Transportation

Stay mobile with COA’s student-driven shuttle services:

Night Bus

The Night Bus operates from 7:30–11:30 p.m. when school is in session, providing a convenient loop between campus and various locations around Bar Harbor.

Winter Term Day Bus

The Winter Term Day Bus runs each morning from 7:00–11:00 a.m., offering students reliable transportation to and from campus, town, and essential local services.

Schedules, routes, and updates are shared at the start of each term.

Biking is one of the best ways to get around Bar Harbor!

Bike registration

All bikes must be registered through this form. You’ll receive a sticker for identification.

Bike parking

Bike parking is easy and accessible, with racks located near nearly every building on campus. For long-term storage, covered bike sheds are available at Blair/Tyson and the Kathryn W. Davis Village.

Safety tip: Use locks, especially overnight.

Bike routes

Cyclists may use the Eden Street multi-use path between COA and downtown—just watch for pedestrians!

If you plan to have a car on campus, here’s what you need to know:

Vehicle registration

• Students must register vehicles every academic year.
• Faculty/staff register once per car.

Parking permits

Issued by the Office of Public Safety after completing the Parking Contract.

ADA permits

Available upon request.

Additional guidelines

• Park in the North Lot if not using your car for more than a week.
• Vehicles must not idle for more than five minutes.
• Special snow parking rules apply—check the Snow Parking Map each winter.

Updated May 2024 by the All College Meeting

Parking Regulations

• All COA community members wishing to park their vehicles on campus must register their vehicles with the Office of Public Safety. Students must register their vehicles annually. Staff, faculty, visiting instructors, need only register once per vehicle. Registration is required within the first seven days of the fall term, or within seven days of any term in which the owner/driver of the vehicle becomes a COA community member. Summer program participants will be granted temporary parking passes for the time period of the given program by the summer program staff.
• COA community members are expected to park in designated parking spaces only.
• Due to limited parking availability, students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to consider their need prior to bringing a vehicle to campus. Information will be shared by email on beginning and end of term shuttle services.
• Parking at Turrets is reserved for deliveries, visitors and accessible parking only with limited spaces for faculty/staff.
• Parking behind Kaelber Hall is limited to deliveries and accessible parking only. One space in this area is designated for kitchen staff to accommodate frequent trips for supplies.
• Parking in front of the garages at Davis and Witchcliff is reserved for accessible parking and deliveries only. No parking is permitted in the circular drives.
• Deliveries in areas that are designated as such in this plan, are limited to ten minutes or less, and must honor the no-idle policy.
• Overnight/residential parking is located in the lots south of Deering Way. No overnight parking is permitted elsewhere.
• ADA space is available near all major buildings. ADA accessible permits are available from the Office of Public Safety.
• No parking is allowed on the road to, or at the turn around area near, the COA pier. Vehicles using this facility for loading or off-loading must be moved to a designated parking space immediately after completing the task.
• The feature strip of pavers and cobbles by the Whale Skull is designated as a drop-off and pick-up area only: No parking. Vehicles may pull off in this area for a maximum of five minutes, and must be out of the road when stopped.
• Electric vehicle charging stations are for electric vehicles only. Vehicles must be moved to a parking space once charging is complete.
• Bus/van parking is limited to the North lot.
• Any driver who will be away from COA for more than a week who wishes to leave their vehicle on campus must receive approval from the Office of Public Safety and agree to certain conditions before being allowed to do so.
• COA maintenance and service vehicles, as well as contracted service vehicles, are expected to honor the intent of this plan. Though these vehicles may need to park in restricted areas for short periods of time, if they are not being used for direct service, they must be moved to a designated parking space.
• Any community member who is planning to invite guests to the campus is asked to inform them of the campus parking plan.

Snow Management Plan:

During snow events a weather alert will be posted via email from the Office of Public Safety. With the occurrence of such an event, a campus-wide overnight parking lot ban will be in effect as follows:

• Overnight parking is allowed only on the south end of campus.
• Overnight is defined as the hours between 12:01 am and 7:00 am.
• Vehicles parked elsewhere on campus may be towed at the owner’s expense.
• After an announcement that the parking ban has been lifted, all vehicles must be moved to a plowed parking lot as soon as possible. Vehicles not moved within 24 hours may be towed to a plowed lot at the owner’s expense.

No-idle policy:

Vehicles, whether for delivery or otherwise, parked on the COA campus are not allowed to idle for more than five minutes.

Enforcement:

Owners of vehicles found parked in violation of this parking plan will receive written notice with an explanation describing the nature of the violation. A record of the infringement will be filed in the Office of Public Safety. Upon a second violation, the owner of the vehicle will receive a notice explaining the nature of the violation, and warning that a third violation will result in the vehicle being towed at the owner’s expense. A third violation may result in the vehicle being
towed, at the owner’s expense, as soon as the call is made. A fourth violation by the same owner will be considered habitual and may result in forfeiture of the right to park at COA.

Exceptions to the two-warning system include blocking a roadway, fire lane, turn-around, ADA accessible parking space or ramp, or failure to register. Parking in any of these locations will result in the vehicle being towed at the owner’s expense without warning.

Any questions or concerns regarding this plan, or other parking related issues, may be brought to the Office of Public Safety at ext. 5690.

Downeast Transportation

Downeast Transportation provides reliable, year-round bus service between Bar Harbor and Ellsworth, offering seven daily runs that make it easy for students to get off campus when needed. Riders can simply flag the bus at COA or arrange a pick-up in advance. The service also includes a daily route to Bangor, with a morning departure and afternoon return, making it convenient for appointments, shopping, or travel connections.

Fares are affordable and must be paid in exact change. The Bar Harbor–Ellsworth route is $6 round-trip, while the Bar Harbor–Bangor route is $9 for a same-day round-trip ticket.

Island Explorer

The Island Explorer is a free and environmentally friendly bus network that runs throughout Mount Desert Island. Operating from late June through Columbus Day, it’s a popular option for exploring Acadia National Park, visiting surrounding towns, or getting around the island without a car. The service is especially convenient during the summer and early fall when traffic and parking can be challenging.