BETHEL — The Mountain Explorer bus service in Bethel is gearing up for its 11th season starting Dec. 26.
The Mountain Explorer is a fixed-route, seasonal bus service providing free transportation between the town of Bethel and the Sunday River ski resort, Craig Zurhorst, community relations director for Western Maine Transportation Services, said.
The bus service has three types of stops on the bus route. The first has specific stops scheduled throughout the day. The second is a scheduled afternoon and evening stop. The third is a flag stop, where passengers may wave down the bus or request to be dropped off.
“The Mountain Explorer is a great service to area businesses and visiting snow sporters, as well as for locals who make use of the bus,” Scott Davis, owner of Bethel’s Sudbury Inn and Suds Pub, said.
Last season the Mountain Explorer carried 21,939 passengers, which was an increase of more than 16 percent from the previous year, Zurhorst said.
Mountain Explorer schedule maps will be available at area businesses, Sunday River, The Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce and online at www.mountainexplorer.org.
Also, to keep riders and businesses alerted to changes in schedules due to weather and other circumstances, the Mountain Explorer can be followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MtnExBus.
“We want to thank the sponsors, without whom this service would not be possible,” WMTS General Manager Patrick Christian said. “Our drivers and buses are ready to go, and we’re looking forward to a great season.”
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