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Council presses for numbers as potential cuts to Green Mountain Transit Route 4 threaten paratransit service
Summary
Councilors and the city manager discussed options to preserve Green Mountain Transit’s Route 4 after staff said keeping the current 50 runs/week schedule leaves a $112,000 gap while a reduced 26-run option creates a $58,000 shortfall. GMT warned that eliminating the fixed route would also end linked ADA paratransit for roughly 78 riders.
Essex Junction city leaders spent the bulk of their June 10 meeting pressing for clearer cost allocations and partner commitments after city staff outlined a funding shortfall to preserve Green Mountain Transit’s Route 4. City Manager Regina summarized the memo that said maintaining the route at its current service level (about 50 runs per week) would leave an estimated $112,000 gap; a reduced service model of roughly 26 runs per week would reduce that gap to about $58,000.
Green Mountain Transit’s general manager, Clayton, told the council that the fixed-route service and ADA/paratransit service are linked, and that cuts to the fixed route would remove the paratransit coverage that many residents rely on. “If this fixed route number 4 service is eliminated, so is that paratransit service,” Clayton said, warning that riders who rely on accessible service would face sharply reduced mobility options. He later added that “for that circle, there’s 78 people that get ADA pickup” who would need other arrangements if service changes proceed.
Councilors asked staff to produce more granular cost scenarios and outreach to partner jurisdictions before GMT’s board meets June 16. Several councilors said they were willing, for now, to honor the amount the city already budgeted for Route 4 even if the service were reduced, while acknowledging that the town of Essex and the Essex Westford School District must weigh in and that the town of Essex is reportedly considering withdrawing from GMT later this year. Councilors emphasized the legal and operational complexity of cutting fixed routes while preserving ADA service, and asked staff to model options — including whether the reduced schedule could preserve a practical span of ADA coverage for workers and medical appointments.
Public commenters, including a disabled resident who uses paratransit, told the council the change would cause real hardship. The council directed staff to pursue partner conversations, quantify obligations under the city’s existing assessment and return with clear numbers before any final commitment is made.
