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Here's the latest news from the
RELEASE DATE: March 10, 2010 DVTA
ADDS AN EXTRA WEEK OF WINTER SERVICE WEST DOVER – The DVTA’s winter schedule will be extended an extra week to include the Easter holiday weekend instead of the scheduled ending date of March 28th. The
resort and condominium routes will run March 29-April 4, and Good Friday
April 2 will feature full weekend/holiday service and operating hours. All
condo and resort routes end on Easter Sunday at 5:00 pm. The
Route 100 MOOver will run until 11:00 pm nightly through Saturday, April 3rd,
and on April 4th will revert to a 6:00 pm closing.
Monday-Thursday March 29-April 1 will feature the normal 6:45 am start time,
while Friday-Sunday April 2-4 will have a 5:45 am start time. Beginning
Monday, April 5th the MOOver will run from 7:00 am-6:00 pm. The
Wilmington-Brattleboro service will also run its weekend schedule on April
3-4. For more information contact the DVTA at 464-8487 or visit www.moover.com . RELEASE DATE: February 10, 2010 DVTA
SETS RIDERSHIP RECORD DURING DEW TOUR WEEK A
fleet of just 20 buses, ranging in size from 14 to 34 seats, provided 12,295
rides, smashing the previous record of 11,095 set on Saturday, February 5,
2000 during the ESPN Winter X Games. Four drivers hauled over 1,000 riders
each. During
the four-day weekend the DVTA moved 19,372 riders on 12 routes. “Clearly,
our drivers did a great job not only moving huge volumes of people, but
moving them safely and with patience.
For more information contact the DVTA at 464-8487 or visit www.moover.com
.
RELEASE DATE: November 6, 2009
Currently the Route 100 MOOver
from In 2001 state and federal funding was cut and the DVTA drastically reduced weekend and evening service on the Wilmington-West Dover route. Ridership on that route plunged from 98,000 rides in 2001 to 58,000 in 2002. Some late night service was restored in 2007, and ridership climbed back up to 78,000 rides last year despite the still-reduced hours.
This year the Vermont Agency of Transportation, which funds the
state’s 12 public transit agencies, has been able to flex additional
federal funds to transit operators for operating expenses while cutting
state funding. The swapping of some state funds for federal funds puts the
pressure on to manage operating expenses. If the federal funds are not spent
on the correct mix of administrative, maintenance or operating expenses,
they are returned to the state. To avoid that, the DVTA is restoring its
most requested service – midday, weekend/holiday midwinter trips from “This is a first step to restoring all the cuts we’ve made in 2001 and again in 2006” said Randy Schoonmaker, General Manager. “We hope to generate an extra several thousand rides and provide a margin of convenience that is expected in most transit areas. Our region’s guests sometimes expect to step outside and wait a few minutes for a bus like they do at home In our case, that was a long 60-minute wait that has now been cut in half”.
The DVTA will also receive five
new vehicles this fall, two of which are stimulus-funded. Four 34-seat buses
will replace 28-seaters and hold twice that amount with standees for the
peak periods. The new buses have drop chains and diesel particulate filters
to reduce emissions and burn fuel cleaner. The fifth bus is a 14-seater for
the elderly and disabled routes. The DVTA has retired 10 vehicles to old age
in the last two years, but has been able to replace only eight of them. The
company’s 20-bus fleet is considered an average size by In 2008-09 the company set a record for ridership at over 232,589 rides over 16,408 hours of service and 310,935 miles.
BUS
SCHEDULES CHANGE FOR SCHOOL YEAR WEST
DOVER – The DVTA’s fall schedule
begins August 26th as the school year begins in the On
Wednesday, August 26th the East Dover route will start up again,
but will operate only in the afternoons until August 31st when it will
operate its full morning and afternoon schedule. Starting August 31st the
bus leaves Mount Snow Marketplace at 6:15 am, On
Monday August 31st, the August
31st is also the first day of the 6:30 am bus from TVMS to TVHS
to connect with the
For more information contact
the DVTA at 464-8487 or www.moover.com
.
DVTA POSTS RECORD RIDERSHIP, RECEIVES $630k FOR NEW BUSES Winter
season route ridership of 111,320 increased 25%, and the year round local
routes (115,097) increased 1% from ’07-08. The elderly and disabled routes
increased 12% to 5,479 rides. The largest ridership route remains the Route
100 MOOver at 77,510 rides. In
the 1997-98 record year, only 31% of the rides came on local routes, while
in 2009 that percentage was 51%. “Although
not all systems in the state have reported their numbers yet, we believe the
DVTA might be the third highest in Vermont for deviated fixed route rides
behind only Burlington and Rutland”, said DVTA General Manager Randy
Schoonmaker. “Even after the service cuts we’ve made the last two years,
we are fortunate that so many ride and support local public transit”.
Since the company was founded in 1996, it has provided 2,393,255 rides. The
Vermont Agency of Transportation recently awarded the DVTA $630,000 in
capital grant funds to purchase five new buses. Two of those buses are
funded entirely by the ARRA (stimulus package), and will feature a unique
all-wheel drive 34-seat bus and a more traditional 34-seater. The remaining
state and federal funds will provide two more 34-seat buses and a 14-seat
bus for the elderly and disabled routes. All buses are Glaval bodies built
on GMC chassis in The
DVTA provides up to 10% of the total funding for the non-ARRA buses, and is
rebuilding its fleet after losing nine buses to old age. Because of funding
limitations, only seven have been replaced, leaving the fleet at 20 buses
instead of 22. The buses provide over 15,000 hours of service annually and
travel approximately 350,000 miles per year. All but two buses are diesel
powered, and use biodiesel fuel manufactured by the company’s mechanics
Glen Beattie and Dave Meeks.
For more information contact
the DVTA at 464-8487 or www.moover.com
.
DVTA 2009 SUMMER SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED On
that date, the Wilmington-Brattleboro bus will leave Shaws at 7:00 and 9:00
am, returning from Service
on school days to/from The Readsboro bus will not do its 4:00 pm run to Readsboro nor its 6:30 am run from TVMS to TVHS from June 20-August 30. The 7:00 am and 5:00 pm runs remain as scheduled daily year round. All DVTA schedules are available on-line at www.moover.com or by calling the office at 464-8487.
