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• Anonymous

  Ok Listen. If you want to put forward a plan to increase transportation from Maines rural communities to its larger cities, ok I can handle that.
  Putting things racial terminology is ludicrous.  Personal rights and liberties are not at issue here. It is just plain dumb to think it is.

• Anonymous

  Ok Listen. If you want to put forward a plan to increase transportation from Maines rural communities to its larger cities, ok I can handle that.
  Putting things racial terminology is ludicrous.  Personal rights and liberties are not at issue here. It is just plain dumb to think it is.

• Anonymous

  This article contains some good ideas to consider. If it has been shown that enough people in rural areas would take advantage of better and more public transportation, then it should be looked at more seriously than to date.  There likely is a greater need now, with the economy the way it is.
  Hankwilliams, where are you?!
  This article put the emphasis on those who have faced inequaties of various kinds, including lower income people in rural areas who might benefit from other , less expensive, transportation options than cars.

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_II4BGRECXWKAFHRRND4RDCU7QQ Kirk

  This doesn’t make since. The city bus aka the name isn’t made for rural transportation. If you want transportation to rural areas you should have Greyhound or Concord Coach Lines do it like they do in other places where they just serve park n’ rides. 

• Anonymous

  I live in Bangor, and I used to take the bus. It was a horrible experience! I could get to work but I couldn’t get home because the bus stopped running at 6. I worked 10-630. Before they start getting rural routes, they should consider changing their schedule to accommodate the people who don’t work bankers hours. 

• Anonymous

  Typical liberal tactic, when they think they aren’t getting enough attention, they cry racism

• Anonymous

  Typical liberal tactic, when they think they aren’t getting enough attention, they cry racism

• Anonymous

  Typical liberal tactic, when they think they aren’t getting enough attention, they cry racism

• Anonymous

  Very valid points!  Good addition to this piece. It needed saying.

• Anonymous

  Very valid points!  Good addition to this piece. It needed saying.

• Anonymous

  Very valid points!  Good addition to this piece. It needed saying.

• Anonymous

  Why in the world should Bangor buses be “subsidized” to pick up residents from all the far-flung rural regions around Bangor to bring workers into Bangor?!  It’s not as if there are not enough workers in the immediate Bangor/Brewer area, and there are also plenty of out-of-work people in the Bangor/Brewer area who can work all the jobs that exist and more.  If you bring in extra population for jobs that don’t exist then you just exacerbate an already overburdened welfare entitlement system that tries to pay for people who can’t find work and who live in town.  And who would pay the taxes?  Bangor residents? – they shouldn’t pay to bring non residents into their town to take jobs that don’t exist in enough quantity to provide work for all the city’s residents.  Should the state pay for it? – why would anyone not from Bangor or the sending communities want to pay for it?  Maybe just the rural sending communities could pay for it? – Nope, they don’t have any funds whatsoever to do anything like that.  This whole idea is such a typical liberal bunch of nonsense – Waa, waaaa, waaaa there are poor people who can’t help themselves, we should tax the rich and put them on buses so they can go somewhere to get jobs where there aren’t even really enough jobs to cover the out of work people in that area…. Seriously?!  When there are people in an area who cannot find work, guess what they have always done throughout history to better their lives – THEY MOVED.  Whole generations moved from Europe to the U.S., people moved all around during the dustbowl, and during gold rushes, people moved out to Las Vegas when they had a boom, so why can’t the poor downtrodden residents of rural Maine move themselves to somewhere there are jobs?!  There are some people who do that all the time anyway, and if a few can do it, anybody can do it, they don’t need a bus.  What a dumb, poorly though out editorial!

• Anonymous

  Not to mention that you can choose to live in a rural, suburban or urban community, but you can’t choose a skin color or ethnicity. That’s what derails this entire piece.

• Anonymous

  You know, if some of those rural residents could communicate with neighbors and members of their community, they might be able to do some car pooling, and they wouldn’t have to depend on more government. I’m not opposed to some levels of public transportation, but what happened to community and common sense?

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_YMALWLV46KPHRYUPGQV2OM6RHQ adam j

  i live in east corinth about 20minutes from broadway hannafords isa bus would come out this way  it’d be about a hr ride with all the stop on the way…  i use to live VZ and took bus to many places such as to orono high school, bangor mall, bpl, old town, brewer hampden… if other towns had a bus system people would have more jobs…  i agree about the bat bus hrs most people i have talked with that work at mall and other places that are open until 10 or later need rides home.. some car pool, ride there bikes, walk, some take taxi but can’t afford it sometimes….the bat bus can improve the hours and some of the bus routes they already have….  the bangor to old town run could have a third bus just to go for the loop from umaine campus around old town and back than have the two bus coming and going to orono every half hr….   the bangor mall, airport mall and the broadway mall are all greatly covered….. i know it’s hard to find drivers to work past 6pm i have talked with a few of older drivers that have retired and so on……

• Anonymous

  How about instead of writing this article you take the time to ponder how much you failed to be riding the  Bangor local bus to begin with i mean property in the bangor area is cheaper then in F&$#ing mexico look up property prices veracruz comparied to bangor and the average job in bangor pay 12000 dollars more a year thats the value of a car or a 1000 dollars worth of rent GRRRRRRRR

• Anonymous

  its called a taxi

• Anonymous

  Comparing this issue to racism? You have got to be kidding!
  Isn’t there anything that these people won’t use racism to
  promote their ideas? I may have been more receptive to paying
  closer attention to this but the rhetoric is deplorable and the
  example used is despicable.

• Anonymous

  Here is how private entrepreneurship handles the problem.

   http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/08/25/traveling_back_to_the_future_on_intercity_buses_111082.html

• Anonymous

  taxis cost more than personal vehicles! a dollar and change to take the bus versus upwards of 15 for a cab.

  if youre relying on the bus, its doubtful you can afford a taxi.

