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GO MAINEs experienced transportation staff can answer your questions and tackle your commuting problems. Some of
the most "Frequently Asked Questions" we get are listed below.
Please call us at 1.800.280.RIDE or e-mail
us if you have other questions.
How does GO MAINE work?
What is transit?
What is a carpool?
What is a vanpool?
How does carpooling work?
How can I find a carpool in my area?
How can I find a vanpool in my area?
Could anyone have a schedule as crazy as mine?
Are there other transportation options besides carpooling?
What is my commitment once I sign up?
WHAT IF…
You need your car during the day?
You are sick or overslept?
You work on second or third shift?
You take your child to daycare?
You are reluctant to carpool with a complete stranger?
You need your car for personal appointments or errands?
You need to leave work quickly due to an emergency at
home or school?
How does GO MAINE work?
GO MAINE is a statewide commuter information network that connects with
the transportation options that will work best for them. When you register
with GO MAINE your commuting information is entered into a database that
searches for the right commuting option for you, as well as for other
commuters with similar commute patterns. That’s how we create a "match" for carpools and vanpools.
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What is transit?
Transit is any public transportation
system designed to move large numbers of passengers. It includes local
service (like The Bus in Bangor or Metro in Portland) and inter-city bus
service (like Concord Trailways or Vermont Transit), ferries (like the
Maine State Ferry Service and Casco Bay Ferries), and passenger rail (Amtrak
from Portland to Boston).
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What is a carpool?
A carpool is two or more commuters
sharing a ride in one of their own vehicles. The best carpooling arrangements
are very flexible. In fact, you don’t need to carpool every day,
just as often as your schedule allows. This gives you the freedom to plan
errands or appointments on days when you aren’t carpooling.
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What is a vanpool?
A vanpool involves more people and
uses a van owned by a business, a municipality, or other organization
such as the Maine Department of Transportation. Vanpools work similarly
to a carpool, with riders sharing the costs of operating the van, usually
through a monthly fee.
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How does carpooling work?
Carpoolers can either share driving and expenses or one person may drive
most or all of the time, in which case the passenger shares operating
expenses with the driver.
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How can I find a carpool in my area?
When you register with GO MAINE,
you’ll be included in a database of thousands of interested carpoolers.
You’ll receive a "matchlist" with the names and contact
information of those persons who match your commute pattern (home addresses
are never included on the matchlists and home numbers may be excluded
as well.) Just contact the names on that list and make your carpool arrangements.
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How can I find a vanpool in my area?
There are currently nine GO MAINE vanpools operating between the Portland and Lewiston areas and Augusta. One of
them might work for you. There many other private vanpools serving other
Maine worksites. Contact us to find
out more. Maybe we can start a new vanpool route for your business!
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Could anyone have a schedule as crazy as mine?
Believe it or not, yes! However, persons with irregular schedules are
better candidates for carpools than for vanpools. Even if there is just
one day a week where you work a predictable schedule, carpool on that
day. Also, many people work flexible hours and you may find someone in
a similar position to your own. We’ll do our best to find a match
for you.
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Are there other transportation options besides carpooling?
Quite possibly. GO MAINE can help you with information on other available
transportation choices. We’ve got the information you need to make
your commute easier. We can help you with local
and inter-city bus, ferries, Amtrak rail service, bicycling
and walking routes, telecommuting, Park & Ride lots, and more.
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What is my commitment when I register with GO MAINE?
GO MAINE is your "one-stop shopping resource" to alternative
modes of transportation. We want to give you as much information as possible
to make informed decisions about your daily commute. Asking for this information
by contacting and/or registering with GO MAINE in no way obligates you
to use alternate modes of transportation (although we think you will be
mighty tempted.)
When you do join a carpool or vanpool, you and the other members will
decide how often you feel comfortable sharing the ride, among other details.
And, of course, if you are a bicyclist or walker, the commitment is entirely
up to you>
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WHAT IF…
I need my car during the day?
Be the designated driver of your carpool and drive your car everyday.
Share the expenses with your rider(s), and you’ve cut your commuting
costs in half.
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I am sick or have overslept?
Call the driver of your vanpool or carpool, or the person before you on
the pick-up route and let them know. Then invest in a louder alarm clock.
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I work on second or third shift?
GO MAINE’s commuting options may still work for you. We have workers
from all shifts and schedules in our commuter database.
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I take my child to daycare?
Meet your carpool partner(s) at the daycare center or some other convenient
location like a Park & Ride lot after you drop off your child
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I’m reluctant to carpool with a complete stranger?
Meet over coffee in a neutral location to discuss carpool arrangements.
If you’re uncomfortable, decline the offer to carpool.
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I need my car for personal appointments or errands?
Plan these trips on certain days, letting your fellow rider(s) know, and
carpool on the other days.
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I need to leave work quickly due to an emergency at
home or school?
Use the Emergency Ride Home Guarantee to take a taxi or rental car home and we’ll reimburse you – no strings attached and no need to worry.
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