MOOVER TO PROVIDE FREE PARK & RIDES TO THREE JULY 4TH EVENTS
The Readsboro Fireworks are on
Saturday, June 27th at the ball field. The DVTA will operate free
shuttles from the bandstand to the field starting at 6:30 pm.
The Wardsboro Street Fair &
Parade begins at 10 am on Saturday, July 4th. A free shuttle from
the field next to the
The Mount Snow Valley Chamber
of Commerce Fireworks are at dusk on Saturday, July 4th with a
rain date of Sunday, July 5th. Park and ride lots will be open
from 5:00-9:00 pm at the Howe Farm and Deerfield Valley Supply. Buses will
depart from those locations and arrive at the High School.
The Route 100 MOOver will
depart from the
For more information contact
the DVTA at 464-8487 or go online at www.moover.com
.
MOOVER TO CHANGE TO SPRING SCHEDULE The Route 100 MOOver runs until 6:00 pm daily starting Sunday, March 29th, and will start service every day at 7:00 am starting Monday, March 30th. Weekend service on the Wilmington-Brattleboro bus ends on Sunday, March 29th and resumes on Saturday, December 5th.
All winter season condominium routes are done
for the season at 5 pm Sunday, March 29th. The
Readsboro schedule remains unchanged until school is finished in late June
as does the The DVTA’s new summer brochures are being mailed and delivered this week and are available on the buses and on-line now at www.moover.com. For more information call (802) 464-8487.
Letter to The Editor, February 16, 2009 We need to
clarify the $4000 request in Randy Schoonmaker DVTA
November 13, 2008 DVTA HAS RECORD SUMMER RIDERSHIP, BEGINS PHASING IN WINTER SERVICE HOURS WEST DOVER –
The DVTA announced today that this past
summer was its busiest summer season in the company’s 12-year history
ridership. The DVTA moved 38,271 riders from April through October on routes to East Dover, Readsboro, Brattleboro and West Dover. It shattered the previous record of 32,826 in the summer of 2000 and was 17% over last year’s ridership. The
largest route increase was to Brattleboro which serviced 10,247 riders – a
43% increase over last year’s 7,146 riders. The Readsboro route was up
30%; rides to West Dover increased 7%; and East Dover saw a 1% increase. “The
increases are awesome in that each of those routes – except Readsboro –
had less hours of service than last year due to high fuel prices,” said
Randy Schoonmaker, DVTA General Manager. “More people rode during fewer
hours.” For
the coming winter, the DVTA is receiving three new buses that are much
larger than the current fleet. They will seat 34 riders, but will hold much
more than that during peak runs. They will also feature heavier duty
suspensions, drop chains for the snow, and higher-standard emission systems.
Each vehicle costs around $118,000 and is paid 90% by federal and state
grants, with the DVTA pitching in the final 10%. Bus
schedules will be changing over the next three weeks as the fall progresses
and the winter season schedule kicks in. Effective
Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27th, the Route 100 MOOver
will leave the Health Center at 5:45 am on weekends and holidays. After the
5:45 am run, it will depart the Health Center at the top of the hour from
7:00am-5:00 pm. On
Thanksgiving Day, service to Greenspring, Timber Creek, Upper SnowTree, Snow
Mountain Village, Snow Lake Lodge, the Mountaineer Inn and the three base
lodges will run weekends until Christmas. The Bears Crossing/SunTec bus
starts on Saturday, November 29th. Starting
Saturday, December 6th, the Route 100 MOOver will run until 11:00
pm daily until Sunday, March 29th. Also starting that day is
weekend service to Brattleboro, with departures from Shaws at 9:00 am and
2:00 pm Saturday-Sunday until March 29th. Starting
Monday, December 8th, the Route 100 MOOver will leave the Health
Center midweek non-holiday at 6:45 am, and will depart the Health Center at
the top of the hour starting at 8:00 am.
For more information contact the DVTA at
464-8487 or www.moover.com . October 7, 2008 DVTA RESUMES HEALTH CENTER SERVICE WEST
DOVER – With
the near completion of the reconstruction of the intersection of Routes 9
and 100, the DVTA will resume service to the For more information contact the DVTA at 464-8487 or www.moover.com
August 12, 2008 DVTA TO RESUME FALL SCHEDULE WEST
DOVER
– The Deerfield Valley Transit
Association announces several changes in routes and schedules for the fall. The
first day of service to/from The
first day of service to BUHS and The Career Center is Thursday, August 28th.
The bus leaves TVHS at 6:45 am, and leaves BUHS at 2:45 pm. The special bus
that leaves BUHS at 9:30 am will also start on that date. Buses from The
4:00 pm bus from the Limited
service to
For more information contact the DVTA at
464-8487 or www.moover.com .
July 27, 2008 Barnboard Factory in The original factory, built by Ludington Woodenware in 1914, burned in 1915 and was immediately rebuilt. In the last 92 years the site has hosted a wide variety of manufacturing uses and produced an amazing array of products. It was tied to the Hoot, Toot & Whistle Railroad in its early years, and was sold several times to owners with varying lines of business. Products such as clothespins, wood bowls, butter molds, wire end dishes, fruit boxes, caskets, wooden toys, plywood, lumber, barnboard siding and artificial barnboard were made there, as well the unique all-wheel-drive Rokon motorcycle. Cottage industries including a lumber company, storage, vehicle repairs, garage door systems, electrical shop and a stonecutter shop that once produced headstones have all been housed there. During its latter years a silo was built and stored sawdust which supplied heat and energy for the factory’s machines from a large two-story steam boiler. Today, the 82,000 square foot building is falling down and is beyond repair. The DVTA purchased the site from Bob Grinold in 2004 and studied for several years how to save the structure or build its new facility around the old factory. It became clear that the old building would not fit the transit uses for the site, and that it was already beyond salvaging.
