News Releases
RTP Seeks Volunteers to Meet Rising Demand for Transportation in Cumberland County
Regional Transportation Program (RTP) is seeking volunteer drivers to meet rising demand for its door-to-door ride program throughout Cumberland County.
RTP uses volunteers to provide rides when its buses and vans are not available. At present, the organization has about 50 volunteers who use their own vehicles and are reimbursed for mileage at 30 cents a mile. For additional information about the volunteer driver program, call Jon McNulty at RTP at 774-2666, extension 16. If outside the Portland area, call 1-800-244-0704.
Established in 1976, RTP is a United Way agency that provides door-to-door transportation to the elderly, social service agency clients, the economically disadvantaged and persons with disabilities. RTP serves more than 4,500 people countywide, providing about 1,000 rides a day to people who need to get to medical appointments, grocery shopping, work and other necessary services.
The volunteer driver program is one of several RTP programs that serve residents of Cumberland County. Other programs include Access to Jobs to help people transition from welfare to work; the ADAPT service that provides door-to-door, wheelchair-accessible rides to persons with disabilities in Portland, South Portland and Westbrook; Rider's Choice, which enables Cumberland County residents to make a single telephone call - 774-2666 or 800-244-0704 - to find the most appropriate public transportation option; and a commuter bus service from Saco/Portland to BIW in Bath.
RTP, headquartered in Portland at 127 St. John Street, has a fleet of 34 buses and vans and serves more than 26 towns in the county, including Portland, South Portland, Scarborough, Westbrook, Gorham, Falmouth, Bridgton, Cape Elizabeth, Yarmouth, Freeport and Windham.
# # #
RTP's ADAPT Service Provides Rides to Persons with Disabilities
January 28, 2003 - Persons with disabilities who are unable to access a Metro or South Portland Bus Service stop can take advantage of a popular option from Regional Transportation Program (RTP).
With its ADA Paratransit Service (better known as ADAPT), Portland-based RTP provides door-to-door, wheelchair-accessible rides to persons with disabilities in Portland, South Portland and Westbrook who cannot use a regular city bus.
Certified ADAPT riders may use the service seven days a week for any trip purpose. The one-way fare is $2. Users must set up a ride no later than 5 p.m. the day before the ride is needed, but no more than 14 days in advance.
ADAPT services are available from 5:30 a.m. to 11:40 p.m. Monday through Friday, 5:45 a.m. to 11:40 p.m. Saturday and 9:10 a.m. to 7:03 p.m. Sunday. To sign up for the program or for more information, call RTP at 774-2666 or toll-free at 800-244-0704, or visit the RTP Web site at www.rtprides.org.
The ADAPT service is one of several RTP programs that serve residents of Cumberland County. Other programs include an Access to Jobs program to help people transition from welfare to work, and a commuter bus service from Saco/Portland to BIW in Bath.
RTP, headquartered in Portland at 127 St. John Street, has a fleet of 34 buses and vans and primarily serves Cumberland County residents who are senior citizens, disabled clients of social service agencies or economically disadvantaged. RTP serves more than 26 towns in the county, including Portland, South Portland, Scarborough, Westbrook, Gorham, Falmouth, Bridgton, Cape Elizabeth, Yarmouth, Freeport, Windham and others.
# # #
RTP's Shopper's Express Gives Rides to Seniors for Holiday Shopping
DECEMBER 3, 2002 - Seniors in Cumberland County who would like rides to do their holiday shopping can take advantage of the Shopper's Express bus service operated by Regional Transportation Program (RTP).
RTP provides weekly shopping service for more than 20 senior citizen apartment complexes in the greater Portland area, mostly for food shopping but also to the mall. Shoppers are picked up at their residence and driven to a local supermarket, where they have a full hour to shop before the return trip. RTP drivers will help carry grocery bags from the bus to apartment building lobbies.
During December and January, RTP will offer similar rides to persons who need to do holiday shopping or make returns after the holidays. The buses go to the Maine Mall in South Portland.
RTP does not charge for these shopping trips, although dollar donations are accepted for round trips. For more information and trip schedules, call RTP at 774-2666 or toll-free at 800-244-0704.
The Shoppers' Express is one of several RTP programs that serve residents of Cumberland County. Other ride programs include the County-wide bus service, the ADAPT program for people with disabilities and a door-to-door ride service from volunteer drivers for persons who need to get to medical appointments or other necessary destinations.