• Anonymous

  taxis cost more than personal vehicles! a dollar and change to take the bus versus upwards of 15 for a cab.

  if youre relying on the bus, its doubtful you can afford a taxi.

• Anonymous

  taxis cost more than personal vehicles! a dollar and change to take the bus versus upwards of 15 for a cab.

  if youre relying on the bus, its doubtful you can afford a taxi.

• Anonymous

  And buses cost more fuel to run the either it only works if large groups ride together

• Anonymous

  And buses cost more fuel to run the either it only works if large groups ride together

• Anonymous

  And buses cost more fuel to run the either it only works if large groups ride together

• Anonymous

  And buses cost more fuel to run the either it only works if large groups ride together

• Anonymous

  And buses cost more fuel to run the either it only works if large groups ride together

• Anonymous

  And buses cost more fuel to run the either it only works if large groups ride together

• Anonymous

  And buses cost more fuel to run the either it only works if large groups ride together

• Anonymous

  Yeah, why in the world should we give a sweet tweet about those down-and-outs in the country. Let ‘em move. So what if they don’t have the money to rent an apartment in the city at $800-$1200 a month? So what if they live with family in rural areas because they can’t afford to live on their own? So what if they bought a house when they had a job and now, jobless, can’t sell to move elsewhere? YOUR “editorial” is contradictory and dumb, poorly thought out. You say they should move to the city then say that rural residents pay far less in taxes and utilities. And the people we are talking about do not “enjoy larger homes and land parcels”…..we are talking about low-income, rural people. 

  Your response reeks of the self-serving, ME, who-gives-a-hoot-about-anyone else attitude of the right.  Trying to find solutions that help those with less is not a “waaa waaa” attitude, it is a “we’re in this world together” attitude that is sorely lacking among far too many people in this country these days.

• Anonymous

  Yeah, why in the world should we give a sweet tweet about those down-and-outs in the country. Let ‘em move. So what if they don’t have the money to rent an apartment in the city at $800-$1200 a month? So what if they live with family in rural areas because they can’t afford to live on their own? So what if they bought a house when they had a job and now, jobless, can’t sell to move elsewhere? YOUR “editorial” is contradictory and dumb, poorly thought out. You say they should move to the city then say that rural residents pay far less in taxes and utilities. And the people we are talking about do not “enjoy larger homes and land parcels”…..we are talking about low-income, rural people. 

  Your response reeks of the self-serving, ME, who-gives-a-hoot-about-anyone else attitude of the right.  Trying to find solutions that help those with less is not a “waaa waaa” attitude, it is a “we’re in this world together” attitude that is sorely lacking among far too many people in this country these days.

• Anonymous

  Yeah, why in the world should we give a sweet tweet about those down-and-outs in the country. Let ‘em move. So what if they don’t have the money to rent an apartment in the city at $800-$1200 a month? So what if they live with family in rural areas because they can’t afford to live on their own? So what if they bought a house when they had a job and now, jobless, can’t sell to move elsewhere? YOUR “editorial” is contradictory and dumb, poorly thought out. You say they should move to the city then say that rural residents pay far less in taxes and utilities. And the people we are talking about do not “enjoy larger homes and land parcels”…..we are talking about low-income, rural people. 

  Your response reeks of the self-serving, ME, who-gives-a-hoot-about-anyone else attitude of the right.  Trying to find solutions that help those with less is not a “waaa waaa” attitude, it is a “we’re in this world together” attitude that is sorely lacking among far too many people in this country these days.

• Anonymous

  Yeah, why in the world should we give a sweet tweet about those down-and-outs in the country. Let ‘em move. So what if they don’t have the money to rent an apartment in the city at $800-$1200 a month? So what if they live with family in rural areas because they can’t afford to live on their own? So what if they bought a house when they had a job and now, jobless, can’t sell to move elsewhere? YOUR “editorial” is contradictory and dumb, poorly thought out. You say they should move to the city then say that rural residents pay far less in taxes and utilities. And the people we are talking about do not “enjoy larger homes and land parcels”…..we are talking about low-income, rural people. 

  Your response reeks of the self-serving, ME, who-gives-a-hoot-about-anyone else attitude of the right.  Trying to find solutions that help those with less is not a “waaa waaa” attitude, it is a “we’re in this world together” attitude that is sorely lacking among far too many people in this country these days.

• http://www.facebook.com/eric.j.foster Eric J Foster

  So come right out and say it. You want us “rich people” to pay more money so the bus can go even further in to the sticks or run more non-profitable empty buses to accommodate odd shifts?

• Anonymous

  Ah Jeeeze…Never enough welfare out there…. must have more…if we could just steal a little more from those who have and give it to those who don’t…weell.. then the world would balance out…I know we’ve been doing it for decades and it hasn’t worked yet..in fact it’s created a society of generational dependance and bankrupted a nation, but hey it’s only because we haven’t implemented enough social programs yet.  If we could just subsidize a persons entire existence then that would motivate them to better themselves……for frig sakes….just failed policy after failed policy ignored and re tried…it’s insane… I cannot believe there are still people out there who believe in this garbage. 

• Anonymous

  Think also of all the aging people around us.  People who may or may not have someone to drive them around.  Who need to go to more doctors these days.  Whose families might have moved away, or who are busy raising their own kids.

  It will happen to all of us at one point or another–aging.  We might have a vehicle and even the $ to operate it, but are losing the ability to operate it safely, because of vision, hearing, mobility issues.

  What will you do then? Will there be a public transport service available that even takes care of your minimal needs?  Shopping, doctors?

  City councilors, town selectpeople, and state reps all need to “get on board” this bus–the one that will allow our communities to serve all our folk–public transportation.

• Anonymous

  The editorial doesn’t “cry racism,” it merely quotes a report and makes a connection between bigotry against people of color in transportation policy and suggests that a similar bigotry against rural white people in transportation policy exists.