Recent
TVHS graduate Martha Schoonmaker and Paula Sagerman,
Historic Preservation Consultant, of It is hoped that former employees of the building will be able to recount what activities took place throughout the rambling factory, and that photos and articles will come forward to add to the documentary. In addition, the DVTA will compile a large scrapbook to keep on site and to donate a copy to the Wilmington Historical Society. An outdoor plaque is also planned to commemorate the site’s history. The DVTA encourages anyone with photos, stories, or printed material, or anyone who worked on the site, to please call Randy Schoonmaker at 464-8487.
DVTA TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETING ON FUTURE
The hearing is scheduled for
Thursday, July 17th at 4:30 pm in the
Additional meetings are being
held with
All of
Elements of the plan include capital planning, route and stop
analysis, operations funding and sustainability, and unmet needs planning.
Copies of the plan will be available upon request or on online when they are
completed in late December, 2008.
For more information contact the DVTA at 464-8487 or www.moover.com
.
DVTA
TO CUT ROUTES
WEST
The non-profit public transit provider, serving six towns in the
“With relatively fixed grant funding, the only way to maintain a
responsible budget is to cut costs, and for a public transit agency, the
only way to cut costs is to cut service” said Randy Schoonmaker, General
Manager. “We have planned cuts on the routes with the lowest ridership in
order to minimize the impact it has on peoples’ lives. None of our school
or senior routes are impacted. But cuts are painful, as operators across the
state may be doing likewise. We are sorry for all those affected.”
Service to Wardsboro will be cut indefinitely, and service to
All routes carrying middle school, high school and college students
will be unaffected, as are the Readsboro route and the two elderly or
disabled routes. The
DVTA is helping to lead efforts at the state and regional level to secure
more funding. Legislators will be contacted, as have other operators and the
Vermont Agency of Transportation to discuss shifting funds from other
projects into operating funds.
As may probably be necessary, the DVTA might seek additional funding
through a midterm Budget Adjustment Act (BAA) this January from the state
legislature. “This is a risk and a last resort, and in the meantime we are
working with a local fuel buying group to lower our fuel costs; we hope to
resume producing our own biodiesel fuel; and we are working on every way
possible to keep as much service on the road as possible” said
Schoonmaker. Charging a fare is not an option, he notes, as this income is
deducted from the company’s grant funding, requires capital for fareboxes,
and incurs substantial cost to process the fares. “We
are grateful that we enjoy The
DVTA is the third largest provider of fixed route rides in
MOOVER CHANGES TO SPRING SCHEDULE The Route 100 MOOver runs until 6:00 pm Sunday-Thursday, and runs until 11:00 pm Friday-Saturday nights. There is no longer any special winter season 5:00
pm MOOver leaving Weekend service on the Wilmington-Brattleboro bus resumes on Saturday, July 5th until Sunday, September 7th. There is no service until those dates. Service to Upper and Lower Highlands is over for the season, and the afternoon schedule on the Wardsboro-East Dover route changes slightly to reflect this. All winter season condominium routes are done for the season. The Readsboro schedule remains unchanged until school is finished in late June. The DVTA’s new brochures are being mailed and delivered this week and are available on the buses and on-line now at www.moover.com. For more information call (802) 464-8487.
RELEASE DATE: November 1, 2007 DVTA
ANNOUNCES WINTER SCHEDULE The Route 100 MOOver will once again operate until 11 pm daily November 23-March 30. It will close at 6 pm on November 22nd, December 24th and 25th.
New this year, the first MOOver of the day will
start at 5:45 am from the
Weekend service from
Condominium and The Readsboro route will also not change. For the latest news and schedules go online at www.moover.com or call 802-464-84878 am – 5 pm Monday-Friday.
DVTA CHANGES TO FALL SCHEDULE The
first day of service to/from The
first day of service to BUHS and The Career Center is also Tuesday,
September 4th. The bus leaves TVHS at 6:45 am, and leaves BUHS
at 2:45 pm. Buses from The
4:00 pm bus from the Weekend
service from
For more information contact
the DVTA at 464-8487 or www.moover.com
.
RELEASE DATE: June 12, 2007 REDD JOINS DVTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS WEST DOVER – The Deerfield Valley Transit Association announces that John Redd has filled the vacant at-large Board of Directors position for Vermont’s third largest public transit provider. John has extensive experience in resort development, construction, real estate and permitting. He is the owner of Ski Home Realty and developer of Haystack Highlands in Wilmington. “John’s experience will be invaluable as we design our new home,” said DVTA Board President Susie Haughwout. “He rounds out the experience and expertise on the Board”. Redd joins Haughwout, Linda Anelli, Mark Wallace and Diane Cummings on the five-member board. He fills an opening created by the death of founding Board member and Chairman Bob North who died last December. Redd is a graduate of the University of Vermont and worked for many years at Mount Snow as Vice President. He has also served on the Wilmington Select Board. He and his wife Lynn live in Wilmington.
Release Date: June 4, 2007 DVTA CHANGES SUMMER SCHEDULES
WEST DOVER – The Deerfield
Valley Transit Association announces several changes in routes and
schedules for later this month. The
last day of service to/from BUHS and the Career Center is Friday, June
15th. Because BUHS has a half day that day, the Brattleboro-Wilmington
MOOver will leave there at 11:30 am and take riders wherever they need to
go in the Deerfield Valley. The
last day of service from Dover School and TVMS to TVHS will be Monday,
June 18th. Starting Tuesday, June 19th, there will
be no 4:00 pm run to Readsboro until school resumes in the fall. Weekend
service from Wilmington to Brattleboro resumes on Saturday, June 30
through Sunday, September 2nd. The bus leaves Shaws at 9:00 am
and 2:00 pm, and departs the Brattleboro Transportation Center at 9:55 am
and 2:45 pm for the return trip to Wilmington. The Wilmington-Brattleboro
bus will not operate on Wednesday, July 4th. The
DVTA will operate its annual park and ride service from the Howe Farm
field and from Deerfield Valley Supply to the fireworks from 5:00-9:00 pm
on July 4th. The ride is free. Rain date for the fireworks is
Friday, July 6th.
