Green Mountain Transit seeks special assessment as service reductions and Route 11 changes loom

Green Mountain Transit officials told the Burlington City Council Transportation, Energy & Utilities Committee the agency is asking municipal partners to approve a special assessment that would raise up to $308,000 across GMT urban members, with Burlington’s share estimated at $170,000.

Clayton, a Green Mountain Transit staff member, said the special assessment is intended to fund three items: driver buyouts (about $240,000 in the initial estimate), payment to the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission for assessment reform work (up to $50,000) and funds to support lobbying at the statehouse. “I’m not able to provide you with certainty right now about how much we will need from the special assessment,” Clayton told the committee, citing uncertainty about whether GMT and the Teamsters union will agree to buyouts or instead proceed with layoffs.

The request comes as GMT faces an estimated shortfall (staff cited roughly $1.2 million at the time of the meeting) and potential service reductions. GMT staff said any reduction in force would take effect in June 2025 if outside revenue is not secured. Clayton said preliminary votes from three of eight municipalities had approved the…