Island Explorer Bus Service To Feature 5 Routes In 2021

Last year the popular propane-driven shuttle service operated by Downeast Transportation was grounded by the nasty COVID-19 pandemic.  This year it will be up and running, somewhat.

When it came to traffic last season, users of Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island paid the price as parking was limited and the Cadillac Summit Road was shut down a few times because of traffic congestion.

Things will continue to be very different for the fare-free Island Explorer Bus service and it's passengers this year.  While each bus normally carries 43 seated and 13 unseated passengers, this year riders will be spread out over every other row of seats for social distancing, for a limit of about12 passengers.

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The service will run between June 23rd and October 11th, and the routes will also be cut down to 5, focusing on Schoodic Point, Jordan Pond, the Park Loop Road, Sand Beach, and from Hulls Cove to the Village Green.  Unfortunately, visitors to the area will not be able to take an Island Explorer Bus from the Trenton Transportation Center to Mount Desert Island.

Island Explorer will not run their popular Bicycle Express as well.  For all of the latest 2021 route information, go HERE.  When things begin to roll later this year, you can keep track of where the buses are HERE.

They hope to get everything back to normal again for 2022, with routes to the Blackwood Campground, Southwest Harbor and Northeast Harbor, among other places.