Governor Mills Announces $2 Million in Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan Grants to Support Workforce Transportation Solutions

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April 23, 2024
Office of Governor

Seven Maine businesses, nonprofits, and housing organizations receive grants for transportation initiatives to connect workers and employers in Aroostook, Franklin, York, Sagadahoc, and Androscoggin counties

Governor Janet Mills today announced $2 million in grants through her Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan to seven businesses, nonprofits, and housing organizations in Maine for innovative transportation solutions that connect workers with employers.

Grants from the Maine Department of Transportation's Workforce Transportation Pilot Program were awarded to Aroostook Regional Transportation System in Presque Isle, Industrial Roofing Company in Lewiston, Saddleback Mountain in Rangeley, Sugarloaf Resort in Carrabassett Valley, Gagne Foods in Bath, 3i Housing of Maine in Topsham, and York County Community Action Corporation in Sanford.

The Workforce Transportation Pilot Program, an initiative of Governor Mills' Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, launched in April 2022. Over the past two years, the program has awarded the full $5 million in Federal funds available to the program to support 14 employers with transportation projects to help Maine organizations and employers with workforce needs.

In addition to the grantees announced today, prior awards have been made to support workforce transportation needs at Sunday River Resort in Newry; TimberHP in Madison; the Kennebunk-Kennebunkport-Arundel Chamber of Commerce; Western Maine Transportation Services in Lewiston; Bath Iron Works; Robbins Lumber in Searsmont; and Maine West, a part of the University of Maine System.

"Connecting workers with employers eager to hire is good for Maine businesses and Maine's economy,"said Governor Janet Mills. "Through my Jobs Plan, this pilot program has spurred the creation of 14 innovative projects across Maine that are helping employers �€" including some of our largest �€" grow and retain their workforce while knocking down barriers for qualified workers to find good-paying careers that match their skills and training."

"Maine's Workforce Transportation Pilot Program has supported a range of solutions to connect workers to jobs," said Bruce Van Note, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation. "These investments help meet people where they are, promoting both economic opportunity and equity. We hope that local and regional stakeholders will continue to work together to identify shared solutions to shared workforce transportation challenges."

Projects awarded today include:

Aroostook Regional Transportation System: An award of $321,600 will support development of a commuter bus service to connect Caribou and Presque Isle to several of the region's largest agricultural, forestry, and manufacturing employers.

"Aroostook Regional Transportation System has the privilege to collaborate with several Aroostook County employers and organizations to offer the Aroostook Workforce Connector Pilot," said Micah Desmond, Executive Director of ARTS. "Grant funding through MaineDOT will give us the opportunity to remove the barrier of transportation for several central Aroostook County employees and employers. ARTS and Aroostook County partners are excited to offer additional transportation for our workforce. We will be utilizing information from community stakeholders throughout the pilot to develop plans to sustain and expand our workforce transportation services throughout Aroostook County."

Industrial Roofing Company: With an award of $305,938, IRC is purchasing six new crew trucks, including two electric trucks and two charging stations, to bring employees from Rumford, Skowhegan, and Turner to IRC's facility in Lewiston.

"This grant will accelerate our efforts to offer our team members modern, eco-friendly transportation options," said Michael Davis, President of Industrial Roofing Company."With the ability to ride-share, our team can attract and retain top talent from various regions across the state. Moreover, through investments in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, we're not only advancing sustainability but also boosting the overall well-being and satisfaction of our team."

Gagne Foods: The award of $27,384 supports Gagne's work with Western Maine Transportation Services to connect workers in the Lewiston area to jobs in Bath. This is Gagne's Food's second transportation grant; its first was utilized to develop an e-bike program for employees, who otherwise lacked transportation to work. Over six months, almost 500 e-Bike rides were utilized.

"These funds will enhance an already successful partnership with WMTS and continue to help Mainers who want to work but don't have reliable transportation options," said Michael Gagne, President and CEO of Gagne Foods."Gagne Foods employees who participated in the e-Bike program have benefited from having �€˜wheels' to get them to and from work. These employees now have the freedom to take on shifts as needed without being dependent on others for rides. The connections created by the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan represent a win for our employees, our company, and our state."

Saddleback Mountain: A $488,130 award supports Saddleback's existing shuttle service, providing transportation to the ski mountain and other local businesses from Farmington and Oquossoc and from mountainside workforce housing to Saddleback.

"Saddleback Mountain is excited to use this grant to expand its transportation services and make it more convenient for employees living in Farmington and surrounding towns to commute to the Rangeley region," said Jim Quimby, Saddleback General Manager. "By enhancing the transportation infrastructure, we aim to eliminate accessibility barriers for our workforce, empowering Saddleback and other nearby businesses to optimize staffing levels and help fuel our economy."

Sugarloaf Resort: An award of $277,600 supports the purchase of three vans, one of which will be electric, to provide transportation for workers in nearby towns to and from the mountain.

"The addition of these vehicles to our transportation fleet provides reliable and quicker transportation for staff that travel from Sugarloaf-sponsored housing and nearby communities within an hour drive time of the resort," said Karl Strand, President & General Manager of Sugarloaf. "It's exciting to have the opportunity to include both e-hybrid and traditional modes of transportation as part of the Workforce Transportation grant. It's an important investment and we appreciate the efforts of Governor Mills and her team securing this grant."

York County Community Action Corporation: This award of $479,674 will support transit service for workers in the Sanford region to and from Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The pilot service will include the creation of an innovative worker/driver program, through which PNS employees will be trained and employed by YCCAC to operate the vehicles.

"YCCAC is very excited to be working on this new service, adding to and complementing the variety of commuting options for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard workers in the Sanford area, home to the largest number of Shipyard employees of any community in southern Maine," said Tom Reinauer, Director of Transportation, YCCAC. "Hopefully, this new service will also help in the shipyard's recruitment efforts by providing another convenient option for traveling to and from work."

"Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is pleased to see the establishment of another transportation alternative for our workforce in southern Maine," said Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Commander Captain Michael Oberdorf. "Increasing the options available to our employees is a key strategy for reducing traffic and congestion in the community and the installation."

3i Housing of Maine: With a grant of $127,171, 3i Housing will provide residents of a new planned housing facility in Scarborough who have disabilities and/or mobility challenges with transportation to jobs.

"This award recognizes that Maine people with disabilities are entitled to pursue work and educational opportunities as members of an inclusive community," said Paul Linet, CEO of 3i HoME. "3i HoME is driven to promote independent living through the application of innovative technology in an integrated home and community-based setting. This grant will enable us to provide employment-related transportation services consistent with that mission."

The Workforce Transportation Pilot aligns with strategies from Maine Won't Wait, the state's four-year plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in part by promoting public transportation, to combat climate change.

The Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan is Governor Mills' plan, approved by the Legislature, to invest nearly $1 billion in Federal American Rescue Plan funds to improve the lives of Maine people and families, help businesses, create good-paying jobs, and build an economy poised for future prosperity.

Since the Jobs Plan took effect in 2021, over $750 million in Jobs Plan funding has been spent or committed to deliver results on behalf of Maine people. For more about the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, please visit maine.gov/jobsplan.

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