Senior Transportation Services in Maine

The Transportation Problem in Rural Maine

When a parent can no longer drive safely — or when the family has had the difficult conversation about surrendering the car keys — transportation becomes an immediate, daily obstacle. A parent who can't get to medical appointments, the pharmacy, the grocery store, or community programs is effectively isolated, and isolation accelerates both physical and cognitive decline.

This challenge is particularly acute in Maine. The state's rural geography means that the nearest hospital, pharmacy, or specialist may be 30 to 60 minutes by car. Public transit exists in a handful of urban corridors but covers a fraction of the state's geography. For seniors living in Aroostook, Piscataquis, Washington, or the inland portions of Hancock County, the question isn't whether public transit is convenient — it's whether any organized transportation option exists at all.

MaineCare Non-Emergency Medical Transportation

For parents who are MaineCare (Medicaid) enrolled, the state covers non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) to and from covered medical services. This includes trips to doctor's appointments, dialysis, physical therapy, pharmacy visits, and other MaineCare-covered healthcare services.

Maine contracts with ModivCare (formerly Logisticare) to coordinate NEMT statewide. To schedule a ride, call ModivCare at 1-877-659-1301 at least 48 hours before the appointment. The service provides sedan transport, wheelchair-accessible vehicles, and stretcher transport depending on the parent's mobility level. Rides to behavioral health appointments and substance use disorder treatment are also covered.

The practical reality: NEMT works reasonably well for scheduled, predictable appointments. It's less reliable for urgent or same-day needs. Pickup windows can be broad (up to 30 minutes before or after the scheduled time), and in rural areas, the limited driver pool means longer wait times and the possibility of shared rides with other passengers that extend travel time significantly.

For parents who aren't MaineCare enrolled, NEMT is not available. The transportation options that follow are the alternatives.

Regional Public Transit

Maine's public transit is concentrated in the southern and central parts of the state. The primary systems:

Metro/BSOOB Transit (Greater Portland and Biddeford-Saco-Old Orchard Beach). The most comprehensive system in the state, covering Portland, South Portland, Westbrook, Falmouth, and the Biddeford-Saco corridor. Fixed-route bus service runs on regular schedules, and ADA paratransit is available for individuals with disabilities who cannot use fixed routes. Fares are low ($1.50 to $2.00 per ride), and seniors 65 and older ride at reduced rates.

Western Maine Transportation Services (WMTS). Covers the Lewiston-Auburn area and extends into Franklin and Oxford counties. WMTS operates both fixed routes in the urban area and demand-response service in surrounding towns. Demand-response means the parent calls ahead to schedule a pickup — it's not a bus stop, but a van that comes to the house.

Kennebec Valley Community Action Program (KVCAP Transportation). Serves Kennebec and Somerset counties with demand-response service for medical appointments and other essential trips. KVCAP is a nonprofit community action agency, and its transportation program serves low-income and elderly residents on a sliding-fee scale.

Community Connector (Bangor area). Fixed-route bus service covering Bangor, Brewer, Veazie, Orono, and Old Town. Paratransit service is available for qualifying individuals within three-quarters of a mile of a fixed route.

Downeast Community Partners. Covers Hancock and Washington counties with demand-response transportation for medical and essential-service trips. Given the extreme geography of Downeast Maine, scheduling requires advance planning, and service areas are limited.

Aroostook Regional Transportation System (ARTS). Serves the County with demand-response service. Given the vast distances and sparse population, rides must be scheduled well in advance, and service is focused on medical appointments and essential errands.

Volunteer Driver Programs

In the communities where public transit doesn't reach — which is most of Maine — volunteer driver programs fill the gap. These are typically coordinated through the Area Agencies on Aging or local nonprofits:

Area Agency on Aging volunteer programs. Several of Maine's five regional AAAs coordinate volunteer driver programs that provide rides to medical appointments, grocery stores, and community programs. The volunteers use their own vehicles, and the programs typically ask for a suggested donation rather than a fixed fare. Contact your regional AAA through the statewide line at 1-877-353-3771 to ask about volunteer transportation in your parent's area.

Faith-based and community volunteer programs. Many churches, community organizations, and municipal recreation departments in Maine coordinate informal volunteer driver networks. These are hyperlocal — available in one town but not the next — and finding them requires asking at the parent's church, town office, or senior center.

Independent Transportation Network (ITN). ITN America has an affiliate presence in parts of Maine. ITN uses a combination of volunteer and paid drivers to provide door-to-door, arm-through-arm transportation for seniors. The service is membership-based with per-ride fees, and availability varies by region.

Section 19 Waiver Transportation

For parents who qualify for MaineCare's Section 19 waiver — those who meet the nursing facility level of care criteria and the financial eligibility requirements — the waiver covers transportation to adult day services, medical appointments, and other waiver-covered activities. This is separate from the NEMT program and is coordinated through the parent's Section 19 care plan.

The Section 19 transportation benefit is meaningful because it covers non-medical trips that NEMT does not — getting to an adult day program, for example — and is built into the parent's overall home care plan. If your parent is receiving Section 19 home care services, ask the care coordinator about adding transportation to the service plan.

Practical Solutions When Formal Options Fall Short

The formal transportation systems described above have gaps, especially in rural Maine. Families often piece together informal arrangements:

Rideshare services. Uber and Lyft operate in Portland and parts of Southern Maine but have limited availability in the rest of the state. For parents comfortable with smartphone apps (or with a family member who can schedule rides remotely through the app), rideshare can fill gaps for non-emergency trips. Neither service offers wheelchair-accessible vehicles as a standard option.

Grocery and pharmacy delivery. Removing some transportation needs entirely is sometimes easier than solving them. Hannaford and Shaw's both offer delivery or curbside pickup. Most pharmacies offer mail-order or delivery options for prescriptions. Meals on Wheels, coordinated through the AAAs, delivers nutritious meals to homebound seniors.

Telehealth. Since the pandemic expanded telehealth access, many routine medical appointments — medication management, follow-up visits, chronic disease monitoring — can be conducted by video or phone. Not every appointment can be virtual, but reducing the number of in-person trips reduces the transportation burden.

Transportation is one piece of the broader puzzle of keeping a parent safe and connected at home. If your family is weighing whether a parent can continue living independently or whether a care transition is needed, the care decision toolkit helps evaluate the full picture — clinical needs, financial resources, and practical logistics like transportation — with worksheets and checklists specific to Maine.

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