For more information contact the DVTA at 464-8487 or www.moover.com
. Release Date; June 6, 2007 DVTA
ANNOUNCES FIREWORKS & PARADE BUS SCHEDULES
West Dover, VT
The DVTA will again operate free, special buses to help facilitate
the Mount Snow Valley Chamber of Commerce’s July 4th fireworks
celebration, the Readsboro Fireworks and the Wardsboro Street Fair &
Parade.
The Readsboro Fireworks are on Saturday, June
30th at the ball field. The DVTA will operate a free shuttle
from the bandstand to the field starting at 7:00 pm.
The Wardsboro Street Fair & Parade begins
at 10 am on Wednesday, July 4th. A free shuttle from the field
next to the Wardsboro School to downtown will run start at 8:00 am.
The Mount Snow Valley Chamber of Commerce
Fireworks are at dusk on Wednesday, July 4th with a rain date
of Friday, July 6th. Park and ride lots will be open from
5:00-9:00 pm at the Howe Farm and Deerfield Valley Supply (formerly GS
Precision). Buses will depart from those locations and arrive at the High
School.
The Route 100 MOOver will depart from the
Health Center at the top of the hour from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm that day, and
will make its last southbound run from Mount Snow at 8:30 pm directly to
the High School. There is no service past the High School after the 8:30
pm bus that departs Mount Snow. Extra MOOvers will be provided on this
route that evening.
For more information contact the DVTA at
464-8487. Release Date: May 15, 2007 DVTA RESUMES BIODIESEL USE
WEST DOVER – If
you smell French fries along Route 100 this week, it’s not a new
restaurant that has opened. It is the MOOver driving by on biodiesel.
The Deerfield Valley Transit Association
(DVTA) has resumed using biodiesel fuel on the Route 100 MOOver route.
Mechanics Glen Beattie and Dave Meeks are producing the fuel and the
company is using it initially in one vehicle and then in more as
production increases.
Thanks to Beattie and Meeks, the DVTA last
summer was the first and only transit company in Vermont to use B100 –
100% treated vegetable oil with no diesel additive. Several companies
including the Brattleboro BeeLine are using B20 – 20% biodiesel and 80%
regular diesel. The DVTA will use a mixture until warmer overnight
temperatures arrive, and then it will resume using B100.
“We are fortunate to have motivated and
created people like Glen and Dave who work here,” said Randy
Schoonmaker, General Manager. “Their efforts make a difference in the
environment.”
The Company continues to look into becoming a
major manufacturer of biodiesel, hoping to eventually produce 15,000
gallons annually. A shortage of used vegetable oil from area restaurants
limits the DVTA’s production capacity. It has looked into buying
vegetable oil on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and growing canola
locally to squeeze the oil out of the crop into storage containers. In the
former case the price was too high, and in the latter case the company is
trying to find the large available acreage and partners to grow its own
fuel.
For more information contact the DVTA at
464-8487 or www.moover.com .
Release date: May 3, 2007 DVTA CHANGES MAY SCHEDULES WEST DOVER – The Deerfield Valley Transit Association announces several changes in routes and schedules for later this month.
The last day of service to/from Marlboro
College is Friday, May 18th.
There will be no service from Wilmington to Brattleboro on Memorial Day,
Monday, May 28th. There will be no 4:00 pm run to Readsboro
that day as well. On
Friday, May 11th and Friday May 25th there is no
4:00 pm run to Readsboro as there is a half day of school at TVMS and
TVHS.
For more information contact the DVTA
at 464-8487 or www.moover.com .
Release date: May 3, 2007 DVTA CHANGES SUMMER SCHEDULES WEST DOVER – The Deerfield Valley Transit Association announces several changes in routes and schedules for later this month.
The last day of service to/from BUHS and the Career Center is Friday, June
15th. The
last day of service from Dover School and TVMS to TVHS will be Monday,
June 18th. Starting Tuesday, June 19th, there will
be no 4:00 pm run to Readsboro until school resumes in the fall. Weekend
service from Wilmington to Brattleboro resumes on Saturday, June 30
through Sunday, September 2nd. The bus leaves Shaws at 9:00 am
and 2:00 pm, and departs the Brattleboro Transportation Center at 9:55 am
and 2:45 pm. The Wilmington-Brattleboro bus will not operate on Wednesday,
July 4th. The
DVTA will operate its annual park and ride service from the Howe Farm
field and from Deerfield Valley Supply to the fireworks from 5:00-9:00 pm
on July 4th. The ride is free. Rain date for the fireworks is
Friday, July 6th.
For more information contact the DVTA at 464-8487 or www.moover.com
.
RELEASE DATE: January 22, 2007 DVTA ANNOUNCES EXPANDED SERVICE TO UPPER/LOWER HIGHLANDS WEST DOVER - The DVTA will run its Route 100 MOOver bus to Upper/Lower Highlands twice in the morning to help Mount Snow workers get out and about. The northbound MOOver will run to Upper/Lower Highlands at 10:30 and 11:30 am Monday-Friday non-holiday January 22-March 30th. "This will allow workers to get their errands done and be more flexible in their day off planning," said Randy Schoonmaker, DVTA General Manager. Schoonmaker thanked Mount Snow international coordinator Zach Vine for working closely with the DVTA to provide input on service levels for Mount Snow's international staff.