• Anonymous

  I have relations that have gotten jobs in Bangor from the Belfast area, because: they are professionals, with licences to practice, and NO–THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH people in Bangor for all the jobs…  They would rather not commute to Bangor, but that is what a city is about: a concentration of people, interests, organizations that can more efficiently provide goods and services than small one-at-a-time methods.

  I could ask: why do you live in a city? For the benefits no doubt! You can probably walk to a certain number of things you need: some groceries, a library, a school for the kids, a concert, your relatives and friends?  Can’t do a most of that out in the country. 

  Ever think that some of those people out in the country are NOT poor folk, but middle-class professionals, enjoying their hard-earned bucks in beautiful surroundings and working in the City?  Even if they have to commute 10, 20, 40, or 60 minutes each way?

  Now a bus system a that serves many communities needs a minimum of people to make it all worthwhile.   But the people that ride it have a range of abilities to pay the actual cost.  Why not: a system that is based on ability?  That Belfast professional might pay $8 one-way to Bangor, catch up on some work or a little snooze time, share the bus with a poorer person from Stockton Springs going to the Hospital, who might pay a $1, or even ride free.  So that is two people, now you need to fill that bus up with 10, 12, 20 people all along Route 1A, paying a variety of fares, for a variety of reasons: shopping at the mall, a funeral, a job interview, you name the reason.

  There would need to be at least three buses a morning starting out from Belfast: 6, 7 and 8 AM, arriving about 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 AM.  (This is a bus, takes a bit longer, it makes stops, picks up and drops off–along the way, BTW you could ride Winterport to Hampden, or any combination in between).  And going back? A 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30 bus–and maybe later, if you wanted to spend some money in Bangor on some drinks (no driving!) or a meal.  More $ left in Bangor, more jobs for Bangor.  Happier Belfast resident, safer Route 1A.  One vehicle burning up gas (or maybe something better!).  Win-win-win-win…

  Lots of details to work out–like subsidizing, including by those who can afford it; if my professional relative makes $25/hour, they could afford $10 one-way, instead of $8.  It is after all two hours they do not have to do the work of driving, and gas money.  Maybe some timed connections in town to have a BAT bus take people locally, to Brewer, or airport.

  A smart system would have bus shelters for rain/winter, a published schedule, lots of publicity, a commuter card that is based on your tax return. Once a year trip to town/city hall gets your personalized card, pay the appropriate level fare when you ride that system.

  And Belfast is just one example, that I know about. Why not spokes in the system out to Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln?  Employ some Bangor (and Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln and Belfast) drivers and mechanics.  We need: REGIONAL political WILLPOWER to see it happens, no rhetoric about “socialism” but about getting down to “business”–the people’s business, whatever it is: socializing, caring, earning, spending, and having smart tools to make it happen, like a public transportation system.

• Anonymous

  I have relations that have gotten jobs in Bangor from the Belfast area, because: they are professionals, with licences to practice, and NO–THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH people in Bangor for all the jobs…  They would rather not commute to Bangor, but that is what a city is about: a concentration of people, interests, organizations that can more efficiently provide goods and services than small one-at-a-time methods.

  I could ask: why do you live in a city? For the benefits no doubt! You can probably walk to a certain number of things you need: some groceries, a library, a school for the kids, a concert, your relatives and friends?  Can’t do a most of that out in the country. 

  Ever think that some of those people out in the country are NOT poor folk, but middle-class professionals, enjoying their hard-earned bucks in beautiful surroundings and working in the City?  Even if they have to commute 10, 20, 40, or 60 minutes each way?

  Now a bus system a that serves many communities needs a minimum of people to make it all worthwhile.   But the people that ride it have a range of abilities to pay the actual cost.  Why not: a system that is based on ability?  That Belfast professional might pay $8 one-way to Bangor, catch up on some work or a little snooze time, share the bus with a poorer person from Stockton Springs going to the Hospital, who might pay a $1, or even ride free.  So that is two people, now you need to fill that bus up with 10, 12, 20 people all along Route 1A, paying a variety of fares, for a variety of reasons: shopping at the mall, a funeral, a job interview, you name the reason.

  There would need to be at least three buses a morning starting out from Belfast: 6, 7 and 8 AM, arriving about 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 AM.  (This is a bus, takes a bit longer, it makes stops, picks up and drops off–along the way, BTW you could ride Winterport to Hampden, or any combination in between).  And going back? A 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30 bus–and maybe later, if you wanted to spend some money in Bangor on some drinks (no driving!) or a meal.  More $ left in Bangor, more jobs for Bangor.  Happier Belfast resident, safer Route 1A.  One vehicle burning up gas (or maybe something better!).  Win-win-win-win…

  Lots of details to work out–like subsidizing, including by those who can afford it; if my professional relative makes $25/hour, they could afford $10 one-way, instead of $8.  It is after all two hours they do not have to do the work of driving, and gas money.  Maybe some timed connections in town to have a BAT bus take people locally, to Brewer, or airport.

  A smart system would have bus shelters for rain/winter, a published schedule, lots of publicity, a commuter card that is based on your tax return. Once a year trip to town/city hall gets your personalized card, pay the appropriate level fare when you ride that system.

  And Belfast is just one example, that I know about. Why not spokes in the system out to Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln?  Employ some Bangor (and Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln and Belfast) drivers and mechanics.  We need: REGIONAL political WILLPOWER to see it happens, no rhetoric about “socialism” but about getting down to “business”–the people’s business, whatever it is: socializing, caring, earning, spending, and having smart tools to make it happen, like a public transportation system.

• Anonymous

  I have relations that have gotten jobs in Bangor from the Belfast area, because: they are professionals, with licences to practice, and NO–THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH people in Bangor for all the jobs…  They would rather not commute to Bangor, but that is what a city is about: a concentration of people, interests, organizations that can more efficiently provide goods and services than small one-at-a-time methods.

