Anyone can hitch a ride with Penquis Lynx Mobility Services

MILO — Residents across the region in need of a ride or not wanting to drive themselves can get to where they would like to go thanks to Penquis Lynx Mobility Services. By signing up at least two business days in advance passengers — regardless of their age or income — can have safe, reliable and low-cost year-round transportation for shopping trips, medical appointments, visits with friends and more.
To help get the word out, Penquis Lynx Mobility Services offered a general public outing for residents of Pleasant Park from their homes on outer Pleasant Street across town to the Harrigan Learning Center and Museum on the afternoon of Dec. 8.
“Today we are in Milo to use Lynx public transportation,” Penquis Lynx Mobility Services Director Marcia Larkin said before a company bus arrived at Pleasant Park. “We want everyone to know they do have transportation, and can get out of the house.”
“Really this service is open to anyone who lives in Pisataquis and Penobscot counties and it is safe and reliable,” she said. “We charge 50 cent each way for this trip today, so for $1 you can get out of the house for a few hours.”
Penquis Lynx Mobility Services is one of the organizations across the region involved in the Piscataquis Thriving in Place initiative. The mission is to improve regional services and support adults with chronic health conditions avoid unnecessary hospitalization and other forms of institutional care to help them stay in their homes as long as possible, and Penquis Lynx Mobility Services can helping these residents with transportation issues.
Larkin said general public days, such as Thursdays in Milo, enable passengers to schedule trips around town. Other days and times feature longer trips. “We do Milo to Bangor, Milo to Dover, there’s all kind of ways we can do this for the general public,” she said.
The director said a trip from Milo to Bangor is $4.50, “For $9 you can park your car, go enjoy yourself, have dinner and not worry if the snow falls.”
Pleasant Park resident Peg Luciani said she learned about Penquis Lynx Mobility Services through a recent presentation Larkin made there. “I used the Lynx service two weeks ago to go to a doctor’s appointment in Bangor,” Luciani said. “The day I did chose was a wise day because it snowed.”
Luciani said she is very confident in the service provided, and she is spreading the word by having information available through her work at the Milo Ecumenical Food Cupboard as well as at churches in town.
“It eases our burden, I know I can call and they’ll take me to my appointment,” Luciani said. “Even if I don’t have an appointment, if I want to go visit my family in Corinth or go to Bangor for the day, I still have that flexibility no matter what the weather’s doing. I’m excited it’s available.”
Luciani and Larkin boarded the Penquis Lynx Mobility Services bus — vans are also on the road when the passenger count is lower — with Wade Clukey behind the wheel. Clukey, who lives in Milo, has been with Penquis Lynx Mobility Services for about a half dozen years, starting as a dispatcher.
Stops were made directly in front of homes to limit how far passengers had to walk. The bus includes a ramp, which aided one resident with a walker as Klein assisted her getting on and off. Wheelchairs can also be accommodated.
“My vehicle operators go above and beyond, we are fortunate to have the kind operators we do,” Larkin said.
She also thanked the passengers shortly before they arrived at the Harrigan Learning Center and Museum for several hours of learning about the numerous artifacts on display. “Really it’s your word of mouth that will open the doors for everybody else,” Larkin said.
For more information on Penquis Lynx Mobility Services, please call 973-3695 or 1-866-853-5968 or go to www.penquis.org.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
RIDING ON THE LYNX BUS — Peg Luciani of Pleasant Park in Milo gets off a Penquis Lynx Mobility Services bus during a trip across town to the Harrigan Learning Center and Museum on Dec. 8, as snow falls. Penquis Lynx Mobility Services offers rides, which need to be scheduled two days in advance, in communities across the region as well to Bangor and other destinations for passengers regardless of their age, income or needed accommodation.