For additional information on this service or other ride programs offered by RTP, go to the organization's website at www.rtprides.org.
Headquartered in Portland at 127 St. John Street, RTP has a fleet of 34 buses and vans and primarily serves Cumberland County residents who are senior citizens, disabled clients of social service agencies or economically disadvantaged. RTP serves more than 26 towns in the county, including Portland, South Portland, Scarborough, Westbrook, Gorham, Falmouth, Bridgton, Cape Elizabeth, Yarmouth, Freeport, Windham and others.
# # #
RTP Program Recognized Nationally for Innovation in Public Transit
January 7, 2002 - Rider's Choice, an RTP program that enables Cumberland County residents to make a single telephone call to find the most appropriate public transportation option in the region, has been recognized for innovation by national transit researchers.
Rider's Choice was created three years ago by Regional Transportation Program (RTP), a nonprofit agency providing door-to-door and other transportation services to more than 4,500 people throughout Cumberland County. With Rider's Choice, residents call one number - 774-2666 - and an RTP dispatcher matches their transportation needs with the most appropriate and affordable public transit system, which could include METRO, the South Portland Bus System, an RTP bus or van, or any other existing transportation service.
The program was featured recently in a national report, Guidebook for Change and Innovation at Rural and Small Urban Transit Systems, sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in Washington, D.C.
Researchers tout Rider's Choice as an " innovative way to provide centralized information about public transportation services in a large area." The report concludes that Rider's Choice "is a very low-cost initiative, simple to implement with readily available, proven technology that provides a very useful information clearinghouse service to callers where there are multiple transportation providers and options." The FTA provides financial and planning assistance to help plan, build, and operate rail, bus and paratransit systems.
"We're very pleased that Rider's Choice has been recognized for excellence by a federal agency," said Jon B. McNulty, executive director of Portland-based RTP. "We hope the program can serve as a model for other communities nationwide."
RTP launched Rider's Choice in 1998 through a contract with the Maine Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services and now logs more than 155 calls per month.
The Rider's Choice service is available to callers from 5:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. weekdays, with limited access nights, weekends and holidays. Callers who speak to an RTP dispatcher can get bus and ferry schedule information and discuss or arrange transportation using the most appropriate provider. RTP works in partnership with several agencies to provide the service, including AMISTAD (a mental health support organization), Ingraham Volunteers and the Greater Portland Council of Governments.
Established in 1976, RTP is a United Way agency that provides door-to-door transportation to the elderly, social service agency clients, the economically disadvantaged and persons with disabilities in Cumberland County. RTP serves more than 4,500 people countywide, providing about 1,000 rides a day to people who need to get to medical appointments, grocery shopping, work and other necessary services.
RTP recently launched an easy-to-use web site at http://www.rtprides.org to better inform Cumberland County residents about RTP's wide range of low-cost ride programs. The web site highlights the innovative programs RTP has launched in recent years, including Rider's Choice; a Commuter Transit Network that matches commuters with people who need rides; an Access to Jobs program to help people transition from welfare to work; and a commuter bus service from Saco/Portland to BIW in Bath.
Other longtime RTP programs featured on the site include Shopper's Express, the county-wide bus service, door-to-door rides through volunteer drivers and ADAPT, which helps persons with disabilities ride public transportation in Portland, South Portland and Westbrook.
Located at 127 St. John St., RTP serves residents of more than 26 towns in Cumberland County, including Portland, South Portland, Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth, Westbrook, Gorham, Falmouth, Yarmouth, Freeport, Windham, Standish, Casco and Bridgton.
# # #
RTP Launches Web Site at WWW.RTPRIDES.ORG
New site to provide information on low-cost rides throughout Cumberland County
Regional Transportation Program (RTP) in Portland has launched an easy-to-use web site at http://www.rtprides.org to better inform Cumberland County residents - including persons with special needs - about RTP's wide range of low-cost ride programs.
The web site, developed for RTP by Wow Pages and Wolfe Public Relations, is divided into 12 sections. Computer users have instant access to a wealth of information about RTP, including:
Communities served, routes, schedules and costs.
Programs for seniors, persons with disabilities or others who need rides to go shopping, receive medical care or go to work.
Commuter-matching services for people in need of regular transportation along the same route at the same time.
