Regional Transportation Program (RTP) has a simple mission: to provide safe and efficient transportation for disabled, elderly, low-income individuals and the general public throughout Cumberland County.
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| Jack Deberadinis, left, Executive Director of the Regional Transportation Program which operates the Lakes Region Explorer and other local transportation initiatives, is retiring and will be succeeded by Don Libby, right. COURTESY PHOTO |
In his previous position as Manager of Transit Operations, Libby has gained a deep understanding of RTP operations, making him the ideal candidate for Executive Director.
As Executive Director, Libby’s role consists of working with many different funding sources and long-range planning for the company.
“No day is ever the same,” says Libby. “A lot of my day is revolved around making sure that we have the appropriate funding and personnel coming in to make this place stay viable, which consists of many meetings and dealing with various state agencies to secure funding.”
Libby says he approaches his job with a hands-on mindset, wanting to be more involved with people to create a strong team and culture. Not only is Libby more than fit for the position but he says he also loves what he does.
“I love the people and the culture here,” he says. “One of the things about this job is that you come to work every day and feel good about what you are doing for the public and when you leave work, you know that you did a lot of good for people today.”
RTP transportation includes rides to medical appointments and essential medical services such as: dialysis, cardiac care, day-surgery, and cancer treatments. It also transports riders to programs for developmentally challenged people and pre-school children, along with getting people to work, food shopping, entertainment locations, visitations, and other life-enriching venues.
The organization also provides transportation on buses, vans, and with volunteer drivers who use their own vehicles.
Designated as a Regional Transportation Program, the agency is committed to offering scheduled weekday public transportation with its “Lakes Region Explorer” operating between the Town of Bridgton and the City of Portland.
“Our biggest challenge is making sure that we have enough funds to do what we need to do,” says Libby. “It is an ongoing issue for all non-profits, a new challenge is figuring out how to overcome our low-income funding, something that we have not had in the past. We need more funding for transit in general in this state.”
RTP does not belong to a city and because it is regional, it receives very little financial support from the local municipalities other than the Lakes Region Explorer towns — Bridgton, Casco, Naples and Windham while balancing the needs of the public with the funding is a constant challenge.
Established in 1976, RTP was formed by combining the transportation services provided by the Portland Chapter of the American Red Cross, York-Cumberland Senior Services and the Social Services of the Greater Portland Transit District. Today, RTP is an agency that provides low-cost transportation to the elderly, social service agency clients, the economically disadvantaged, and for people with disabilities throughout Cumberland County.
Last year, RTP started a micro-transit service in Windham called Quick Ride, which is a less expensive alternative to Uber or taxi. There has been a recent expansion into Gorham and Standish. Libby said other towns are inquiring about RTP expanding into more surrounding towns in the rural area around Windham.
One of Libby’s goals is to provide more service to the 302 corridor and said he is looking at Windham as the hub of it all, potentially as a bus stop or transfer station.
He said that he is weighing potentially adding a few more stops to Windham and putting up real bus shelters so that people will be under cover while waiting for the bus. Libby also would like to extend the Windham Quick Ride hours and potentially even weekends.
This would also increase ridership for the Lakes Region Explorer.
“There has always been a need for service in the rural area and with more funding, we are positioned to expand and grow our service,” says Libby. “What I am hearing from the people in Windham is that there is a need for public transportation and there is a need for expanding Quick Ride service. We are working on that and are trying to build that rural area to give people what they need.”
During the next 18 to 24 months, RTP will be receiving two new Lakes Region Explorer buses and are looking into electric vehicle infrastructure to see if they can use it for real time tracking of buses, adding the Dirigo bus pass to their Lakes Region Explorer line, and also looking at underserved areas to see where they can fit in to help.
RTP serves more than 2,500 people in Cumberland County each year, providing more than 600 rides a day to people who need to get to medical appointments, grocery shopping, work and other important places.
Headquartered in Westbrook, RTP operates routes across Cumberland County each day, doing door-to-door rider pickups and drop-offs, serving 27 towns in the county, some of which include Portland, South Portland, Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth, Westbrook, Gorham, Falmouth, Yarmouth, Freeport, Windham, Standish, Casco, and Bridgton. <
The organization also provides transportation on buses, vans, and with volunteer drivers who use their own vehicles.
Designated as a Regional Transportation Program, the agency is committed to offering scheduled weekday public transportation with its “Lakes Region Explorer” operating between the Town of Bridgton and the City of Portland.
“Our biggest challenge is making sure that we have enough funds to do what we need to do,” says Libby. “It is an ongoing issue for all non-profits, a new challenge is figuring out how to overcome our low-income funding, something that we have not had in the past. We need more funding for transit in general in this state.”
RTP does not belong to a city and because it is regional, it receives very little financial support from the local municipalities other than the Lakes Region Explorer towns — Bridgton, Casco, Naples and Windham while balancing the needs of the public with the funding is a constant challenge.
Established in 1976, RTP was formed by combining the transportation services provided by the Portland Chapter of the American Red Cross, York-Cumberland Senior Services and the Social Services of the Greater Portland Transit District. Today, RTP is an agency that provides low-cost transportation to the elderly, social service agency clients, the economically disadvantaged, and for people with disabilities throughout Cumberland County.
Last year, RTP started a micro-transit service in Windham called Quick Ride, which is a less expensive alternative to Uber or taxi. There has been a recent expansion into Gorham and Standish. Libby said other towns are inquiring about RTP expanding into more surrounding towns in the rural area around Windham.
One of Libby’s goals is to provide more service to the 302 corridor and said he is looking at Windham as the hub of it all, potentially as a bus stop or transfer station.
He said that he is weighing potentially adding a few more stops to Windham and putting up real bus shelters so that people will be under cover while waiting for the bus. Libby also would like to extend the Windham Quick Ride hours and potentially even weekends.
This would also increase ridership for the Lakes Region Explorer.
“There has always been a need for service in the rural area and with more funding, we are positioned to expand and grow our service,” says Libby. “What I am hearing from the people in Windham is that there is a need for public transportation and there is a need for expanding Quick Ride service. We are working on that and are trying to build that rural area to give people what they need.”
During the next 18 to 24 months, RTP will be receiving two new Lakes Region Explorer buses and are looking into electric vehicle infrastructure to see if they can use it for real time tracking of buses, adding the Dirigo bus pass to their Lakes Region Explorer line, and also looking at underserved areas to see where they can fit in to help.
RTP serves more than 2,500 people in Cumberland County each year, providing more than 600 rides a day to people who need to get to medical appointments, grocery shopping, work and other important places.
Headquartered in Westbrook, RTP operates routes across Cumberland County each day, doing door-to-door rider pickups and drop-offs, serving 27 towns in the county, some of which include Portland, South Portland, Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth, Westbrook, Gorham, Falmouth, Yarmouth, Freeport, Windham, Standish, Casco, and Bridgton. <
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