  I could ask: why do you live in a city? For the benefits no doubt! You can probably walk to a certain number of things you need: some groceries, a library, a school for the kids, a concert, your relatives and friends?  Can’t do a most of that out in the country. 

  Ever think that some of those people out in the country are NOT poor folk, but middle-class professionals, enjoying their hard-earned bucks in beautiful surroundings and working in the City?  Even if they have to commute 10, 20, 40, or 60 minutes each way?

  Now a bus system a that serves many communities needs a minimum of people to make it all worthwhile.   But the people that ride it have a range of abilities to pay the actual cost.  Why not: a system that is based on ability?  That Belfast professional might pay $8 one-way to Bangor, catch up on some work or a little snooze time, share the bus with a poorer person from Stockton Springs going to the Hospital, who might pay a $1, or even ride free.  So that is two people, now you need to fill that bus up with 10, 12, 20 people all along Route 1A, paying a variety of fares, for a variety of reasons: shopping at the mall, a funeral, a job interview, you name the reason.

  There would need to be at least three buses a morning starting out from Belfast: 6, 7 and 8 AM, arriving about 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 AM.  (This is a bus, takes a bit longer, it makes stops, picks up and drops off–along the way, BTW you could ride Winterport to Hampden, or any combination in between).  And going back? A 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30 bus–and maybe later, if you wanted to spend some money in Bangor on some drinks (no driving!) or a meal.  More $ left in Bangor, more jobs for Bangor.  Happier Belfast resident, safer Route 1A.  One vehicle burning up gas (or maybe something better!).  Win-win-win-win…

  Lots of details to work out–like subsidizing, including by those who can afford it; if my professional relative makes $25/hour, they could afford $10 one-way, instead of $8.  It is after all two hours they do not have to do the work of driving, and gas money.  Maybe some timed connections in town to have a BAT bus take people locally, to Brewer, or airport.

  A smart system would have bus shelters for rain/winter, a published schedule, lots of publicity, a commuter card that is based on your tax return. Once a year trip to town/city hall gets your personalized card, pay the appropriate level fare when you ride that system.

  And Belfast is just one example, that I know about. Why not spokes in the system out to Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln?  Employ some Bangor (and Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln and Belfast) drivers and mechanics.  We need: REGIONAL political WILLPOWER to see it happens, no rhetoric about “socialism” but about getting down to “business”–the people’s business, whatever it is: socializing, caring, earning, spending, and having smart tools to make it happen, like a public transportation system.

• Anonymous

  I have relations that have gotten jobs in Bangor from the Belfast area, because: they are professionals, with licences to practice, and NO–THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH people in Bangor for all the jobs…  They would rather not commute to Bangor, but that is what a city is about: a concentration of people, interests, organizations that can more efficiently provide goods and services than small one-at-a-time methods.

  I could ask: why do you live in a city? For the benefits no doubt! You can probably walk to a certain number of things you need: some groceries, a library, a school for the kids, a concert, your relatives and friends?  Can’t do a most of that out in the country. 

  Ever think that some of those people out in the country are NOT poor folk, but middle-class professionals, enjoying their hard-earned bucks in beautiful surroundings and working in the City?  Even if they have to commute 10, 20, 40, or 60 minutes each way?

  Now a bus system a that serves many communities needs a minimum of people to make it all worthwhile.   But the people that ride it have a range of abilities to pay the actual cost.  Why not: a system that is based on ability?  That Belfast professional might pay $8 one-way to Bangor, catch up on some work or a little snooze time, share the bus with a poorer person from Stockton Springs going to the Hospital, who might pay a $1, or even ride free.  So that is two people, now you need to fill that bus up with 10, 12, 20 people all along Route 1A, paying a variety of fares, for a variety of reasons: shopping at the mall, a funeral, a job interview, you name the reason.

  There would need to be at least three buses a morning starting out from Belfast: 6, 7 and 8 AM, arriving about 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 AM.  (This is a bus, takes a bit longer, it makes stops, picks up and drops off–along the way, BTW you could ride Winterport to Hampden, or any combination in between).  And going back? A 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30 bus–and maybe later, if you wanted to spend some money in Bangor on some drinks (no driving!) or a meal.  More $ left in Bangor, more jobs for Bangor.  Happier Belfast resident, safer Route 1A.  One vehicle burning up gas (or maybe something better!).  Win-win-win-win…

  Lots of details to work out–like subsidizing, including by those who can afford it; if my professional relative makes $25/hour, they could afford $10 one-way, instead of $8.  It is after all two hours they do not have to do the work of driving, and gas money.  Maybe some timed connections in town to have a BAT bus take people locally, to Brewer, or airport.

  A smart system would have bus shelters for rain/winter, a published schedule, lots of publicity, a commuter card that is based on your tax return. Once a year trip to town/city hall gets your personalized card, pay the appropriate level fare when you ride that system.

  And Belfast is just one example, that I know about. Why not spokes in the system out to Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln?  Employ some Bangor (and Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln and Belfast) drivers and mechanics.  We need: REGIONAL political WILLPOWER to see it happens, no rhetoric about “socialism” but about getting down to “business”–the people’s business, whatever it is: socializing, caring, earning, spending, and having smart tools to make it happen, like a public transportation system.

• Anonymous

  I have relations that have gotten jobs in Bangor from the Belfast area, because: they are professionals, with licences to practice, and NO–THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH people in Bangor for all the jobs…  They would rather not commute to Bangor, but that is what a city is about: a concentration of people, interests, organizations that can more efficiently provide goods and services than small one-at-a-time methods.

  I could ask: why do you live in a city? For the benefits no doubt! You can probably walk to a certain number of things you need: some groceries, a library, a school for the kids, a concert, your relatives and friends?  Can’t do a most of that out in the country. 

  Ever think that some of those people out in the country are NOT poor folk, but middle-class professionals, enjoying their hard-earned bucks in beautiful surroundings and working in the City?  Even if they have to commute 10, 20, 40, or 60 minutes each way?

