CHEBEAGUE ISLAND — The island’s ferry service is offering parking and round-trip ticket discounts to non-residents.

Starting late last month, the Chebeague Transportation Company made day-pass tickets available on its website, chebeaguetrans.com. The tickets are discounted and good for a 24-hour period, and include parking and round-trip ferry transportation to the island.

Adult tickets and parking are $10 each, a 33-percent discount from prices for both if bought in person at the time of travel. Round-trip tickets for children are $2, down from $3.

Parking is allowed at a lot on Route 1 in Cumberland, near the Yarmouth town line. The service is only offered for round trips that start from the mainland.

CTC General Manager Carol Sabasteanski said the new service is meant to make travel to the island more affordable for families and friends of Chebeague residents.

After she became manager last October, Sabasteanski said she took a survey of the Chebeague community, “and one of the things that came up a lot (was) that friends and family of people living on Chebeague really had a hard time affording coming over for the day, or overnight, because of the fares.”

She noted that the initiative is also intended to attract more day visitors to the island. The 24-hour pass can be used by bicyclists, golfers and other people who want to visit the island for the day or overnight.

Bringing a bicycle or a pet costs an extra $3.

The online discounted tickets have proven quite popular, Sabasteanski said, noting that “we hope to continue it.”

A shuttle bus brings visitors from the parking lot to the ferry launch at Cousins Island in Yarmouth. Bus and ferry schedules and directions to the parking lot are at chebeaguetrans.com.

Alex Lear can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 113 or alear@theforecaster.net.

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