Green Mountain Transit 鈥� the state鈥檚 largest public transit system that operates buses throughout most of northwest and central Vermont 鈥� has not seen a decline in ridership since reinstating bus fares last spring.
Clayton Clark, GMT鈥檚 general manager, told lawmakers in the House Transportation Committee on Tuesday that the transit provider was originally projecting a 15% drop in ridership when it reinstated fares. Clark noted that that projection was based on if GMT went back to its cash-based fare system.
Instead, data collected by the agency shows ridership rose by 1%.
"We鈥檙e really happy that since returning to fares we have not seen a ridership decrease,鈥� he said.
Clark said that bump could be due to the new electronic fare system on GMT buses, which is more user friendly than the old cash system and accepts electronic payments.
GMT went fare-free in March 2020 when the pandemic hit, and federal funding helped keep the system free in the years following. Fares returned in May 2024.
In recent years, GMT has faced financial troubles, in part because of a pandemic-era decrease in riders, which has promoted the agency to pare back service. In December, service was reduced on nine routes.
More reductions are coming. Clark outlined a series of service cuts slated to go into effect in March and June, which will save GMT about $500,000.
In March, GMT will reduce the number of daily trips of the Montpelier LINK from 11 to 7. Then, in June, the Milton Commuter and St. Albans LINK services will consolidate. Cutting commuter service makes sense, Clark said, because while ridership has largely rebounded in Chittenden County, on commuter routes it is averaging about half of what it was pre-pandemic.
Further cuts are expected in June, but Clark told lawmakers no routes will be eliminated. GMT will decrease service on Sundays and during the summer in Chittenden County, reroute the long under-performing #10 route that travels between Williston and Essex, and half the frequency of the city loop route in Burlington.
Clark said GMT was expecting to have to make more cuts and possibly lay off workers this year, but the Scott administration unexpectedly boosted its funding in his budget proposal. The budget has not been finalized by lawmakers yet.
Going into fiscal year 2027, Clark said GMT is facing a $3 million funding gap. It鈥檚 one reason the transit service wants to and focus on its routes in Chittenden County.
鈥淚 think one of the things that GMT is going to have to do 鈥� if we don鈥檛 resolve this funding 鈥� is that we鈥檙e going to have to decide whether we鈥檙e focused on getting commuters to work or helping people with human services get services that they need,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure we鈥檒l be able to do both."
GMT provided about 2.7 million rides in fiscal year 2024.
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