New Bus Route to Start in Fall

by Amy Kolb Noyes

The proposed Morrisville to Waterbury bus route has been funded and may
start rolling as soon as October 1. That is also the date the local
Morrisville bus service will change operators, from Rural Community
Transportation (RCT) to Green Mountain Transit Agency, a subsidiary of
the Chittenden County Transportation Authority.
RCT Director Mary Grant assured the News & Citizen Lamoille County will
not loose any transportation services in the transition of transit
service providers. RCT will continue to operate the Morrisville bus,
including the Morrisville to Stowe run, until October 1. In the
meantime, Grant said GMTA will analyze the service for possible route
adjustments after the October 1 change-over.
GMTA will take over the Morrisville route and anticipates starting
multiple daily trips to Waterbury beginning October 1. While that is the
date funding becomes available and GMTA Executive Director Chris Cole
said he intends to start the new commuter route at that time, Cole added
he hesitates to place an exact date on when the Waterbury route will be
up and running. The Waterbury bus route will connect to the Link
Express, that runs from Montpelier to Burlington. Area residents will be
able to take the bus from Morrisville to Burlington for three dollars.
Grant said although state funding will shift from RCT to GMTA for the
above services, RCT will still operate its other Lamoille County
Services until July 2005. Those services include special transportation
services for the elderly and disabled, including Medicaid and Out &
About transportation. Grant said GMTA will be taking a look at those
"5310 services" to see if it will be taking over those trips as well
come the end of the next fiscal year.
Grant assured, "Lamoille is still going to have 100% service. Period.
End of Discussion."
Cole noted his agency has also taken over operations of the Stowe
Trolley service. He said GMTA sees some great opportunities to provide
connections between its services.
"We are very excited about the opportunity to serve public
transportation needs in Lamoille County," said Cole.
In addition to the GMTA Morrisville to Waterbury route, CCTA received
state funding to implement commuter links between Swanton and Burlington
and between Middlebury and Burlington.
"It's all intended to make connections," said Cole.
Lamoille County Planning Commission Sr. Transportation Planner David
Pelletier noted, "We've been trying to work towards this Morrisville to
Waterbury commuter service for a number of years and we're thrilled to
see the right mix of providers come together to make it happen...It's
good to see it come to fruition at this point."