  Now a bus system a that serves many communities needs a minimum of people to make it all worthwhile.   But the people that ride it have a range of abilities to pay the actual cost.  Why not: a system that is based on ability?  That Belfast professional might pay $8 one-way to Bangor, catch up on some work or a little snooze time, share the bus with a poorer person from Stockton Springs going to the Hospital, who might pay a $1, or even ride free.  So that is two people, now you need to fill that bus up with 10, 12, 20 people all along Route 1A, paying a variety of fares, for a variety of reasons: shopping at the mall, a funeral, a job interview, you name the reason.

  There would need to be at least three buses a morning starting out from Belfast: 6, 7 and 8 AM, arriving about 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 AM.  (This is a bus, takes a bit longer, it makes stops, picks up and drops off–along the way, BTW you could ride Winterport to Hampden, or any combination in between).  And going back? A 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30 bus–and maybe later, if you wanted to spend some money in Bangor on some drinks (no driving!) or a meal.  More $ left in Bangor, more jobs for Bangor.  Happier Belfast resident, safer Route 1A.  One vehicle burning up gas (or maybe something better!).  Win-win-win-win…

  Lots of details to work out–like subsidizing, including by those who can afford it; if my professional relative makes $25/hour, they could afford $10 one-way, instead of $8.  It is after all two hours they do not have to do the work of driving, and gas money.  Maybe some timed connections in town to have a BAT bus take people locally, to Brewer, or airport.

  A smart system would have bus shelters for rain/winter, a published schedule, lots of publicity, a commuter card that is based on your tax return. Once a year trip to town/city hall gets your personalized card, pay the appropriate level fare when you ride that system.

  And Belfast is just one example, that I know about. Why not spokes in the system out to Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln?  Employ some Bangor (and Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln and Belfast) drivers and mechanics.  We need: REGIONAL political WILLPOWER to see it happens, no rhetoric about “socialism” but about getting down to “business”–the people’s business, whatever it is: socializing, caring, earning, spending, and having smart tools to make it happen, like a public transportation system.

• Anonymous

  I have relations that have gotten jobs in Bangor from the Belfast area, because: they are professionals, with licences to practice, and NO–THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH people in Bangor for all the jobs…  They would rather not commute to Bangor, but that is what a city is about: a concentration of people, interests, organizations that can more efficiently provide goods and services than small one-at-a-time methods.

  I could ask: why do you live in a city? For the benefits no doubt! You can probably walk to a certain number of things you need: some groceries, a library, a school for the kids, a concert, your relatives and friends?  Can’t do a most of that out in the country. 

  Ever think that some of those people out in the country are NOT poor folk, but middle-class professionals, enjoying their hard-earned bucks in beautiful surroundings and working in the City?  Even if they have to commute 10, 20, 40, or 60 minutes each way?

  Now a bus system a that serves many communities needs a minimum of people to make it all worthwhile.   But the people that ride it have a range of abilities to pay the actual cost.  Why not: a system that is based on ability?  That Belfast professional might pay $8 one-way to Bangor, catch up on some work or a little snooze time, share the bus with a poorer person from Stockton Springs going to the Hospital, who might pay a $1, or even ride free.  So that is two people, now you need to fill that bus up with 10, 12, 20 people all along Route 1A, paying a variety of fares, for a variety of reasons: shopping at the mall, a funeral, a job interview, you name the reason.

  There would need to be at least three buses a morning starting out from Belfast: 6, 7 and 8 AM, arriving about 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 AM.  (This is a bus, takes a bit longer, it makes stops, picks up and drops off–along the way, BTW you could ride Winterport to Hampden, or any combination in between).  And going back? A 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30 bus–and maybe later, if you wanted to spend some money in Bangor on some drinks (no driving!) or a meal.  More $ left in Bangor, more jobs for Bangor.  Happier Belfast resident, safer Route 1A.  One vehicle burning up gas (or maybe something better!).  Win-win-win-win…

  Lots of details to work out–like subsidizing, including by those who can afford it; if my professional relative makes $25/hour, they could afford $10 one-way, instead of $8.  It is after all two hours they do not have to do the work of driving, and gas money.  Maybe some timed connections in town to have a BAT bus take people locally, to Brewer, or airport.

  A smart system would have bus shelters for rain/winter, a published schedule, lots of publicity, a commuter card that is based on your tax return. Once a year trip to town/city hall gets your personalized card, pay the appropriate level fare when you ride that system.

  And Belfast is just one example, that I know about. Why not spokes in the system out to Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln?  Employ some Bangor (and Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln and Belfast) drivers and mechanics.  We need: REGIONAL political WILLPOWER to see it happens, no rhetoric about “socialism” but about getting down to “business”–the people’s business, whatever it is: socializing, caring, earning, spending, and having smart tools to make it happen, like a public transportation system.

• Anonymous

  I have relations that have gotten jobs in Bangor from the Belfast area, because: they are professionals, with licences to practice, and NO–THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH people in Bangor for all the jobs…  They would rather not commute to Bangor, but that is what a city is about: a concentration of people, interests, organizations that can more efficiently provide goods and services than small one-at-a-time methods.

  I could ask: why do you live in a city? For the benefits no doubt! You can probably walk to a certain number of things you need: some groceries, a library, a school for the kids, a concert, your relatives and friends?  Can’t do a most of that out in the country. 

  Ever think that some of those people out in the country are NOT poor folk, but middle-class professionals, enjoying their hard-earned bucks in beautiful surroundings and working in the City?  Even if they have to commute 10, 20, 40, or 60 minutes each way?

  Now a bus system a that serves many communities needs a minimum of people to make it all worthwhile.   But the people that ride it have a range of abilities to pay the actual cost.  Why not: a system that is based on ability?  That Belfast professional might pay $8 one-way to Bangor, catch up on some work or a little snooze time, share the bus with a poorer person from Stockton Springs going to the Hospital, who might pay a $1, or even ride free.  So that is two people, now you need to fill that bus up with 10, 12, 20 people all along Route 1A, paying a variety of fares, for a variety of reasons: shopping at the mall, a funeral, a job interview, you name the reason.

  There would need to be at least three buses a morning starting out from Belfast: 6, 7 and 8 AM, arriving about 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 AM.  (This is a bus, takes a bit longer, it makes stops, picks up and drops off–along the way, BTW you could ride Winterport to Hampden, or any combination in between).  And going back? A 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30 bus–and maybe later, if you wanted to spend some money in Bangor on some drinks (no driving!) or a meal.  More $ left in Bangor, more jobs for Bangor.  Happier Belfast resident, safer Route 1A.  One vehicle burning up gas (or maybe something better!).  Win-win-win-win…

  Lots of details to work out–like subsidizing, including by those who can afford it; if my professional relative makes $25/hour, they could afford $10 one-way, instead of $8.  It is after all two hours they do not have to do the work of driving, and gas money.  Maybe some timed connections in town to have a BAT bus take people locally, to Brewer, or airport.

  A smart system would have bus shelters for rain/winter, a published schedule, lots of publicity, a commuter card that is based on your tax return. Once a year trip to town/city hall gets your personalized card, pay the appropriate level fare when you ride that system.

  And Belfast is just one example, that I know about. Why not spokes in the system out to Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln?  Employ some Bangor (and Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln and Belfast) drivers and mechanics.  We need: REGIONAL political WILLPOWER to see it happens, no rhetoric about “socialism” but about getting down to “business”–the people’s business, whatever it is: socializing, caring, earning, spending, and having smart tools to make it happen, like a public transportation system.

• Anonymous

  I have relations that have gotten jobs in Bangor from the Belfast area, because: they are professionals, with licences to practice, and NO–THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH people in Bangor for all the jobs…  They would rather not commute to Bangor, but that is what a city is about: a concentration of people, interests, organizations that can more efficiently provide goods and services than small one-at-a-time methods.

  I could ask: why do you live in a city? For the benefits no doubt! You can probably walk to a certain number of things you need: some groceries, a library, a school for the kids, a concert, your relatives and friends?  Can’t do a most of that out in the country. 

  Ever think that some of those people out in the country are NOT poor folk, but middle-class professionals, enjoying their hard-earned bucks in beautiful surroundings and working in the City?  Even if they have to commute 10, 20, 40, or 60 minutes each way?

  Now a bus system a that serves many communities needs a minimum of people to make it all worthwhile.   But the people that ride it have a range of abilities to pay the actual cost.  Why not: a system that is based on ability?  That Belfast professional might pay $8 one-way to Bangor, catch up on some work or a little snooze time, share the bus with a poorer person from Stockton Springs going to the Hospital, who might pay a $1, or even ride free.  So that is two people, now you need to fill that bus up with 10, 12, 20 people all along Route 1A, paying a variety of fares, for a variety of reasons: shopping at the mall, a funeral, a job interview, you name the reason.

  There would need to be at least three buses a morning starting out from Belfast: 6, 7 and 8 AM, arriving about 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 AM.  (This is a bus, takes a bit longer, it makes stops, picks up and drops off–along the way, BTW you could ride Winterport to Hampden, or any combination in between).  And going back? A 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30 bus–and maybe later, if you wanted to spend some money in Bangor on some drinks (no driving!) or a meal.  More $ left in Bangor, more jobs for Bangor.  Happier Belfast resident, safer Route 1A.  One vehicle burning up gas (or maybe something better!).  Win-win-win-win…

  Lots of details to work out–like subsidizing, including by those who can afford it; if my professional relative makes $25/hour, they could afford $10 one-way, instead of $8.  It is after all two hours they do not have to do the work of driving, and gas money.  Maybe some timed connections in town to have a BAT bus take people locally, to Brewer, or airport.

  A smart system would have bus shelters for rain/winter, a published schedule, lots of publicity, a commuter card that is based on your tax return. Once a year trip to town/city hall gets your personalized card, pay the appropriate level fare when you ride that system.

  And Belfast is just one example, that I know about. Why not spokes in the system out to Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln?  Employ some Bangor (and Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln and Belfast) drivers and mechanics.  We need: REGIONAL political WILLPOWER to see it happens, no rhetoric about “socialism” but about getting down to “business”–the people’s business, whatever it is: socializing, caring, earning, spending, and having smart tools to make it happen, like a public transportation system.

• Anonymous

  I have relations that have gotten jobs in Bangor from the Belfast area, because: they are professionals, with licences to practice, and NO–THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH people in Bangor for all the jobs…  They would rather not commute to Bangor, but that is what a city is about: a concentration of people, interests, organizations that can more efficiently provide goods and services than small one-at-a-time methods.

  I could ask: why do you live in a city? For the benefits no doubt! You can probably walk to a certain number of things you need: some groceries, a library, a school for the kids, a concert, your relatives and friends?  Can’t do a most of that out in the country. 

  Ever think that some of those people out in the country are NOT poor folk, but middle-class professionals, enjoying their hard-earned bucks in beautiful surroundings and working in the City?  Even if they have to commute 10, 20, 40, or 60 minutes each way?

  Now a bus system a that serves many communities needs a minimum of people to make it all worthwhile.   But the people that ride it have a range of abilities to pay the actual cost.  Why not: a system that is based on ability?  That Belfast professional might pay $8 one-way to Bangor, catch up on some work or a little snooze time, share the bus with a poorer person from Stockton Springs going to the Hospital, who might pay a $1, or even ride free.  So that is two people, now you need to fill that bus up with 10, 12, 20 people all along Route 1A, paying a variety of fares, for a variety of reasons: shopping at the mall, a funeral, a job interview, you name the reason.

