A commuter bus running between Lewiston, Auburn and Portland capped off its first year of service with its highest ridership numbers so far.

According to the Maine Department of Transportation, July and August were the most successful months for The LAP bus since the service began a two-year pilot in July 2024.

August saw 2,594 riders — a new high — while July had 2,508, the previous high.

The last four months have all seen over 2,000 monthly riders after the service averaged roughly 1,831 riders over its first nine months.

Andrew Gobeil, director of the office of communications and creative services at MaineDOT, said having a needed service and word of mouth are helping.

“Changing behavior, even with easier and more efficient transit options, can be a challenge in this industry,” he said. “A year into this pilot program, we feel customers are increasingly recognizing the benefits of The LAP and are now choosing this service.”

The two-year pilot began after Concord Coach Lines ended its bus service out of Lewiston-Auburn, and a MaineDOT planning study showed a continued need for a service for workers commuting between the state’s two most populous regions.

And, with the Twin Cities in a housing boom as more people are priced out of southern Maine, the demand for transportation between the two hubs is likely to grow.

Ahead of its launch, MaineDOT officials said The LAP service was meant to act as “an indicator of the latent demand and potential market for enhanced public transportation between Portland and Lewiston-Auburn.”

A Utah-based transportation contractor, RTW Management Inc., was hired to oversee the $2.8 million pilot project.

During the first few months of The LAP bus, operators had to iron out some kinks, including questions about its schedule, reliability and the lack of a real-time tracking service.

However, heading into last winter, operators heard the feedback and made several changes. One of them was adding the Token Transit app, where users can purchase the $5 bus fare and look at the route map.

“While there were some initial struggles, I’ve heard only positive comments recently from people who have used (The) LAP bus,” Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline said.

The bus makes six stops: at Bates College and the Oak Street bus station in Lewiston; at the Auburn Transportation Center at Great Falls Plaza and the Exit 75 park-and-ride in Auburn; and in Portland at the public library at 5 Monument Square and the Portland Transportation Center at 100 Thompsons Point Road. Route times run between 4:30 a.m. and 11 p.m. on weekdays and between 6 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on weekends.