Planning commission backs staff-drafted letter urging support to save Green Mountain Transit service

The South Burlington Planning Commission voted unanimously to move forward with a staff-drafted letter urging Green Mountain Transit (GMT) and regional partners to prioritize transit choices that maintain access for residents, workers and students.

Paul (staff member) presented a packet that included a draft letter and data analysis produced with consultant VHB and GMT partners. He told the commission that short-term budget pressures could force off-peak reductions and potentially eliminate Route 11 (the Kennedy Drive/airport link), and that the draft letter is intended as a foundational statement about why transit matters to the city’s climate and land-use goals. "The present short term service reductions ... would make some off-peak hour reductions along the main routes, and, importantly for us would eliminate the 11 altogether," Paul said.

Commissioners asked questions about what the letter should achieve and whether the city and school board would issue complementary statements. Commissioner Donna said the city’s approach should emphasize increasing ridership, not just protecting routes: "Steady ridership is often employer based and because they can incentivize it too," she said. Online participant Michelle Corpus asked whether the staff had surveyed potential riders; Paul replied that GMT has done county-wide outreach but that the city has not performed a focused local market study yet.

After discussion, the commission made and seconded a motion to move the letter forward; the chair called the question and recorded the vote as unanimous. Staff said the letter is not binding policy but is intended to inform council and regional partners as they respond to GMT's November planning deadline and any state-level actions.