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Greater Portland, ME – The Greater Portland Transit District (Metro) Board of Directors voted at their June 25, 2026 board meeting to increase bus fares and make other changes to fare policy effective August 1, 2026. The Biddeford Saco Old Orchard Beach Transit (BSOOB Transit) Transit Committee voted to approve the changes on May 19, 2026.
The base fare will increase from $2.00 to $2.25, with similar changes across most fare categories. The full list of changes is outlined at gpmetro.org/fare-policy-update/.
The last fare increase for both transit systems was in October 2020, when Metro and its partner agency fares increased for the first time in over a decade. The DiriGo Pass smartcard and mobile app were also introduced at that time.
In partnership with BSOOB, Greater Portland Metro conducted a fare policy review in Winter/Spring 2026. The fare changes were developed based on a peer review of similar transit agencies, a public survey, four public meetings to provide information and gather feedback, and additional research.
“Metro has not had a fare increase in six years. The last change to our fare structure was in October of 2020 when our DiriGo Pass was introduced,” said Metro’s Executive Director Glenn Fenton. “Metro’s budget is funded in part by fare revenues. An increase will help Metro continue providing our existing service while planning for the future.”
Fare increases effective August 1, 2026
- A base fare change to $2.25 from $2.00 per ride; Reduced fare increase to $1.10 from $1.00
- Metro BREEZ increase to $4.50 from $4.00; Reduced fare increase to $2.25 from $2.00
- BSOOB Route 70 (ZOOM) service would decrease fare from $5.00 to $4.50; Reduced fare would decrease from $2.50 to $2.25. These fare decreases align BSOOB’s Route 70 fares with Metro’s BREEZ fares.
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Increase in the base daily and monthly fare cap to $6.50/$65, respectively, from $6.00/$60.00 today. Fare caps for reduced fare passengers will not change from the current $3 daily/$30 monthly caps.
Fares make up a significant portion of Metro’s operating budget. Fare increases are sometimes required in order for transit agencies to continue to provide service as costs related to labor, parts, fuel, and other expenses increase each year.
Metro and BSOOB Transit also plan to launch a ‘tap to ride’ fare payment option in July 2026. This system will provide a simple way to pay for transit fares -- instead of searching for cash or pre-loading a DiriGo card, riders can use their credit card or debit card of digital wallet.
BSOOB Transit serves the communities of Biddeford, Saco, and Old Orchard Beach while providing vital regional connectivity across southern Maine. In addition to local routing, the agency operates key intercity connections linking Saco to Scarborough, South Portland, and Portland, alongside premium commuter express service connecting Biddeford and Saco directly to downtown Portland.
Greater Portland Metro is southern Maine’s largest public transit provider, serving Brunswick, Falmouth, Freeport, Gorham, Portland, South Portland, Westbrook, Yarmouth, Scarborough, and Bath. Metro’s mission is to provide a public transportation experience that is frequent, fast, safe, and simple.
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