Transportation as a catalyst: Aging Vermont needs a better public transit network

By Aidan Schonbrun, published by the Saint Albans Messenger on July 19th, 2024

FRANKLIN COUNTY –  Tracey Shamberger, director of communications for senior resource agency Age Well, has seen first-hand the positive impact of public transportation. 

A senior client was unable to drive, but still wanted to leave the house and attend a community event. Shamberger connected her with public transportation that was able to fill the gap. 

Weeks later, Shamberger said the woman ended her social isolation by making friends. 

“That single resource has now given her the opportunity to health and wellness and have a group of friends,” Shamberger said. “The transportation was the catalyst. She wasn’t able to go to that program unless she had transportation.”

In Franklin County, this story is not unique. Older adults and working people are in need of affordable transportation options that connect rural communities.

Public transportation in Franklin County 

Between Burlington and St. Albans, Green Mountain Transit provides the #96 LINK bus four times a day Monday to Friday. The bus services about 64 passengers per work week, ranking it the fifth busiest out of the fourteen commuter bus routes GMT runs across the state. 

Jamie Smith, director of planning and marketing at GMT, said population density differences between rural and urban communities place large challenges on creating a robust service. 

 “In an urban community, there is quite a bit of density, meaning that a bus can travel main corridors and serve many people,” Smith said. “In rural communities, people are more dispersed which means we need more vehicles to serve fewer people. The cost to provide that level of service is high.”

Inside St. Albans itself, GMT provides smaller shuttles through its #110 St. Albans Downtown shuttle service 6 days a week including Saturdays. According to GMT, the downtown shuttle is the second highest ridden Rural Local route statewide. It averages 73 passengers per weekday and 39 per weekend. 

However, commuter public transportation is not limited to the bus. 

Read the full article on the Saint Albans Messenger website.