Title VI Program and Metro Policies
Information on this page, include:
Metro’s Title VI Program, ADA service policies, passenger policies, and a listing of additional Metro policies.
Title VI Program
Title VI Notification
The Greater Portland Transit District (Metro) Title VI notification is as follows:
Your Rights Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
“No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
2025 — Title VI Program Update
Community partners and stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback.
Every three years, transit agencies are required to update and submit their Title VI Program to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Greater Portland Metro is currently updating its 2025 Title VI Program, which is due in April 2025.
Title VI Program Submission Timeline
Tuesday – March 4, 2025 at 1pm. – Public Meeting to Review 2025 Title VI Program (draft)
Metro staff will be hosted a Public Meeting to review the Title VI Program. Members of the public were invited to attend in person or via Zoom. The recording and slides are below.
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at 3pm. – Marketing and Communications Committee Meeting
This meeting will include a second review of the Title VI Program update in draft for for review and discussion by the public and the committee.
Thursday, March 27, 2025 at 3:30 pm – Executive Committee Meeting
Greater Portland Metro’s Executive Committee approval of the Title VI Program update.
Tuesday, April 1, 2025 – Deadline for submitting 2025 Title VI Program to the FTA.
Complaint Form & Instructional Brochure Translations
Please note: Based on census data and research, Arabic, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Somali are the most prevalent non-English languages spoke in the region.
Hard copy forms and instructions can also be mailed upon request. Members of the public can also access complaint forms and instructions at Metro’s Congress / Elm Street Transit Center, main office located at:
114 Valley Street
Portland, ME 04102
Verbal Complaints
In the case where a complainant is unable or incapable of providing a written statement, a verbal complaint of discrimination may be made to the Transportation Manager. Under these circumstances, the complainant will be interviewed, and the Transportation Manager will assist the complainant in converting the verbal allegations into writing.
Find Out More
To find out more about Metro’s non-discrimination procedures or to file a complaint, please call 207-774-0351. Members of the public who believe they have been the subject of discrimination can file a written and signed complaint up to 180 days from the date of the alleged discrimination.
Any individual, group of individuals or entity that believes it has been subjected to discrimination prohibited under Title VI may file a complaint by completing the Metro complaint form. Your complaint must be signed and dated.
Please submit your complaint to the address stipulated below:
Executive Director
Greater Portland Transit District Metro
114 Valley Street
Portland, ME 04102
Phone: 207-774-0351
Metro’s ADA Service Policies for Fixed Route Bus Service
Rev. August 2016
- Bus operators are required to clearly announce time points and major stops.
- All Metro’s bus stops include a large print and color coded sticker indicating the route or routes that serve that bus stop. This is to ensure that bus stops have a means of route identification where more than one bus route serves the location.
- Bus operators are required to request that persons sitting in priority seats and any fold-down seats over the securement area vacate those seats when a person with a disability needs to use them.
- Metro will transport any wheelchair that does not exceed the capacities of its buses and equipment (actual bus capacities will be posted by December 31, 2016).
- Bus operators are required to deploy the lift/ramp at any stop upon request presuming is it safe to do so.
- Bus operators are required to permit any persons using respirators, concentrators or portable oxygen to board and use the bus.
- Bus operators are required to provide passengers with disabilities sufficient time to board and disembark the bus.
- Passengers with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations they deem necessary to use the service. These requests should be made in advance by calling or writing to Metro.
- Passengers are allowed to bring a service animal on board Metro buses.
- Passengers who feel they have been discriminated against, based on a disability, may file a complaint with Metro..
If you have questions or concerns about any of these policies, please contact Metro at 207-774-0351 or info@gpmetro.org
Board of Directors
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program
The Maine Department of Transportation, in partnership with the Eastern Maine Development Corporation, administers a certification program for DBE vendors.
