Metro to pilot Route 8 service on Commercial Street
Metro to pilot Route 8 service on Commercial Street
May 27, 2026
Metro News
In coordination with the City of Portland and the Greater Portland Council of Governments, Greater Portland Metro plans to modify Route 8 service to run down Commercial Street in the summer/fall of 2026. The change is proposed to take effect on June 21, 2026.
This change, which coincides with a Safe Streets for All demonstration project on Commercial Street, will bring Metro’s peninsula loop service directly to Commercial Street. Currently, Route 8 service stops at Maine State Pier near Casco Bay Lines, but does not serve Commercial Street in the Old Port directly.
As part of the route change, Route 8 schedules will be modified slightly to maintain or improve on-time performance. Route 8 currently operates on-time about 85% of the time, just shy of Metro’s goal of 90% on-time service.
Bus stops are planned for the eastbound side of Commercial Street at Bell Buoy Park, just west of Franklin Street and just outside the Casco Bay Lines terminal; and in the vicinity of Fish Pier, opposite Dana Street. Bus stop locations will be finalized in the coming weeks. Route 8 will also stop at the existing bus stop on Union Street at York Street. Route 8 buses will no longer serve bus stops on Middle Street.
These changes are being made on a pilot basis. Metro staff will be monitoring on-time performance of the modified route, particularly during the peak summer afternoon and evening periods. Metro staff also expects ridership to increase compared to the route’s current alignment. Should the pilot succeed, it is likely that Metro will make the change permanent; on the other hand, if ridership does not improve and if on-time performance suffers, Metro may revert the route in November (or sooner) and work with the City of Portland to determine how bus traffic may be better suited to Commercial Street in the future.
The change, alongside rolling out Tap to Pay in Summer 2026, is aimed at making Metro more useful and appealing to potential passengers along Commercial Street, including visitors, tourists, and occasional riders. Despite being one of Maine’s busiest destinations for shopping and dining, there is currently no public transit bus service on much of Commercial Street.
For more information, email planning@gpmetro.org. Metro’s presentation to the Peaks Island Council is provided below. Updated schedules will be published in the weeks leading up to the service change.