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Green Mountain Transit outlines draft plan to cut service as budget gap narrows
Summary
Green Mountain Transit presented a draft plan identifying about $3 million in potential service reductions, staged between late 2024 and June 2025; GMT says the gap has recently been closer to $2 million and will refine proposals after public hearings and conversations with municipalities and partners.
Chris Damiani of Green Mountain Transit presented the agency’s Draft Service Reduction Plan to the Chittenden County Transportation Advisory Committee on Sept. 3, saying the plan identifies roughly $3 million in potential savings while noting the budget gap has recently been described as closer to $2 million. "We used relief funds to support service during the pandemic, but those funds will expire this fall," Damiani said, explaining why the agency is considering phased cuts.
GMT said it used 2023 VTrans route performance data and surveys of riders, staff, board members and municipal staff to evaluate where service reductions would least harm transit‑dependent riders. Damiani said the draft prioritizes local weekday service and routes with higher reliance on reduced‑fare riders, and that changes would be phased: some adjustments could take effect before November 2024, others in November–December 2024 and February–March 2025, with the most impactful changes beginning in June 2025.
Committee members asked how GMT would account for equity and paratransit impacts. According to Damiani, the analysis compared routes by fare type and ridership and GMT is aware some ADA paratransit impacts could result from service reductions. Members also asked whether school districts could partner to reduce impacts for students; Damiani said GMT has had conversations with the South Burlington School District and is open to further coordination.
Damiani emphasized that the draft target savings figure could change and that GMT will take feedback from public hearings and consultations with municipalities, VTrans and other partners before finalizing any service changes. For details and public‑hearing dates, GMT posted materials at https://ridegmt.com/service-reductions/ and https://ridegmt.com/public-hearings/.
The presentation and committee questions focused on two planning tensions: the need to close a looming operating shortfall and the desire to protect service for riders who have few alternatives. The committee did not take a formal vote on GMT’s plan; members were invited to provide input and attend GMT public hearings.
