In Naples, 74 percent said yes to funding, while in Windham and Raymond, the number dropped to 69 percent.

The survey also found that while 85 percent of respondents knew about the Lakes Region Bus, 12 percent had ridden it. Five percent of respondents had taken the bus only once, 3 percent once a month, 2 percent twice a month, 1 percent 1-2 days a week, and 1 percent 3-5 days a week.

According to the survey, which was conducted between March and May, 8 percent of respondents said the lack of a vehicle or reliable transportation is a barrier to their employment, while another 8 percent said those factors are “somewhat” of a barrier to their employment. Another 76 percent of respondents said the Lakes Region benefited “very much so” from having public transportation on Route 302.

At the Windham stop on Tuesday, bus riders gave the service contrasting reviews. Alicia Gardner of Raymond, a Windham Dunkin’ Donuts employee who uses the bus nearly every day, said she definitely supported funding the service with Raymond tax money.

“It’s helpful to people who don’t have a license,” Gardner said. “I don’t have a license. I never have. I just have never gotten it. It’s nice for people who don’t have a way to get around or even people who do have a license, but no car, or can’t afford it.”

But Brad McCurtain of Raymond, an investment broker who rides the bus to work in Portland regularly, said he wasn’t sure if he would vote in favor of the budget item for the bus.

“The service is very much needed but these aren’t the guys to run the service,” McCurtain said. “They just aren’t. They’ve got terrible policies, terrible customer service. Some of the drivers are great but the people running the company, I don’t think they are the ones. I don’t think anyone’s ridden this bus longer or more frequently than I do. I ride it four to five times a week.”

One night in Portland, McCurtain said, he arrived a few minutes early for the final, 7:45 p.m. bus heading north to Naples. The bus had already left, he said, stranding him in Portland until he “miraculously” found a ride with a fellow Raymond resident.

“When I complained they didn’t return my call,” he said. “Then eventually they blamed it on me for not being there 10 minutes early.”

“If the towns are going to pony up $50,000 or close to that, I suspect there are other people who would do it,” McCurtain added.

DeBeradinis said he was aware of what McCurtain said, but did not want to comment on it directly.

“With any public transportation, it’s important to be there a little bit before the bus is scheduled to leave,” he said. “If we turn around and go get someone then it makes us late for other riders. It’s important that riders do get to the stop five minutes, 10 minutes before.”

Meanwhile, the Bridgton Transportation Authority, a group that has been campaigning to extend the shuttle to Bridgton since last year, has been urging Bridgton residents to vote yes on the 1-cent property tax rate increase in appearances on Lakes Region TV. Member George Bradt said his fingers are crossed.

“We’re hoping for the best,” he said. “We always are.”

Alicia Gardner, a Windham Dunkin’ Donuts employee and a regular rider of the Lakes Region Bus, prepares to head home to Raymond after work. Gardner, who does not have a license, said she strongly supports continued bus service, which could be determined by a series of town meeting votes in early June meant to help deal with a funding shortfall. Staff photo by Ezra Silk