RELEASE DATE: December 9, 2006 DVTA
PRESIDENT BOB NORTH DIES IN PLANE CRASH WEST DOVER – Bob North, President of the DVTA Board of Directors, was killed in his private plane Saturday afternoon, December 9th near the Mount Snow Airport. Bob was an avid pilot and owner of the Mount Snow Airport, and was returning from a trip to New York. He had met with DVTA staff that morning to work out a solution to a problem before departing for New York. Bob was a founding Board Member of the DVTA, along with Linda Anelli, Susie Haughwout, and current General Manager Randy Schoonmaker. Current board members Diane Cummings and Mark Wallace joined in the Board’s tribute to Bob. “We
speak for all members of the MOOver family when we send our thoughts and
love to Margie, Sharon, Bobby, Ryan and their entire family. Bob North was
a founding member of the DVTA Board, and was the only chairman of the
board our company has ever known. Bob gave so much to this Valley through
the MOOver – he helped breath life into it in 1996, and he’s been
there ever since with advice, support and generosity. He could schmooze a
legislator or get tough with a problem – and he could do both well. He
would fly any of us or Skip Morrow anywhere we need to go to paint a bus
or inspect one, and he always told me he would bill us for these flights
– but he never did. He just gave and gave and gave to us. This past Saturday morning he was instrumental in helping us
work out a compromise to a problem we are having, and his insight broke a
logjam we’ve had for 6 months. Typical Bob. Along with fellow founding
Board members Linda and Susie and also Mark and Diane, we simply would not
have a MOOver today and its 2,000,000 rides and 3,000,000 miles without Mr. Chairman - Bob North.” The
DVTA has made a contribution to the North Airport Fund in Bob’s honor. RELEASE DATE: November 10, 2006 DVTA
CELEBRATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY WEST DOVER – The DVTA announced plans to celebrate 10 years of service to the Deerfield Valley which began Thursday, November 23, 1996. The company will host a parade of buses from the Deerfield Valley Health Center to the Twin Valley High School on Sunday, November 19th at 1 pm. An award ceremony will follow in the gymnasium. State and local dignitaries will provide comments and receive awards, as will friends and supporters of the DVTA. “The DVTA has driven over 3,000,000 miles and delivered almost 2,000,000 rides since 1996” said DVTA President of the Board Bob North. “It has been a great 10 years, something we never thought would do so well back then”. Back then the DVTA started as an idea and a subcommittee. Soon a permanent board of directors was formed including North, current Vice President Susie Haughwout, Secretary Linda Anelli, and General Manager Randy Schoonmaker. Mount Snow donated a fleet of used buses, funding was secured from state, local and federal sources, and service began Thanksgiving Day, 1996. The company now operates on $1.3 million of funding, divided almost equally by state, federal and private sources. It employs 28 staff, has a fleet of 21 buses, and serves a six-town region. It has won state and local awards, and has been recognized by the national transit press. “We could not have done this without the support of the towns, the residents, the condo associations, Mount Snow and the state” said North. “This is a team effort and a source of pride for the entire community”. RELEASE DATE: November 1, 2006 DVTA
ANNOUCES WINTER SCHEDULE WEST DOVER – The DVTA announced its winter schedule effective Thursday, November 23rd. The Route 100 MOOver will once again operate until 11 pm daily November 24-April 1. It will close at 6 pm on December 24th and 25th for the holiday. Weekend service from Wilmington to Brattleboro resumes December 12-March 25, excluding Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day. The DVTA has a new 34-seat GMC bus equipped with studded snow tires and drop chains to accommodate this difficult but popular route. Condominium and Mount Snow base area routes begin November 23rd. This includes the Mount Snow route, Timber Creek, Greenspring, Bears Crossing/Suntec, and Kingswood routes. The proposed new route to the Haystack Club will start in the 2007-08 winter season. The Wardsboro-East Dover route will include trips to Upper Highlands to accommodate the international workers that Mount Snow employs. Times to Wardsboro, East Dover and Dover School will not change. The Readsboro route will also not change. For the latest news and schedules go online at www.moover.com or call 802-464-8487 8 am – 5 pm Monday-Friday. RELEASE DATE: April 4, 2005 BUS SERVICE RETURNS TO WARDSBORO, WEST WILMINGTON WEST DOVER – The Deerfield Valley Transit Association announced today that funding has been restored for the Wardsboro and West Wilmington routes. Starting April 11th, the MOOver will return to both locations once in the morning and once in the afternoon as part of existing service that also serves East Dover and Readsboro, respectively. Buses leave Wardsboro daily at 7:55 am and 4:50 pm, and West Wilmington at 6:50 am and 6:05 pm. All routes connect with the Route 100 MOOver and the Brattleboro bus. All DVTA routes remain fare-free. Last October, a federal earmark that helped fund the service was only partially renewed, leaving just enough funding to operate the more popular East Dover and Readsboro routes. Thanks to Vermont’s Congressional delegation, additional funds have been secured through this summer and more long-term funding should materialize shortly. “We are grateful to Senators Jeffords and Leahy for this funding” said DVTA General Manager Randy Schoonmaker. “Vermonters are fortunate that routes all over the state will be funded through their efforts. Thanks also to the Agency of Transportation who minimized last fall’s cuts and helped provide funding for as much service as possible.” The Jobs Access and Reverse Commute program (JARC) is a 50-50 partnership between the state and federal governments. A six-year national transportation reauthorization bill has been stalled in Congress for almost two years which impacted the JARC earmark renewal. The national bill is now moving quickly through Congress and should mean stable transportation funding for the life of the bill. All DVTA schedules are available on-line at www.moover.com or by calling the office at 464-8487. VTA at 464-8487. MOOVER SCHEDULE CHANGES FOR SPRING,
ADDS MARLBORO COLLEGE WEST DOVER – The Deerfield Valley Transit Association and Marlboro College have reached an agreement for bus service for its students, staff and faculty starting March 28th. Citing increased utilization for its new Brattleboro service, the DVTA announces it will stop at Marlboro College to and from its regular runs to Brattleboro, picking college-bound riders up at the Brattleboro Transportation Center and dropping them off in the heart of the campus near the Dining Hall. If the service goes well, it will continue next school year. The service will end May 13th when Marlboro’s school year is done, but the DVTA is planning to continue it next August. The college currently runs van service that will in part be replaced by the DVTA, with the remaining portion still operated by the school during midday, evening and weekend hours. “This is great utilization for our new service,” says Randy Schoonmaker, DVTA General Manager. “The Marlboro riders will be on board when we are not busy, and they will not be on the bus when we are busy. We look forward to serving them.” The Brattleboro bus will add a weekend of service, featuring previously unscheduled service March 26-27th. Effective March 28th, it will operate midweek only with new departure times from Shaws at 6:45 am, 9 am, 2:00 pm and 4:10 pm. Departure times from Brattleboro will remain the same. Weekend Brattleboro service returns in July. Effective Monday, March 28th, the Route 100 MOOver bus will run until 11:00 pm only on Friday and Saturday. It ends at 6:00 pm other nights of the week. Saturday and Sunday it will start at 6 am until April 10th. The East Dover and Readsboro schedules remain unchanged until April 11th. The DVTA’s new brochures will be out in early April but are available on-line now at www.moover.com. For more information call (802) 464-8487.
