Green Mountain Transit to resume fare collection next year

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - After a long pause on rider fares during the pandemic, Green Mountain Transit says it will charge customers again next year.

Fares on the bus service in Chittenden County will return in January. GMT, which began offering free service in March 2020, relied heavily on American Rescue Plan Act and additional funding from the state.

GMT General Manager Clayton Clark says as those funding mechanisms dry out, operating costs continue to rise. “We had a choice of preserving our current level of service or reducing service and we thought that preserving the level of service is what makes sense. And in order for us to get there financially, the return of fares is what we had to do,” he said.

What those fares will be should be announced this fall. GMT is bracing to lose 16% of ridership. Between now and January, they will upgrade fare collection systems.

Clark says they will also be taking public comments on the coming changes.

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