Volunteer driver programs.
Transportation-related news and announcements.
"We wanted to make sure the site was easy to use for all populations we serve across Cumberland County," said Jon B. McNulty, the not-for-profit group's executive director. "We hope it is used not only by anyone who needs a ride in the area, but also by social workers and other health professionals looking for information to assist their clients."
Established in 1976, RTP is a United Way agency that provides door-to-door transportation to the elderly, social service agency clients, the economically disadvantaged and persons with disabilities in Cumberland County. RTP serves more than 4,500 people countywide, providing about 1,000 rides a day to people who need to get to medical appointments, grocery shopping, work and other necessary services.
The web site highlights the innovative programs RTP has launched in recent years, including a centralized information/referral service called Rider's Choice; a Commuter Transit Network that matches commuters with people who need rides; an Access to Jobs program to help people transition from welfare to work; and a commuter bus service from Saco/Portland to BIW in Bath.
Other longtime RTP programs featured on the site include Shopper's Express, the county-wide bus service, door-to-door rides through volunteer drivers and ADAPT, which helps persons with disabilities ride public transportation in Portland, South Portland and Westbrook.
Located at 127 St. John St., RTP serves residents of more than 26 towns in Cumberland County, including Portland, South Portland, Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth, Westbrook, Gorham, Falmouth, Yarmouth, Freeport, Windham, Standish, Casco and Bridgton.
RTP Honors Longtime Driver for 20+ Years of Quality Service to Region
Regional Transportation Program has honored Arlene L. Clow, a three-time recipient of RTP's "Driver of the Year" award, for her long and distinguished service to passengers throughout Cumberland County.
Clow, a Sebago resident who recently retired after more than 20 years of service, joined RTP in 1978. One of 33 drivers employed by the nonprofit community transportation agency, Clow was named RTP's top driver in 1998, 1997 and 1993.
"Arlene has been a wonderful link to the communities we serve and a fabulous example of how one person can make a difference in peoples' lives," said Jon B. McNulty, executive director of the Portland-based transportation agency. "She will be sorely missed, but we wish her the best in her retirement."
Clow is a native of Laconia, N.H., and a 1951 graduate of Laconia High School. She served on Sebago's Budget Committee for six years and is a member of the United Methodist Church of Sebago. She also worked for 16 years as shop steward for the Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 714.
"Driving for RTP allowed me to meet many interesting people throughout Cumberland County," Clow said. "It's been a rewarding, enriching experience."
Established in 1976, RTP is a United Way agency that provides door-to-door transportation to the elderly, social-service agency clients, the economically disadvantaged and persons with disabilities in Cumberland County. RTP serves more than 4,500 people countywide, providing about 1,000 rides a day for people to attend medical appointments, go to work, shop for groceries or other necessary services.
RTP uses volunteers to provide rides when the agency's 27 buses and nine vans are not available. In January, the transportation program run by PROP became part of RTP, creating more demand for RTP services and the need for additional volunteers throughout Cumberland County. At present, the agency has 60 volunteers, who use their own vehicles and are reimbursed for mileage at 30 cents a mile. For additional information about the volunteer driver program, persons may call Chuck Baker at 774-2666, extension 16. If outside the Portland area, call 1-800-244-0704.
RTP has launched a number of innovative programs in the past year to serve local residents, including an Access to Jobs program that gives rides to persons leaving welfare and returning to work; a Commuter Transit Network that reimburses commuters for giving people rides; and Rider's Choice, a program that informs the public of transportation options in the region. To participate in Rider's Choice, area residents may call one telephone number, 774-2666, and are then matched to the appropriate transportation provider, including RTP buses and vans, METRO buses, the South Portland Bus Service, GPCOG's RideShare program, Casco Bay Lines or others.
RTP Calls For Help During Energy Crisis
Regional Transportation Program (RTP), a Portland-based non-profit organization that provides door-to-door rides to senior citizens and those in need throughout Cumberland County, has called on the Maine congressional delegation and President Bush to do something to help community transportation providers like RTP who are being hit hard by rising gas prices.
"If we don't get some kind of help - either in the form of increased Medicaid reimbursements for mileage for our volunteer drivers, or a break on fuel prices - we could be in a very precarious position by summer," said Jon B. McNulty, executive director of RTP. "Add to that the fact that our demand has increased sharply as more people turn to us for rides, and you have a situation where we may not be able to help them all."