DVTA
STAFF AWARDED NATIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
WEST DOVER, VT The
Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) announced that
Randy Schoonmaker from Deerfield Valley Transit Association has been
awarded the Certified Community Transit Manager certification, the
organization’s highest certificate. Jan Terk and Leona Linney earned
Community Transit Supervisor’s certifications as well. The
program recognizes community transit managers for specific skills they
have acquired through experience and specialized transit training. A
training course, exam and on-going education credits are required to earn
and maintain the certifications in all aspects of transit management.
Schoonmaker is the second transit manager in Vermont to earn the
certification, joining Jay Skelley of Bennington. The entire
administrative staff of the DVTA is the only one in the state to all be
professionally certified by CTAA.
CTAA is the national organization of public
transit companies, headquartered in Washington, DC. They represent more
than 4500 organizations and individuals committed to improving mobility
through transportation. The DVTA was recently featured in their monthly
magazine, Community Transportation.
BARNBOARD SITE COMING TO LIFE The 82,00-square foot factory, which served numerous functions in its long history, is slowly coming back to useful life after years of inactivity. In July, the DVTA purchased the site and began a long-term clean-up, consolidation and rehabilitation program to breathe new life into the 9.5-acre site just outside the village. The DVTA hopes to move its offices, currently located in West Dover, onto the same site it has occupied for the past five years as its bus maintenance, storage and operations. A two-year research project determined that the Barnboard Factory is the best site in the region for the company’s home and long-term future. The DVTA invested over $82,000 to remove liquid and solid hazards from the building this fall and to shore parts of the building that were threatening to collapse. A thorough environmental analysis by Dave Mack of Wilmington’s Catamount Environmental found numerous hazards within the structure which have been packaged and shipped out of state for disposal. The 80’ stack, which vented a two-story steam boiler that provided heat and power for the factory, was removed last week because it was rotting at the bottom and was also supported by guy wires attached to failing roof sections. If the roof failed further, the stack – as well as DVTA staff and vehicles - were at risk. The stack will be recycled by a steel salvage firm as well as several large hoppers and steel roof supports. The DVTA has removed thousands of cubic yards of waste and has re-claimed five garage bays and a large shed area for winter storage space. Old cars, household appliances and other waste have been removed. A committee of local non-profit, human service representatives has been meeting to brainstorm possible new uses for the site. Initial ideas include senior or affordable housing, adult day services, an inter-generational center, and museum space. The committee will complete its work in late fall and will forward its recommendations to the DVTA Board of Directors. “It’s a great site with a lot of potential as well as challenges” said DVTA Board member Linda Anelli. “This will be a long-term reclamation project. We are primarily in the transportation business, but we also have an opportunity now to reclaim this facility for public use.” She added that work on the site and the brainstorming “have only just begun”. Several sections of the site have already collapsed and must be demolished to prevent further hazards. After demolition, the site will provoke more ideas and possibilities, Anelli said. Chadwick Excavating is the successful bidder who will be contracted to do the demolition work as soon as funding is secured. A crane was brought on site last week by USGen to remove a large willow tree which had fallen into the river. The DVTA opted to take advantage of the opportunity to remove the stack while the crane was on site. Once the guy wires and stack were removed, work began by Lux Lyk Gnu to reinforce failing roof sections on the factory’s main three-story section and repair holes from the stack and surrounding supports. The DVTA’s plan is to buy time on the roof while the committee completes its work and funds are hopefully secured for a replacement of the old roof. An additional $25,000 has been spent, bringing the DVTA’s investment to $57,000 so far this year. The factory has had a very productive life, producing everything from plywood to barnboard to ammunition boxes and everything in between. The Hoot, Toot & Whistle Railroad ran through the site. The proposed HT&W Recreation Trail, designed to follow most of the original rail path, will reappear on the site linking Lake Whitingham with Wilmington Village pending approvals and funding. The DVTA hopes to produce a video walk-through of the site, narrated by previous Barnboard employees. “History repeats itself”, says Anelli. “We realize the impact this site has on the Deerfield Valley, and we are looking at all options to maximize that impact in positive way”. DVTA COMPLETES FOUR MONTH AGREEMENTS TO PROVIDE SERVICE November 15, 2003 WEST DOVER - The Deerfield Valley Transit Association (DVTA) recently completed four months and one day of service to maintain public transit service in Windham and southern Windsor Counties after the transit operator there went bankrupt on June 30th. With five days’ notice, the DVTA secured a vehicle fleet, driving staff, maintenance facility rental and agreements to operate seven routes for the newly-formed Connecticut River Transit Company (CRT). CRT hired DVTA while it was being formed, and took over for Town and Village Bus (TVB) after it went bankrupt June 30th. The DVTA set up a satellite operations and maintenance facility in Bellows Falls from June-November 1st. At the same time, DVTA provided subcontracting services for the Town of Brattleboro’s BeeLine bus service. DVTA ran the service from April 7th-September 30th when the BeeLine’s subcontractor, TVB, was unable to operate it. In all, the DVTA tripled in size and added only additional driving staff to accommodate the growth. The DVTA built a seven-vehicle fleet initially and then resurrected a 12-vehicle fleet which had been mothballed. DVTA staff continue to train the new CRT staff. The DVTA ended its operations of these two companies in time to get ready for the winter season in the Deerfield Valley, when the number of routes doubles. “It was an invaluable learning experience for us” says Randy Schoonmaker, DVTA General Manager. “We enjoyed working with the riders and drivers in the new areas, and we’re a better company for the experience. Putting a new operation together in five days is a major accomplishment, but not something we would want to do again.” The DVTA carried 15,133 riders for CRT over 115,764 miles in 5586 hours of service. DVTA completed its second tour of duty in Brattleboro in three years after providing planning and consulting services to the Town in 2001. The DVTA is the third largest public transit operator in Vermont with an operating budget of nearly $1 million of state, federal and private funds. The MOOver provided its 1,000,000th ride in the Deerfield Valley last year.
