PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A brand new pilot program slated to launch by early summer season will intention to assist central Aroostook County residents with out automobiles to get to work.
Roughly 10 % of Aroostook County households would not have automobiles, in keeping with the U.S. Census. In a sprawling and rural county with out typical public transportation, and which is tied with Somerset for the second highest unemployment within the state, the brand new program may make a distinction, organizers say.
“A number of folks have utilized for positions and [been] provided positions [with] no strategy to get there,” mentioned Micah Desmond, Aroostook Regional Transportation System govt director.
The workforce pilot program can be named Aroostook Workforce Connector and is funded by $402,000 in state grant cash that may cowl advertising, dispatch companies and two staffers to drive two automobiles that maintain 12 to 14 passengers. This system may serve 40 to 50 folks per day.
The concept for Aroostook Workforce Connector got here from an area advertising and consulting group known as the Aroostook Partnership, which has been targeted on three main limitations of entry to the workforce for Aroostook County: housing, transportation and childcare.
For the previous two months, Aroostook Transportation System has been talking with potential employers and staff to make use of the workforce transportation pilot program.
The route used for this system is within the means of being finalized by Aroostook Transportation System, and runs alongside the morning and night shift modifications at Northern Maine Group School, Northeast Packaging, Columbia Forest Merchandise, Acme Monaco Company, Pineland Farms, Huber Engineered Woods and McCain Meals.
Staff dwelling in Caribou, Presque Isle, Easton, and Mars Hill will be capable of use the workforce transportation by reaching out to Aroostook Transportation System. About three stops can be made in Caribou, 4 to 5 stops in Presque Isle, and a pair stops in Easton.
“If we will get extra folks engaged in work it opens up alternatives for present companies, or County stakeholders to develop,” Aroostook Partnership President and CEO Paul Towle mentioned.
Aroostook Regional Transportation Service operates buses throughout the county, however not on common routes, and they’re on-demand solely.
The Aroostook Partnership plans to broaden the workforce transportation pilot program past Central Aroostook if it proves profitable.