Specifically, RTP and other community transportation providers throughout Maine and the U.S. through their national organization, the Community Transportation Association of America, are asking Congress and the Bush administration to "rectify misguided energy policies, provide energy financial assistance to public and community transportation and deliver new incentives to advance alternative transportation to the automobiles." McNulty and the RTP board of directors are also calling for Congress to allow for Medicare reimbursement of non-emergency transportation.
McNulty said RTP, in addition to a fleet of 34 lift-equipped buses and vans, has about 60 volunteer drivers who are reimbursed by Medicaid at 30 cents a mile, the same rate since 1996. In addition, McNulty said he is urging Maine's congressional delegation to pass legislation that would allow Medicare to help pay for non-emergency transportation.
"Clearly, Medicaid needs to increase its volunteer mileage reimbursement rate or we will be hurt," McNulty said. In addition, other commuter programs will be affected, he said, unless more funding is given to organizations like RTP at the state and federal level.
Established in 1976, RTP is a United Way agency that provides door-to-door transportation to the elderly, social service agency clients, the economically disadvantaged and persons with disabilities in Cumberland County. RTP serves more than 4,500 people countywide, providing about 1,000 rides a day to people who need to get to medical appointments, grocery shopping, work and other necessary services.
The organization has launched a number of innovative programs to serve local residents in recent years, including a centralized referral line called Rider's Choice, a Commuter Transit Network that matches commuters with people who need rides, an Access to Jobs program to help people transition from welfare to work, and a BIW commuter shuttle.
Other longtime RTP programs include Shopper's Express, the County-wide bus service, door- to-door rides through volunteer drivers and ADAPT, which helps persons with disabilities ride public transportation in Portland, South Portland and Westbrook.
RTP Seeks Volunteers to Meet Rising Demand For Transportation in Cumberland County
With demand on the increase, Regional Transportation Program (RTP) is seeking volunteer drivers for its door-to-door ride program throughout Cumberland County. At present, the organization has about 50 volunteers, who use their own vehicles and are reimbursed for mileage at 30 cents a mile.
RTP uses volunteers to provide rides when its buses and vans are not available. In January, the transportation program run by PROP became part of RTP, creating more demand for RTP services and the need for more volunteers. For additional information about the volunteer driver program, persons may call Chuck Baker at 774-2666, extension 16. If outside the Portland area, call 1-800-244-0704.
Established in 1976, RTP is a United Way agency that provides door-to-door transportation to the elderly, social service agency clients, the economically disadvantaged and persons with disabilities in Cumberland County. RTP serves more than 4,500 people countywide, providing about 1,000 rides a day to people who need to get to medical appointments, grocery shopping, work and other necessary services.
The organization has launched a number of innovative programs in the past year to serve local residents, including an Access to Jobs program that gives rides to persons leaving welfare and returning to work, a Commuter Transit Network that reimburses commuters for giving people rides, and its umbrella program Rider's Choice that informs the public of their transportation options in the region. Area residents can call one telephone number, 774-2666, and are then matched to the appropriate transportation provider, including RTP buses and vans, METRO buses, the South Portland Bus Service, GPCOG's RideShare program, Casco Bay Lines or others.
Located at 127 St. John St. in Portland, RTP serves more than 26 towns in the county, including Portland, South Portland, Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth, Westbrook, Gorham, Falmouth, Yarmouth, Freeport, Windham, Standish, Casco, Bridgton and others.
RTP Board Adds Barter, Ferketic, Moulton and Elects New Officers
The board of directors at Regional Transportation Program (RTP), a United Way agency that provides door-to-door transportation in towns throughout Cumberland County, has elected a new slate of officers for 2001 and expanded its membership.
The officers for 2001 are: President - Eileen Kalikow, Cape Elizabeth, owner/director of Vocational Resources; Vice President - C. Joseph Wolverton Jr., Scarborough, a CPA at Macdonald Page Schatz Fletcher & Co.; Treasurer - Daryl Wentworth, Gorham, a vice president at Citizens Bank; Clerk - Beverly Spaulding of Bowdoinham, retired.
Three new board positions also were filled by the appointment of John A. Ferketic of Scarborough, Merrill E. Barter of Portland and Nathan E. Moulton of Windham.