DVTA ANNOUNCES WINTER SCHEDULE INCLUDING EXPANDED NIGHT HOURS November 15, 2003 WEST DOVER – The Deerfield Valley Transit Association has published its winter operating schedule, including more night service and new service to the Kingswood resort community. Because of internal savings, the DVTA is able to fund service until 11 pm nightly from December 26-March 28 on its main MOOver route along Route 100, as well as weekend nights year round. State and federal funding remains flat or less than the previous year since 2000, but the MOOver has saved money by not replacing administrative positions that have become vacant, having its office drive, and performing other cost saving measures. State funding for the Route 100 MOOver service was cut in 2000 and has not been restored, resulting in service stopping at 6 pm instead of 11 pm. Schedules for Mount Snow, Timber Creek, Greenspring, Bears Crossing, SunTec, Spyglass, Nordic Hills, Mountaineer and Haystack remain the same from previous years. New this year is the DVTA providing service to Kingswood starting December 15th. The DVTA continues to serve six Valley towns with both fixed route and special door-to-door service for the elderly and disabled. Grants from the Agency of Human Services provide funding for rides to adult day cares, meal sites, doctor’s appointments and shopping trips. The route map and schedule brochure is available throughout the Valley, at the Chamber Office, and on line at www.moover.com. Call the DVTA Office at 464-8487.
DVTA PROCURES NEW VEHICLES FOR SENIOR SERVICES November 15, 2003 WEST DOVER - The Deerfield Valley Transit Association (DVTA) has procured two vans and a mini-bus to better serve its elderly and disabled riders. Two 1997 10-passenger vans were purchased from Special Services Transportation in Colchester, which were immediately spotted and pressed into service on several routes including the Gathering Place Adult Day Care route and the Council On Aging’s routes to meal sites, shopping and doctor’s appointments. Through the Vermont Agency of Transportation, a new 14-passenger mini-bus has been ordered for spring delivery. That vehicle is specially-designed for elderly and disabled service, is built on a Ford chassis, and will be funded through federal Section 5310 funding. The DVTA operates four such routes, and has used two 2000 Dodge vans to date to provide the service. In select cases, ride requests have been unable to be filled due to a lack of proper rolling stock. Many of the DVTA’s 23 vehicles are buses that are too large to operate on door-to-door routes, and with funding tight, the DVTA has had to be patient and creative to secure the additional vehicles. Funding to operate the service is provided by a mix of federal and private funds.
DVTA COMPLETES SCOPING STUDY FOR NEW TRANSIT CENTER July 1, 2003 WILMINGTON - The DVTA, with assistance from the Windham Regional Commission, recently completed a multi-year scoping study to explore the feasibility of building the company a permanent home in Wilmington. Presently, the DVTA houses its fleet and maintenance operations at the former Barnboard Factory in Wilmington, and has its offices in West Dover. Besides the inefficiency, the company lacks adequate maintenance space and rents its facilities on short-term agreements. The DVTA is seeking to build a permanent home in a central location in Wilmington close to its routes that will house all operations under one roof. In addition, the proposed building will feature a small passenger waiting area and limited support services. The study was performed by the consulting team of Von Grossmann Associates and Bannon Engineering. More than 20 sites were winnowed down to the top four sites, which in turn were subjected to over xx criteria for engineering, economic development, accessibility, land use and numerous other factors. Of the top four sites – The Barnboard Factory, For All Occasions, the old Country Club and Flea Market – the first was the most preferred by a wide margin. The study group was represented by the towns of Wilmington and Dover, the Vermont Agency of Transportation, the Windham Regional Commission, Mount Snow and an at-large member. The group completed several years of study and presented its findings to the Agency in late June. The Agency must approve the project before it is considered for any further funding. The initial scoping phase was funded by an earmark from Senator Leahy, and further work would also require an earmark. If approved by the Agency this fall, the DVTA and the state would collectively lobby Vermont’s Congressional delegation this winter for the necessary funding to final design the project, procure the site and build the estimated $6 million facility. Federal funding would cover 80% of the project, state funds would cover an additional 10% of the construction, and the DVTA would provide the final 10%. Vermont’s delegation has secured numerous earmarks for similar transportation projects throughout the state including Brattleboro’s new Transportation Center. The DVTA is hopeful that this project would be funded over several years and completed in 2004-05. For more information contact the DVTA at 464-8487.