  There would need to be at least three buses a morning starting out from Belfast: 6, 7 and 8 AM, arriving about 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 AM.  (This is a bus, takes a bit longer, it makes stops, picks up and drops off–along the way, BTW you could ride Winterport to Hampden, or any combination in between).  And going back? A 4:30, 5:30 and 6:30 bus–and maybe later, if you wanted to spend some money in Bangor on some drinks (no driving!) or a meal.  More $ left in Bangor, more jobs for Bangor.  Happier Belfast resident, safer Route 1A.  One vehicle burning up gas (or maybe something better!).  Win-win-win-win…

  Lots of details to work out–like subsidizing, including by those who can afford it; if my professional relative makes $25/hour, they could afford $10 one-way, instead of $8.  It is after all two hours they do not have to do the work of driving, and gas money.  Maybe some timed connections in town to have a BAT bus take people locally, to Brewer, or airport.

  A smart system would have bus shelters for rain/winter, a published schedule, lots of publicity, a commuter card that is based on your tax return. Once a year trip to town/city hall gets your personalized card, pay the appropriate level fare when you ride that system.

  And Belfast is just one example, that I know about. Why not spokes in the system out to Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln?  Employ some Bangor (and Ellsworth, Newport, Lincoln and Belfast) drivers and mechanics.  We need: REGIONAL political WILLPOWER to see it happens, no rhetoric about “socialism” but about getting down to “business”–the people’s business, whatever it is: socializing, caring, earning, spending, and having smart tools to make it happen, like a public transportation system.

• Anonymous

  I live in Bangor and use the bus. Agree that hours need to be extended into the evening. Have heard about the inter-city buses cheesecake1955 references. The best strategy is a private-public mix. Case in point: the Bruswick-Rockland tourist train is now an isolated system, but it will eventually be hooked into the national RR system when Amtrak extends from Portland to Brunswick, enabling someone from out of state to travel to Rockland entirely by train, and vice versa.

  What’s most important is providing viable alternatives to the private car. The secret most don’t know is that many of us do not need to own a car, and are in fact economically burdened by the perception that we do. In my work, I need to use a car maybe ten times a year. Ten car rentals is far cheaper than the annual cost of owning, maintaining, insuring, registering and fueling a vehicle. It’s not just the poor who benefit from public transportation. It’s not “welfare” any more than free parking and filling potholes is welfare for drivers.

  That said, I choose to live in town partially because I want to use public transportation rather than drive every day. Housing is a bit more expensive, but not as expensive as the car I would need to own if I lived in the country. I don’t have a whole lot of sympathy for those who choose to live in a rural area and support that lifestyle with a 50-mile daily commute, and then criticize public transportation as wasteful.

• Anonymous

  Tom, The whole concept is a stretch and to bring Rosa Parks and making it a bigotry issue on that scale detracts from your point.  On the other hand that kind of over the top comparison sure does bring out the commenters and helps the BDN’s bottom line.

• Anonymous

  Tom, The whole concept is a stretch and to bring Rosa Parks and making it a bigotry issue on that scale detracts from your point.  On the other hand that kind of over the top comparison sure does bring out the commenters and helps the BDN’s bottom line.

• Anonymous

  Tom, The whole concept is a stretch and to bring Rosa Parks and making it a bigotry issue on that scale detracts from your point.  On the other hand that kind of over the top comparison sure does bring out the commenters and helps the BDN’s bottom line.

• Anonymous

  You guys just don’t understand – If there was any kind of need for added labor, or labor stabilization in Bangor, then the market would automatically demand some sort of solution to implement the transportation of needed workers.  But there isn’t.  A good example is Jackson Lab in Bar Harbor.  They need a lot of workers, but many workers can not all live on the island – so Jackson funds a bus that drives from Bangor to Bar Harbor.  They do this because they have a sincere need for workers, and they have found that all the workers absolutley will not travel that far in so much as they need to retain workers, so they solved the problem.  If hundreds of workers started ditching their jobs in Bangor due to travel expense, then maybe the chamber of commerce and the city would get together and do something, but as long as workers are willing to drive, then why would the city or anyone else do anything about it?!  People make grown-up decisions about where they live, where they work, and how far they are willing to travel.  Just because the price of gas goes up,  you don’t go crying about it and demand somebody else to pay for your own bus.  And if bus services were offered for low fares, then you would find that many people who could rightly afford to drive themselves might start clogging the busses up to get cheap rides when they don’t need to.  What is the litmus test for who should and should not be allowed to use the system?  Maine is a large state, with an oft far-flung rural population that increasingly must travel to find work in larger cities.  This is due in large part to many of the saw mills, paper mills, textile manufacturers, and other associated employers shutting down due to Maine’s absrud & expensive energy policies, and over regulation that was all put in place by the liberal democrat controlled state house, state senate and governors over the past 30 years.  This has caused many people to do what they had to do – and MOVE.  Place blame where blame is due.  The whole bus thing is preposterous.

• Anonymous

  Fair enough. I wasn’t trying to provoke outrage; more like trying to nudge people to see that we rural residents are often treated like second-class citizens by federal transportation policy.

• Anonymous

  I , and I am sure many others, did not get all defensive and bent-out over the way this article/commentary was written. It did not seem like such a “big deal” at all. It seemed to focus on lack of  civil rights , in this case transportation access.  Some people seem so “prickly” about an reference to Rosa Parks ,”racism”,etc. but don’t have any issue with things that one would expect to see a reaction of “outrage.”  Many of us do not find it uncomfortable to be reminded of injustices, inequalities,etc., no matter what the  source.
  Guess you better be more careful of including references that relate to “racism” for some of the more “sensitive” readers.  (ones who are very sensitive to others’ feelings, and never resort to insults,etc.)

  Good commentary in this article, nonetheless.

• Anonymous

  You are correct.

• Anonymous

  You are correct.

• Anonymous

  There you go. Perfect.

• Anonymous

  There you go. Perfect.

