Editor:
    I read with interest “Jersey Tawk” by Sentry editor Ward Peck [May 18], about the lack of coordination among public transportation services in southern Maine. A couple weeks ago, I found myself at work near the Maine Mall and seeking an inexpensive ride to the Portland Jetport. I jumped online figuring I could easily find a So. Po. bus route that would allow me to catch my flight but I was dismayed by two things.  First, I learned that there was no direct service from the mall area to the Jetport (half of which is located in our city), nor from anywhere in our city. In fact, I would have had to catch a South Portland bus into downtown Portland, where another bus would carry me to the Jetport.  I took a cab instead.
    I also discovered that the South Portland bus system is not a member of the Greater Portland Transit District, METRO. Given the proximity it seems only natural that South Portland’s membership would strengthen this system and that South Portland citizens would benefit greatly from joining the regional system. Moreover, with a critical mass of communities, all riders would benefit from an online ‘ride guide’ similar to that found in Boston, DC and other cities that offer passengers options for getting from Point A to Point B.
    An email to Richard Sargent, listed online as the city’s contact for public transportation, has gone unanswered for two weeks. I hope that Mr. Peck’s article calling for a unified public transportation system will garner more of an official response than I was able.
Sincerely,
Taylor Kay
South Portland