If you would like more information about how to become a certified DBE vendor, please visit the EMDC website at https://www.mainedbe.com/become-certified/
Equal Opportunity Employment
The Greater Portland Transit District (Metro) affirms its commitment to treat all applicants for employment and employees equally without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, disability (mental or physical), veterans status, marital status, retaliation or other class prohibited by local, state or federal law. Metro is an equal employment opportunity (EEO) employer. Metro prohibits its employees from discriminating against an applicant for employment or another employee on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, disability (mental or physical), veterans status, marital status, retaliation or other class prohibited by local, state or federal law.
Metro commits to undertaking an affirmative action program consistent with federal laws, court decisions, executive orders and regulations in order to overcome the past effects of discrimination against minorities and women. Local 714 of the Amalgamated Transit Union and Metro are parties to a working agreement.
Passenger Policies
Reasonable Modification Requests
Reasonable Modification Policy and Procedures
Purpose
Ensure that Metro’s public transportation services are provided in as accessible a manner as possible
to persons with disabilities and comply with applicable federal regulations (49 CFR Parts 27 and 37 –
Transportation for Individuals with Disabilities; Reasonable Modification of Policies and Practices).
Policy
Metro will provide reasonable accommodations to policies, practices, or procedures when the
accommodations are necessary to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability unless making the
modifications (1) would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity, or (2) would
result in undue financial and administrative burdens, or (3) without the requested modification, the
individual with a disability is able to fully use the entity’s services, programs, or activities for their
intended purpose.
Procedures
- Metro will ensure information about this policy and process is readily available to the public,
including individuals with disabilities. At a minimum, Metro will post this policy on its website,
and will conduct outreach to appropriate groups and organizations. Materials will
note that this policy can be made available in accessible formats. - Persons with disabilities who would like to make a reasonable accommodation request are asked to
complete the Reasonable Modification Form and submit to Metro’s Transit Manager.
Metro asks the following of individuals making a request:
a. Make request in advance of desired change in policy or practice;
b. Please be as specific as possible about how a current policy or practice creates a barrier to
your use of Metro’s public transit system;
c. Please recommend the reasonable modification you would like Metro to consider.
Metro will make every effort accommodate immediate reasonable accommodation requests for
situations in which a potential immediate and present barrier to using public transit. In these
situations, passengers are asked to contact Metro at 207-774-0351. - Within three (3) business days, Metro’s Transit Manager will review the request and make a
determination as to whether Metro can grant the request. He/she will specify the exact nature of
the accommodation on the Reasonable Modification Form. Within five (5) business days, the
determination and action will be communicated to the requestor along with all appropriate
personnel including dispatchers, bus operators, customer service staff and the Chief Transportation
Officer.
114 Valley Street | Portland, ME 04102
info@gpmetro.org | 207-774-0351 - Passengers are advised that Metro may deny reasonable accommodation requests on the following
grounds:
a. The request would result in a fundamental alteration of the Metro’s services.
b. Fulfilling the request would create a direct threat to the health and safety of others, including (but not limited to) Metro personnel, other passengers or the general public.
c. The requested modification would not be necessary to permit the passenger to use Metro’s services for their intended purpose in a nondiscriminatory fashion.
Surveillance Cameras
The METRO policy governing the purpose and use of visual and audio on board surveillance cameras includes:
Purpose: The purpose of the use of surveillance cameras is to promote more efficient, safe, convenient, economical and friendly public transportation for the District and its passengers.
Disclosure: Notices of audio and visual surveillance shall be posted both inside and outside District busses. Notices shall be posted in a conspicuous area for all METRO employees and on the METRO website.
Use of audio and visual records: Historical records of visual and audio surveillance shall be maintained and kept in a secure area. Historical data shall be maintained for a period of time determined by management and shall be properly labeled to insure the integrity of such records. Such records shall be kept confidential.
Viewing of surveillance data: Management shall review data randomly and to view such occurrences as warranted such as on board and traffic accidents, passenger complaints, proper passenger pass count and fare collection and maintenance issues, etc. The viewing of data shall take place in a private setting and shall only viewed by appropriate management staff.