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GMT officials brief council on transfer of Washington County service to Tri Valley Transit; local funding levels questioned
Summary
Green Mountain Transit and partners told the council that Washington County rural service will transfer to Tri Valley Transit on July 1 and urged continued municipal support; GMT representatives warned that a proposed cut from $38,400 to $12,500 in local contribution would necessitate service adjustments and asked for clearer fair‑share calculations.
Representatives from Green Mountain Transit (GMT) and Central Mountain Regional Planning Commission briefed the council on an organizational transfer that will move Washington County rural transit service to Tri Valley Transit (TBT) on July 1.
Monica White (S7), director of Central Mountain Services for GMT, described service types (fixed‑route, commuter, midday, and demand‑response) and noted that, in state fiscal year 2025, the fixed‑route services that directly serve Barre transported nearly 100,000 passengers and the demand‑response service booked about 7,000 rides in the Barrie ZIP area. "Riders should only notice improvements in service along with new logos," White said; she added that local volunteers and newly hired TBT staff will be critical to maintaining access for older and disabled riders and for Medicaid‑linked trips.
Council members pressed GMT and planning staff about a municipal funding discrepancy: staff had proposed reducing Barre’s local match from about $38,401 to $12,500. GMT representatives said local match is a critical component of federal funding formulas and that abrupt cuts could force service reductions or other operational tradeoffs. Christian Meyer (S14) and GMT staff said they will update the council with refreshed fair‑share calculations and suggested that TBT’s local outreach and volunteer driver program could increase local match capacity.
Councilors generally signaled that they do not want to cut transit funding while the service is recovering and transitioning. The council requested more detailed ridership breakdowns and a clearer explanation of how municipal contributions relate to local service levels before making a final funding decision during the budget process.
