Regional public transportation provider to be honored at May 9 event
 
DOVER—Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation, more commonly known as COAST, has been selected as Nonprofit of the Year by the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce. The announcement was made on April 16 and the award will be given at the chamber’s 2024 Annual Awards Gala on May 9.
 
COAST’s mission is to champion and provide customer-focused public transportation with a commitment to excellence in safety and service. Since 1982, the Dover-based COAST has provided more than 16 million rides to workers, older adults, students, people living with disabilities and others in the greater Seacoast region, linking them to work, school, medical appointments, shopping, social events, and support services. The organization prides itself on providing customer-focused public transportation with a commitment to safety and service.
 
COAST connects people and communities in two primary ways: with fixed route buses that serve 10 communities; and by providing demand response services for older adults and individuals with disabilities in 13 communities in the greater Seacoast region of New Hampshire and Maine.

“It is an incredible honor for the hard work of all our staff and board members to be recognized, and to receive this Nonprofit of the Year award. COAST is the common thread that runs through the greater Seacoast and for more than 40 years, we’ve connected people at every stage of life with the opportunities they need to succeed and contribute,” said Rad Nichols, executive director of COAST.
 
“As we celebrate Earth Day this month, it’s also worth noting that we’re an important part of reducing air pollution in the Seacoast. Last year, COAST kept an estimated 1.5 million pounds of carbon out of the atmosphere while also reducing congestion on the roads. Given this year’s growth in our ridership, we expect to be well over 2 million pounds of air pollution being avoided by our riders,” he continued.
 
In addition to the fixed route and demand response services, COAST also operates TripLink, a regional transportation call center that is an information and referral resource and takes trip requests on behalf of COAST, Community Action Partnership of Strafford County, Community Rides, Ready Rides, and Rockingham Nutrition & Meals on Wheels. TripLink serves eastern Rockingham County, all of Strafford County, and the two southernmost communities in Carroll County.

COAST also serves as the fiscal home of commuteSMART Seacoast, the regional Transportation Management Association (TMA), formed in 2013 and comprised of employer members. CommuteSMART’s mission is to promote smart commuting options—carpooling, vanpooling, taking transit, bicycling, walking, and teleworking—that support a more livable and economically vibrant greater Seacoast community. May 1 will mark the start of the 10^th annual B2B Commuter Challenge on the Seacoast. Employees can sign up with their coworkers to participate at www.commuteSMARTseacoast.org. As in past years, the monthlong event will culminate in an awards ceremony, recognizing companies reaching the pinnacle of smart commuting in the Challenge.

“COAST is our Nonprofit of the Year for so many reasons,” said Margaret Joyce, president of the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce. “The organization sits at the nexus between all the elements of our region—economic, social, and environmental. COAST’s impact as a service provider, a partner, an employer, and a leader statewide are what really distinguishes them. We’re so pleased to be able to shine a light on all the good work they do on behalf of all of us.”
 
For more information about COAST, please visit www.coastbus.org. Details about the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce 2024 Annual Awards Gala can be found at www.dovernh.org.
 
About COAST
The Cooperative Alliance for Seacoast Transportation, more commonly known as COAST, is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization and an innovative leader in providing a broad range of public transportation services, connecting and coordinating a robust network of options for everyone.
 
COAST’s mission is to champion and provide customer-focused public transportation with a commitment to excellence in safety and service.
 
COAST’s annual operating budget ranges between $7.5 and $8.0M. As a nonprofit, COAST’s budget is funded through a blend of sources including federal, state, and local sources. Federal funding is generally required to be matched with state or local funds, most of which COAST secures through the municipalities we provide service within, charitable contributions from businesses, individuals, and foundations as well as through specific service agreements, and advertising on the buses and in the bus shelters. To learn more visit www.coastbus.org.
 

---

DISCLAIMER: The above content wasn't created by, but is being shared by the Chamber Collaborative on behalf of a member.