Rural Community Transportation (RCT) and Tri Valley Transit (TVT) are taking over a swath of rural public transit services from Green Mountain Transit (GMT), officials told the Transportation House Committee, with some transfers already in effect and others scheduled for later this year.

"Ross McDonald, public transit program manager at VTrans, said the work is the culmination of a two‑year legislative study and that VTrans contracted consultants and assigned a coordinator to manage transfers across GMT, TVT and RCT," said Ross McDonald. The process, McDonald said, includes rewriting grant and award arrangements to match the new operating structure.

Caleb Grant of Rural Community Transportation said RCT accelerated the move: "On January 1, we officially made the transition to be the provider for Franklin," and RCT plans to transition Stowe Mountain Road service and the Chittenden County O&D (origin‑destination) subcontract on July 1, pending VTrans grant applications. Grant told the committee that 100% of GMT employees who were offered positions accepted and that RCT will begin union negotiations immediately for the nine drivers who joined the new unit.

Tri Valley Transit Executive Director Jim Moulton told the committee TVT will assume Washington County service on July 1 and is integrating GMT staff into its transition committee. Moulton highlighted work on an MOU with Sugarbush for local fiscal support and said TVT will use available grant funds to deploy electric vehicles in Washington County operations.

Committee members pressed presenters on how success will be measured. Presenters said quantitative KPIs — such as number and types of trips provided and measurable efficiency gains — will be established and reported; Tri Valley Transit said it will run a baseline rider satisfaction survey in March and use ongoing O&D surveys to track changes going forward. Ross McDonald and RCT staff said VTrans awarded planning funds to RCT to conduct a system‑wide efficiency study to set KPIs and baseline metrics.

Presenters also described operational and technology hurdles: Caleb Grant cited issues moving older software licenses and SIM‑card/phone transitions, and Ross McDonald noted a VTrans‑assisted DMV transfer of 22 vehicles that required unexpected coordination. Committee members heard that provider consolidation has reduced the number of regional providers from about 13 to roughly six, a change proponents say will lower some administrative overhead.

Speakers emphasized retaining local staff and minimizing rider disruption. "It’s the same drivers in the same vehicles," Grant said, noting only uniform and plate color changes for many users. But he acknowledged short‑term operational changes — different voices on call centers, slight timing shifts — could create friction that will require outreach, community hearings and customer surveys.

No formal votes were taken. The committee set follow‑ups: presenters will provide KPI proposals and the group plans to revisit the transition status at a future meeting in May. The committee also noted a local Franklin County delegation community breakfast (Jan. 26) as an early forum for constituent questions.

Reporting from the hearing: VTrans will continue coordinating grant applications for FY cycles, RCT and TVT will finalize operational and IT transitions ahead of July 1 transfers, and Tri Valley Transit will begin baseline rider surveys in March to measure before/after performance.