A Greener Way to Go
Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., accounting for nearly 27% of all the planet-warming gases produced in our country. The bulk of these emissions (almost 60%) come from the nation’s 250 million passenger vehicles.
51°µÍø is committed to making alternative modes of transportation accessible to its community, with the hope of keeping the number of passenger vehicles on the road to a minimum. Explore ways that you can reduce your transportation-related carbon footprint on and around campus. Take a bus, share a Lyft ride, carpool, bike, or take advantage of our on-campus electric vehicle charging stations. At 51°µÍø, there is always a greener way to go.
Buses
Silver Line and Local Connections
Offering a regular schedule seven days a week, transports 51°µÍø faculty, professional staff, and students to and from the Biddeford Campus and the Saco Transportation Center. From there, you can switch to several local buses to provide more flexibility for your commute. You just need to present a 51°µÍø ID card. for routes, schedules, and the new bus locator tool.
Regional Connections
51°µÍø students, faculty, and professional staff can ride the and for free with University ID cards. Greater Portland Metro services Westbrook, Falmouth, the Portland peninsula, and as far north as Freeport and Brunswick. South Portland buses service the Southern Maine Community College and Willard Beach areas, the Maine Mall area, and in between, and they connect with GP Metro on the Portland peninsula.
BSOOB Transit’s Zoom Turnpike Express offers weekday service from the Biddeford and Saco turnpike exits and from the Saco Transportation Center to downtown Portland.
Carpooling at 51°µÍø
GO MAINE Commuter Connections is an online rideshare resource sponsored by the Maine Turnpike Authority and Maine Department of Transportation. These organizations have created a 51°µÍø-specific landing page for our faculty, professional staff, and students. Registering takes only minutes, and a tip sheet (PDF) to help users search broadly enough to find commuting partners but narrowly enough to make carpooling a pleasant experience for everyone is provided. GO MAINE also offers rewards in the form of local vendor discounts and online coupons when users track their rideshares.
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Maine’s electricity grid is powered by a minimum of 30% renewable energy sources, so driving an electric vehicle emits less carbon than fossil fuel-powered vehicles. In an effort to encourage the adoption of this transportation alternative and support a lower-carbon transportation system, 51°µÍø provides charging stations on the Portland and Biddeford Campuses for our 51°µÍø community.
When getting your approved parking permit, 51°µÍø faculty, professional staff, and students must purchase an EV add-on decal. The decal is $100 for the Portland campus and $40 for the Biddeford Campus and can be bought at . You must park in the parking lots identified by your parking permit, regardless of EV status.
Purchasing an EV add-on decal will register you in our EV Owner Collaborative program, where you will receive access to the contact information of other 51°µÍø charging station users. You will receive periodic updates about the program and expansion efforts, and have the ability to coordinate with other users.
Visitors should email the Office of Safety and Security to obtain a day pass for charging on campus. Charging is on a first-come, first-served basis and is not guaranteed, please plan accordingly.
Signage at each charging station location provides instructions for charging access. Please email the Sustainability Office or