Sandy Thibault, executive director of the Chittenden Area Transportation Management Association (CATMA), told the Vermont House Transportation Committee on April 18, 2025, that CATMA seeks statutory recognition of transportation demand management (TDM), dedicated funding for public transit and TDM programs, and continued investment in micromobility as the region grows.

Thibault summarized CATMA’s history and reach, saying the organization was founded in 1992 by Champlain College, the University of Vermont and the UVM Medical Center and in 2015 expanded membership to employers and developers across Chittenden County. "We serve as a gateway in Chittenden County between employers, developers, service providers and municipalities to plan, manage and implement transportation demand management programming," Thibault said.

The organization reports serving roughly 15,000 employees and 15,000 students through member institutions and about 1,400 residents through developer members. CATMA partnered with Go Vermont in July 2023 to launch a county-focused trip-recording app; Thibault said that data from members who record trips on the app aligns with broader county trends found in American Community Survey data.

Thibault reviewed results from CATMA’s annual employer and student surveys, reporting a 25% response rate from employees and a 16% response rate from students. Survey findings cited by Thibault included a 2024 employee drive-alone rate of about 61% (slightly down from 2023) and a drive-alone rate for off-campus students of about 30% (down from 37% in 2023). She contrasted those figures with the American Community Survey, which shows Vermont’s drive-alone rate at about 73% and Chittenden County at about 66%.

On micromobility, Thibault told the committee that national operator Bird is not returning to the Burlington–South Burlington–Winooski area this spring for economic reasons. CATMA led prior local bike-share efforts and said a dockless Bird deployment produced a roughly 300% increase in ridership compared with earlier docked, sponsor-based systems. "It was overwhelmingly well received by our community to have that transportation option," Thibault said, adding CATMA and partners will review past data to recommend a future model.

Thibault highlighted CATMA programs employers and members use to encourage alternatives to single‑occupant vehicles: guaranteed-ride-home arrangements (available statewide through Go Vermont/VTrans), bike‑and‑walk rewards, car‑share subsidies in partnership with CarShare Vermont, trip planning and employer outreach. She noted that some institutions — including UVM and Champlain College — have invested heavily in transit benefits for faculty and staff, and that a number of employers subsidize transit for employees.

Committee members asked about gaps in service to employment centers and the difficulty for employers with limited transit access to join or benefit from CATMA. Thibault said CATMA has a staff of fewer than four and is updating a five‑year strategic plan; she described the transportation coordinator network as one tool to gather employer needs and share best practices. She said CATMA can serve as a central contact for employers but lacks the staffing and funding to expand statewide without additional resources.

On legislative priorities, Thibault asked that the House consider adding a statutory definition of transportation demand management into the state transportation bill, identifying durable funding sources for public transit and TDM (including e‑bikes and related infrastructure), and investing in maintenance of public transit while lawmakers explore long‑term funding options. She said CATMA is a member of the Transportation for Vermonters Coalition and urged committee members to consider employer engagement as part of any statutory approach.

Thibault closed by inviting committee members to CATMA’s fourth annual Transportation Summit on Oct. 14, 2025, at the UVM Davis Center and said CATMA will continue to analyze bike-share data and work with partners to develop a sustainable micromobility model for Chittenden County.

Ending — The committee did not take formal action during the presentation; members used the time for questions about service frequency, employer participation and the status of prior bill language that would have required larger employers to plan for TDM. Thibault said CATMA would follow up on the history of the removed employer provision and can share additional data on membership and program costs on request.