"Each of these three new board members brings with them a wealth of experience and a level of expertise that will benefit this agency in very specific ways," said RTP Board President Eileen Kalikow. "We are pleased to have them on board and look forward to their contributions."
John A. Ferketic of Scarborough is the Director of Applied GeoSpatial Solutions at DeLorme in Yarmouth. He is a member of the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association and the GeoSpatial Information
Technologies Association.
Ferketic is a 1979 graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Indiana, Penn., and holds a master's in geography from the same institution.
Merrill E. Barter of Portland is a tax manager at Baker, Newman & Noyes, LLC, in Portland. He also serves as a board member for the Iris Network. A Certified Public Accountant, Barter is a member of the AICPA and the Maine Society of CPA.
Barter is a 1989 graduate of Husson College in Bangor and holds a master's in taxation from Thomas College in Waterville. Originally from Boothbay Harbor, Barter is a 1985 graduate of Boothbay Region High School.
Nathan E. Moulton of Windham is the deputy director of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority in Portland and is currently working on the Portland-to-Boston Passenger.
Rail Project. Moulton has nine years in transportation, including eight years with the Mass Transportation Section of the Maine Department of Transportation.
Moulton is a 1987 graduate of the University of Maine. A native of Hiram, he is a 1983 graduate of Sacopee Valley High School.
Established in 1976, RTP is a United Way agency that provides door-to-door transportation to the elderly, social service agency clients, the economically disadvantaged and persons with disabilities in Cumberland County.
With a fleet of 29 buses and vans, all lift equipped, and a volunteer program that involves more than 50 drivers, RTP serves more than 4,500 people countywide, providing about 1,000 rides a day to people who
need to get to medical appointments, grocery shopping, work and other necessary services. RTP has more than 16 different routes and schedules door-to-door pick-ups on a daily basis. The agency employs about 43 persons, 31 of whom are certified drivers.
The organization has launched a number of innovative programs to serve its local residents, including "Rider's Choice," which allows area residents to call one telephone number, 774-2666, and be matched to the appropriate transportation provider, including RTP buses and vans, METRO buses, the South Portland Bus Service, and the GPCOG's RideShare program.
RTP is governed by a board of volunteer directors. The agency's executive director is Jon B. McNulty, who was appointed in 1995. Located at 127 St. John St., RTP serves more than 26 towns in the county, including Portland, South Portland, Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth, Westbrook, Gorham, Falmouth, Yarmouth, Freeport, Windham, Standish, Casco, Bridgton and others.
The following is a more detailed list of RTP's transportation programs and services:
Bus Service: RTP operates 29 vehicles in Cumberland County, serving Portland area daily service and other municipalities on a weekly basis. Trips are scheduled by calling the RTP dispatchers the day before the ride is needed. The majority of the rides are needed for medical appointments; however, RTP also provides day care, employment and social service.
transportation to those who qualify. The buses are equipped with hydraulic wheelchair lifts and service is funded by a variety of federal, state and local service contracts and grants.
Volunteer Driver Program: RTP has an extensive volunteer program to provide DHS protected clients and Medicaid recipients with transportation primarily to and from medical care. The more than 50 volunteer drivers meet the same qualifications as RTP staff drivers and provide services on evenings and weekends in addition to during the week. They volunteer their time, but are reimbursed for mileage. A "family and friends" program has also been organized to encourage friends and family members to drive those in need to and from appointments.
ADA Complementary Paratransit Service (ADAPT):
Provided under contract with the Cities of Portland, South Portland and Westbrook, this program provides disabled persons who cannot use Metro or South Portland bus service with wheelchair accessible transportation.
Other programs include Senior Shoppers Express, Non-Emergency Medical Transportation, County-Wide Bus Service, and the BIW Shuttle.
Notes and Announcements
Volunteer Drivers Needed as RTP Services Expand
RTP is seeking volunteer drivers to help serve residents of Cumberland County who need rides to medical appointments and other destinations.
Call RTP at 774-2666 or go to the Volunteer section of this website.
PROP Transportation Merges with RTP
On January 1, 2001, the transportation program run by People's Regional Opportunity Program (PROP) became part of
Regional Transportation Program (RTP).
The two similar services merged to create a more efficient transportation system for Cumberland County that will better serve the public.
Copyright 2007 Regional Transportation Program
|
