is asking every public transit agency in the state to make cuts to next year鈥檚 budgets.
VTrans recently released its annual which is where the state makes projections about ridership and funding for next year.
And according to Public Transit Program Coordinator Daniel Currier, there is a $1.5 million shortfall in what the transit agencies need to keep service at its current level.
鈥淚t looks like we are going to be short on our budget based on what we鈥檝e requested in the Transportation Bill, and what we can project for costs in 鈥�26,鈥� Currier said. 鈥淏ecause of the increase in operations, and a level-funded budget, it鈥檚 impossible for us to keep all the service operating across the state.鈥�
Currier said the state鈥檚 seven transit agencies are contending with rising health care costs, along with a jump in driver wages, which is being driven by the workforce challenges facing the industry.
Because of the increase in operations, and a level-funded budget, it鈥檚 impossible for us to keep all the service operating across the state.Daniel Currier, VTrans
He also said ridership in most regions is still down following the pandemic, and as state and federal funding has remained level, the costs are up and service will have to be reduced statewide.
鈥淲e have not fully recovered from the COVID pandemic,鈥� Currier said. 鈥淥ur commuter routes are the ones that are really struggling to rebound. They are still at 60% or less of ridership before the pandemic occurred.鈥�
In southern Vermont, , which serves Windham and parts of Windsor counties, will have to cut $225,845 from its budget.
While some agencies are still figuring out where the cuts will come from, Southeast Vermont Transit CEO Randy Schoonmaker said the agency will eliminate the microtransit route in Brattleboro in June, and reduce service between Wilmington and Brattleboro as well as between Wilmington and Bennington.
A service that takes Brattleboro seniors shopping will also be reduced by half.
鈥淭hese are very difficult decisions to make, and we do not take lightly the impact these changes have on the affected riders,鈥� Schoonmaker said. 鈥淎ll possible cost savings have been looked at and implemented besides route cuts. We have no other options at this point.鈥�
