A New York county’s loss could be a big gain for Maine’s bus systems.

The Maine Department of Transportation is working to broker a deal bringing 11 2008 and 2009 Orion buses from a reduced Westchester County transit system to Maine. The buses, technically owned by the Federal Transit Authority, would simply be transferred from FTA’s New York region to Maine.

“What we know is Westchester County had a commuter program that is being stopped,” Sue Moreau of the Maine Department of Transportation said. “They had these buses, just extra equipment, so we can bring them here. The commuter program won’t be using them anymore — and we’re very pleased that they’re not.”

Moreau said five of the buses would go to Bangor’s BAT Area Connector, three would go to Biddeford-Saco’s bus system, two would go to South Portland and one would come to Lewiston-Auburn’s Citylink system.

She hopes to wrap up the deal and bring the buses to Maine this summer.

“These are not new buses. They are definitely used,” Moreau said. “But they have been well-maintained and they are in very good shape, and we’ll be very happy to get them.”

Marsha Bennett, transit coordinator for the Lewiston-Auburn Transit Committee, said she hopes to be able to retire one of the system’s 2003 Thomas SLF buses.

“We’ve had issues with them,” she said. “They’ve been costly to run, and it’s been difficult to get parts for them. So if one breaks down, the turnaround time is extremely long and the bus just sits there waiting for parts.”

The New York buses are 2008 and 2009 Orion diesel buses, manufactured in Canada and New York state.

“They are transit buses, designed to be used the way we’re going to use them, and they are known as being workhorses,” Bennett said. “The parts are available, so it should be a good deal.”

The local agencies will have to personalize the buses to make them fit in with their fleets, Moreau said. In Lewiston-Auburn’s case, that will mean painting the buses purple.

But Bennett said it won’t cost any more to bring them here, other than the staff time and diesel fuel to drive them.

“It’s a tough time because nobody is getting more federal money,” she said. “This seems like a good way to get the most out of a federal resource.”

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