LIFELONG MAINE
LIFELONG MAINE
DRIVE ME
DRIVE ME
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Maine's Volunteer Transportation Programs Get Around!
Maine's Volunteer Transportation Programs Get Around!
From the Crown of Maine to the Western Mountains to our coastal communities and everywhere in between, Maine boasts an active corps of Volunteer Transportation Programs.
Thirty-two volunteer programs serve more than 100 communities across the state. Each offers low- or no-cost transportation options to residents. All of the programs rely on the dedicated volunteers who commit their time to helping others get to the places they need to be.
DRIVE ME is a partnership between Maine's volunteer transportation programs, the Governor's Cabinet on Aging, Lifelong Maine, and the UMaine Center on Aging. It aims to strengthen the programs already running and help new ones get started.
Any volunteer transportation program in Maine can tap into DRIVE ME resources at no cost, including background checks for drivers, excess liability insurance, free scheduling software, printed materials, and mini-grants. Our goal is to help you do what you do best--bring people to the places they need to go.
Any volunteer transportation program in Maine can access DRIVE-ME benefits at no cost, including background checks for drivers, excess liability insurance, free scheduling software, printed materials, and mini-grants.
Finding a Ride
Finding a Ride
Riders seeking information about local volunteer transportation programs can access map-based and searchable lists of programs.
Search for a Program Serving Your Community
All of the programs we have included serve older residents. Many also provide rides for people living with a vision impairment or other disability. However, the requirements for riders and volunteers in each program vary. Program differences include:
Registration. Most programs require riders to register before requesting their first ride, so it's important to plan ahead.
Area served. Most programs limit their coverage to a single town, county, or region.
Type of ride. Many programs limit rides to medical appointments.
Price. Many programs are free but accept donations. Some have a structured fee, generally based on mileage.
For more information about any of the programs listed, contact them directly.
Starting or Running a Program
Starting or Running a Program
The Volunteer Transportation Manual is designed to support communities interested in starting a new volunteer program as well as those with existing initiatives.
Volunteer Transportation Manual
Have you started a new volunteer transportation program or would you like to update your listing in our directory?
FREE Resources for Volunteer Transportation Programs
FREE Resources for Volunteer Transportation Programs
DRIVE ME_Volunteer_Driver_Benefits_Handout.pdf.pdfDRIVE ME provides:
DRIVE ME provides:
Background and driving record checks — free screening for volunteers through DRIVE ME, so so riders can trust their drivers.
Excess liability insurance — free coverage that protects your program and your volunteers on the road, beyond what personal auto insurance provides.
Assisted Rides software — free access to scheduling and coordination tools that make it easier to match riders with drivers and track trips.
Printed materials — free driver ID badges, program brochures, and other materials so your volunteers look official and your riders know who to expect at the door.
Mini-Grants — Applications for DRIVE ME mini-grants will open August 15, 2026 - September 15, 2026. To download a copy of the application to start planning your mini-grant application, click here. Check back on August 15 for the application link!
To VTPs, all at no cost. Programs can also opt to appear on our site's Find-a-Ride Directory.
For more information about the Lifelong Maine DRIVE ME project or about benefits for your program, contact: lifelong@maine.edu
Frequently Asked Question:
Frequently Asked Question:
Can new volunteer transportation programs seek support?
Can new volunteer transportation programs seek support?
Yes! Both existing and emerging VTPs can contact Lifelong Maine for support from the DRIVE project.
WE'RE INSPIRED BY....
WE'RE INSPIRED BY....
The volunteer transportation programs developed by community volunteers
In May and June of 2026, we administered a statewide survey to coordinators of volunteer transportation programs: +32,000 rides were given in the last year by 742 volunteers.
Drivers help their neighbors get to medical appointments, run errands, buy groceries, and get out for social visits. All 32 programs responding serve older adults, and almost all serve people of all ages with disabilities.
These are people in their community serving their neighbors, most often with no reimbursement. None of the responding programs receive state or federal dollars. 40% of rides given in the last year were provided by programs with a budget of under $10,000, or as little as nothing. 23 programs are fully volunteer-run.
DRIVE is currently conducting a brief survey of volunteer drivers of these same programs. Click here if you are a volunteer driver willing to complete the survey.
Maine VTP 2026 Summary.pdfCheck out this brief video, created by Age-Friendly Saco, which highlights the value that volunteer transportation programs bring to older adults. Hear firsthand about the impact of accessible and affordable transportation from folks who have taken some of the 300 round trips in the program's first year!
The program launched in 2021 under the guidance of Lifelong Maine AmeriCorps member Linda Verville and UMaine Center on Aging Transportation Fellow, Mary Beth Paquette.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you to Elizabeth Gattine, Coordinator of the Governor's Cabinet on Aging, and our thought partner, for your work towards making the Lifelong Maine DRIVE project happen!
The contents of this site were developed with Mary Beth Paquette and Barbara Wentworth, Transportation Fellows in the Lifelong Communities Fellows Program at the University of Maine Center on Aging. We are deeply grateful to them for sharing their decades of experience and wisdom on these pages.
Many thanks to the Maine volunteer transportation programs that have generously shared their information, ideas, and materials – many of which have been added to this manual. A special shout-out to Neighbors Driving Neighbors.
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