Bangor Alerts
Community Connector moves to fixed stop service
1/2/2025 - 7:12 PM UTC
BANGOR, Maine – The Community Connector is improving the passenger experience by moving to fixed stop service while incorporating new technology that will keep riders better informed.
Bus drivers as of Monday, Jan. 6, will stop only at fixed, designated bus stops and people will no longer be permitted to flag down a bus. This is part of a broader effort to ensure buses arrive at their stops on time and minimize wait times for riders, thereby improving efficiency and reliability.
More than 300 bus stops have been installed across the service area. The fixed stops were identified on each route based on passenger behavior, density, available infrastructure, safety and other factors, in accordance with established guidelines. There may be factors like daily boarding activity that will lead Community Connector to later add, or reduce, the number of stops.
As part of the change to fixed bus stops, Community Connector encourages riders to use the bus-tracking mobile app Bangor Community Connector. The location of buses along various routes can be shown in real time, and wait times for riders should be reduced because the Community Connector app provides the estimated time of arrival at each stop.
The app can highlight routes most commonly used by passengers, and will issue alerts when a delay may occur or there’s some other disruption to service. The app is a free download from the Google Play or App Store.
Meanwhile, new technology, including automatic announcements, is now available on buses to better comply with requirements established by the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. As a bus approaches a designated stop, the closest intersection will be announced both verbally and visually.
LED screens have been installed so that passengers can see the name of a stop. The technology upgrades also provide a more accurate overview of ridership, which can lead to more systematic improvements as well as greater opportunities for state or federal funding.
Longer-term plans call for screens to be added at the Transit Center in downtown Bangor. They will allow people without smartphones to gather the same information found on the Bangor Community Connector app, such as inbound buses, arrival and departure times, and other useful notifications.
The Community Connector is owned and operated by the City of Bangor and serves six municipalities: Bangor, Brewer, Hampden, Old Town, Orono and Veazie, in addition to the University of Maine.
Bus drivers as of Monday, Jan. 6, will stop only at fixed, designated bus stops and people will no longer be permitted to flag down a bus. This is part of a broader effort to ensure buses arrive at their stops on time and minimize wait times for riders, thereby improving efficiency and reliability.
More than 300 bus stops have been installed across the service area. The fixed stops were identified on each route based on passenger behavior, density, available infrastructure, safety and other factors, in accordance with established guidelines. There may be factors like daily boarding activity that will lead Community Connector to later add, or reduce, the number of stops.
As part of the change to fixed bus stops, Community Connector encourages riders to use the bus-tracking mobile app Bangor Community Connector. The location of buses along various routes can be shown in real time, and wait times for riders should be reduced because the Community Connector app provides the estimated time of arrival at each stop.
The app can highlight routes most commonly used by passengers, and will issue alerts when a delay may occur or there’s some other disruption to service. The app is a free download from the Google Play or App Store.
Meanwhile, new technology, including automatic announcements, is now available on buses to better comply with requirements established by the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. As a bus approaches a designated stop, the closest intersection will be announced both verbally and visually.
LED screens have been installed so that passengers can see the name of a stop. The technology upgrades also provide a more accurate overview of ridership, which can lead to more systematic improvements as well as greater opportunities for state or federal funding.
Longer-term plans call for screens to be added at the Transit Center in downtown Bangor. They will allow people without smartphones to gather the same information found on the Bangor Community Connector app, such as inbound buses, arrival and departure times, and other useful notifications.
The Community Connector is owned and operated by the City of Bangor and serves six municipalities: Bangor, Brewer, Hampden, Old Town, Orono and Veazie, in addition to the University of Maine.
