Regional planners pitch phased "next-generation" transit to expand service by 2028

The Southwest Regional Planning Commission presented a phased plan to expand transit across the region and to stand up a new, “next‑generation” system by fiscal 2028 that would double current ridership and introduce on‑demand microtransit alongside existing services.

The plan would roll out in phases based on funding and local political support and could either supplant or augment today’s fixed‑route service. Presenter, Southwest Regional Planning Commission, told the Selectboard the initial phase would target a core employment and population area that includes parts of Keene, Swansea and other nearby communities and that later phases would add on‑demand, app‑based service subsidized by federal funds and other contributions.

Why it matters: the proposal would change how public transit is delivered in the region, shifting from mainly volunteer or nonprofit‑run van services to a larger, centrally managed system that the commission says would serve more riders and job centers.

Key details: the presenter said the system is intended to “more than double the number of users” and that planners are already talking with potential operators and sponsors. The presentation named Home Health Care, Hospice and Community Services (HCS) as an existing operator in the region; HCS currently runs 12‑ and 16‑passenger buses for some services, collects about $15,000 a year in rider fares, and relies in part on volunteer drivers, the presenter said. The commission estimates the current system costs roughly $750,000 annually and said the new service would increase that cost.

Selectboard members and other attendees pressed planners on how the service would be funded and who would be asked to pay. A Selectboard member asked whether the microtransit model would require taxation “from towns that are not going to be served” and whether county‑level subsidies would be necessary. The presenter said the commission would ask only some municipalities to contribute initially — specifically naming Swansea, Keene and Marlborough as likely early contributors — and that the commission would approach the county for additional support.

Other operational questions raised during the public discussion included whether potential operators were fully staffed to expand service, fare levels (one speaker said per‑ride costs would likely be "$1 or $2" for riders under some models), and whether a centralized call center would be maintained for riders who do not use an app. The presenter said technical assistance would be provided to the operator when the system launches and that the commission has advisory input from local stakeholders.

No formal vote or decision was recorded in the provided transcript. Planners framed the presentation as informational and as an early step toward building funding and governance arrangements.

What comes next: the commission expects to continue outreach to towns, operators and funders as it develops the phased rollout; the presenter set fiscal 2028 as a goal to stand up the system but said timing will depend on funding and local commitments.