• Anonymous

  There you go. Perfect.

• Anonymous

  There you go. Perfect.

• Anonymous

  If the feds can be pushed to help out and actually build the economy at the same time how about pushing an east west highway?

• Anonymous

  I wonder if any new roads will be built in the next 20 years. I have the feeling that austerity will be the mood for some time. Why not repair and perhaps widen existing roads, and as an adjunct to that, buy vans and buses to run on those roads? Less traffic will mean road surfaces last longer. Also, rail should be a priority. Maybe there should be a tax incentive for shipping freight by rail.

• Anonymous

  A couple things. Trains are not known for their punctuality and I don’t know if a tax break is going to be enough to encourage people to make that kind of freight hauling switch. The “just in time” production schedule of many business precludes that.  Example: I can place an order for supplies at a vendor in Md this PM and have a tractor trailer load dropped off  at my front door by noon Monday. 

  I don’t think merely widening or improving existing roads would have the same economic impact as a whole new highway. As you know the gas savings for all those trucks coming from St John to Quebec would be enormous for our neighbors and the state would benefit from the additional revenue. The new cottage industry business that would be necessary could employ 100′s if not thousands.

  Just a few thoughts.

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Jennifer-DeGroff/100000426320244 Jennifer DeGroff

  People that shouldn’t drive a more likely to leave the car in the driveway when they feel comfortable with their alternatives.

  I have known people that didn’t want to report relatives that were clearly losing their ability to drive safely. They say, “yes, I know Auntie’s eyes aren’t good but, if she looses her license she will need me to drive her. I am too busy.”

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Jennifer-DeGroff/100000426320244 Jennifer DeGroff

  Which BAT buses do you think ride around empty? I ride the bus sometimes, I haven’t seen them close to empty.

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Jennifer-DeGroff/100000426320244 Jennifer DeGroff

  Which BAT buses do you think ride around empty? I ride the bus sometimes, I haven’t seen them close to empty.

• http://www.facebook.com/eric.j.foster Eric J Foster

  Because they follow a business plan and run that way. Start expanding outward and the profit to loss margin will go out of proportion. Not that there is any profit involved, I highly doubt what is being charged pays for fuel, maintenance, vehicle replacement  and wages.  Much like Amtrak. Tell the people they need a losing system, and make the rest of us pay for it.

• Anonymous

  There is no bigotry against rural white people.  Once they get to Bangor, they can sit anywhere on the bus they want, except on the drivers lap.

• Anonymous

  The fallacy in your argument, and it’s a glaring one, is that the existing system of cars, trucks and highways sucks up more taxpayer money than Amtrak and all the bus systems in the country combined. The subsidized car companies operating on government roads are very good at creating the illusion that car ownership is an individualistic free-market American choice and that public tansportation is for losers. But the truth is that money spent on public trasporttion is five times as effective as money spet on the automobile and its infrastructure. This does not even take into account the environmntal and social costs of a car-centric transportation system. The shared goal should be to get as many people as possible out of the daily habit of car use. To ths end, expanding bus service is a good thing. I expect to be jumped on with comments like: “He thinks we should all give up our cars.” That isn’t what I said.

• Anonymous

  The fallacy in your argument, and it’s a glaring one, is that the existing system of cars, trucks and highways sucks up more taxpayer money than Amtrak and all the bus systems in the country combined. The subsidized car companies operating on government roads are very good at creating the illusion that car ownership is an individualistic free-market American choice and that public tansportation is for losers. But the truth is that money spent on public trasporttion is five times as effective as money spet on the automobile and its infrastructure. This does not even take into account the environmntal and social costs of a car-centric transportation system. The shared goal should be to get as many people as possible out of the daily habit of car use. To ths end, expanding bus service is a good thing. I expect to be jumped on with comments like: “He thinks we should all give up our cars.” That isn’t what I said.

• Anonymous

  Excellent!  In this automobile culture it is a tough sell, but all your points are valid . Sooner or later, more people will awaken to the need to incorporate more public transportation options into this world we live in. It is the responsible and healthy thing to do.

• Anonymous

  An east west highway would be boon for this state and it’s residents. As for the 20 year time line, it took over 25 years to update Rt. 9, from Baileyville to Brewer, to the level of a modern highway of the late 1940′s. That alone cut the driving time by 1/2 hour for most people.

  Direct rail service to the Eastport docks would be boon for bulk freight. That port is under utilized.

• Anonymous

  “Here is how private entrepreneurship handles the problem. ”

  Yep, and those Chinatown and Mega buses are a real problem–I go to NYC for family, and I wouldn’t ride them!  Very poor safety record, no oversight over the drivers’ rest periods.  Another reason they are cheap is because they do not use a terminal, but park–clog up–the city streets, idling engines the whole time.

  Classic corporate socialism–take what they want from the the society’s commons, and give back nothing, all in the name of their god, profit.

• Anonymous

  People have every right to move to an area that DOES provide public transportation. Somebody has to pay for it when we have public transportation. Why saddle the taxpayer with ANOTHER money sucking program?

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_FAFPBUNT45MDVT46IWVGOEDQLQ Thomas

  If the jobs are in the cities and you want one of those jobs you do as has been done in America for the past hundred years….you move to the city.  The idea that taxpayers should subsidize a life style decision is what has bankrupted this nation.

• newportres

  The “prickly” feelings also come around when other inflammatory words are used like “rape”, “genocide”, “disability” or “holocaust” for instance.
  Liberals tend to use these words in order to make their cases seem more important or dire to their audience.
  Their overuse of these words tends to dilute the real meaning of these words and eventually people stop paying attention to their rhetoric.  Chicken Little syndrome?
  You never seem to understand this simple concept.

• Anonymous

  Yes, understand that , as usual, you are wrong.

• Anonymous

  Yes, understand that , as usual, you are wrong.

• Anonymous

  Yes, understand that , as usual, you are wrong.