RELEASE DATE – August 21, 2002 DVTA AVERTS JARC FUNDING CUTS WEST DOVER – Thanks to the help of area legislators, the DVTA averted $151,000 in funding cuts this week as the state looks to make budget adjustments to address a projected $38.7 million deficit for the current fiscal year. The Joint Fiscal Committee, made up of the House and Senate Appropriations Committee members, reviewed proposed cuts made by the Agency of Transportation on August 12th that included cutting nine of the state’s 12 JARC (Jobs Access Reverse Commute) routes. The DVTA uses JARC to fund its Readsboro and Wardsboro routes, which were rated the fourth most productive in the state and just missed the funding awarded to the top three routes. Funding for the Route 100 MOOver service was finalized in June and was not on the list of proposed cuts. Reps. Bob Rusten and Rick Hube worked with colleagues around the state to restore the JARC funding in full not only for the DVTA but for the other eight routes across the state. With additional help from Senator Dick Sears of Bennington, Susan Bartlett, Richard Westman and Peter Shumlin, the Joint Fiscal Committee restored JARC funding in full by applying other federal funds to keep the buses rolling around the state. “I can’t tell you how invaluable Bob, Rick and Dick were to public transit here and around the state,” said Randy Schoonmaker, DVTA General Manager. “Within 48 hours they made numerous contacts and built a coalition to preserve this program. It could have not been done without them. We are grateful for their experience and their efforts to pull together statewide legislative support almost overnight.” This is the second time this year that Reps. Hube and Rusten have helped the DVTA with funding. Last winter and spring they were instrumental in increasing funding for the system’s Route 100 service in negotiations with AOT. The Joint Fiscal Committee will complete most of their work on the proposed cuts by the end of August for the Governor to consider. The time period covered by these programs is for the state fiscal year July 1, 2002-June 30, 2003. RELEASE DATE – August 21, 2002 RELEASE
DATE: March 21, 2002 DVTA,
PUBLIC TRANSIT FUNDING UNDETERMINED FOR 2003 West Dover, VT The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) has not included funds for all 14 of the states’ public transit providers for the Jobs Access Reverse Commute (JARC) routes. For the DVTA this includes service to Readsboro, Wardsboro, West Wilmington and East Dover. Citing a shortfall in state revenues, VTrans dropped its $1.2 million match of federal JARC funds to fund routes all over Vermont in the current state budget which begins July 1, 2002. The federal match of $1.2 million is readily available and is scheduled to increase under President Bush’s proposed budget. The DVTA began JARC service December 20, 2000 to the towns mentioned above. Ridership has been strong in winter months, and much smaller but steady in the other eight months according to DVTA General Manager Randy Schoonmaker. “The people riding these routes are mostly Valley residents without cars or with limited transportation options. This grant opened up fixed route service to three more towns and provided 10,000 rides per year.” The House Transportation Committee is considering adding five cents to the state’s gasoline tax to restore the JARC funding as well as for other transportation projects. The bill must go through various committees in both houses, and would probably receive support from Governor Dean if it made it that far. “It will be a while before we know what happens to this bill,” said Schoonmaker. “It may even be only a few weeks before July 1st when the new fiscal year and our new schedule starts that we will know what funding levels we’ll have to work with.” The DVTA’s funding for the Route 100 MOOver service is also undetermined at this point. The company ran all winter seasonal resort routes as scheduled, but is operating one bus per hour on limited hours with no evening service until more or different sources of funding are secured. “We realize the impact this has on our riders’ lifestyle, and we are doing everything possible to put as much service on the road as possible. It is difficult to plan anything until the Legislature adjourns and the budget is finalized. We are lobbying both houses of the Legislature, and seeking alternate funding sources,” he added. “Many people have suggested charging a fare to raise additional funds, but the state deducts fares from our funding, so fares become counterproductive”. The DVTA’s van service to the elderly or disabled is funded by a separate grant and at this point is not affected. For questions or updates call the DVTA at 464-8487.
Release date: May
30, 2001 DVTA WINS CONSULTING CONTRACT WITH BRATTLEBORO West Dover, VT – The DVTA signed an administrative consulting contract with the Town of Brattleboro Bus effective May 31st. The contract spans two fiscal years ending June 30, 2001 and covers a number of administrative, grant writing, marketing and route planning tasks. The $34,000 project involves four managers at the DVTA who will work with the Planning Services Department in Brattleboro. The project begins with route planning efforts for the Town, which will see its fixed route operating budget expand from its current level of $145,000 to over $354,000. Cor Trowbridge, Grants Administrator for the Town, secured the additional $209,000 from the state and federal Jobs Access Reverse Commute program, which provides the Town the opportunity to expand both its service area and reduce headways on its existing route. The DVTA will assist the Town in designing the added service, as well as help with grants management and marketing. The bus’s nickname is “The BeeLine” and features bees and Vermont flowers as drawn by students in a contest in Brattleboro last year. “We’re very fortunate and excited about this opportunity,” said Randy Schoonmaker, DVTA General Manager. “There is great support for the BeeLine in Brattleboro, and we are hoping to help on the administrative and planning fronts.” The Town has also secured a grant for a new bus and is applying for another vehicle in the current state budget. The BeeLine provides approximately 36,000 rides per year and operates seven days a week. RELEASE DATE: March 8, 2001 PUBLIC AGREES WITH DVTA SITE SELECTION WILMINGTON The second Public Concerns Meeting held by the DVTA on their proposed transit center has met with public approval in terms of the site selection process. The meeting, which was held February 13th at the Wilmington Town Hall, was held to review the site selection process and ratings for 28 potential transit center sites. The project is proposed to house the DVTA’s offices, maintenance facility, indoor bus storage and related parking. The general categories for ratings included access, land characteristics, environmental impacts, buildings and systems on site, and local/regional development issues. Within each category were specific criteria totaling 16 that had a numerical value. The five sites listed above had the highest total values. The meeting was attended by members of the public, adjoining property owners, and town officials and was led by Craig Miller, the DVTA’s consultant on the project. Questions centered around specific characteristics of the top five proposed sites which are the Barnboard Factory, the Flea Market, Deerfield Valley Supply, the Christmas Barn and a combination of the Barnboard/DVS properties. Attendees were supportive of the project and generally felt the rating system was well designed. According to DVTA General Manager Randy Schoonmaker, the public input process has only just begun. “This project will provide numerous opportunities for further public input, and we are grateful for the support we’ve received thus far. We still have a ways to go in the funding, planning and permitting process, but so far so good.” The site selection process is part of the soon-to-be-completed Scoping Study, which will provide site selections, costs of the proposed project, and sample layouts of the new facility. The Study should be completed in mid April, and will be forwarded to the Vermont Agency of Transportation for their consideration. If the study is approved, then funds for the final design and engineering phases of the project will be included in the state’s capital budget for next year and will be taken up by the Legislature. The Study is led by Winchester Engineering of Winchester, Massachusetts. It is overseen by a steering committee comprised of officials from local select boards, planning commissions, the Windham Regional Commission, the DVTA and Agency of Transportation. Comments or questions are always welcomed by calling 802-464-8487.
RELEASE DATE: February 20, 2000 West Dover, VT Seven new bus shelters were installed last week as part of a grant awarded to The Deerfield Valley Transit Association. The shelters are located at the Deerfield Valley Health Center, Wilmington Middle/Senior High School, and at the Mount Snow Resort where five shelters are servicing large amounts of riders in the bus drop zone there. In all, the Section 5311 VAOT grant provides for eight shelters to be built for $50,000. The three-sided steel framed shelters feature tempered glass walls for maximum protection, visibility and light. They have a metal roof and mahogany bench, and will soon sport display racks for the DVTA’s route map and bus schedule. One Mount Snow shelter features an experimental windscreen on the fourth (open) side to protect riders from prevailing northerly winds. Ski racks and additional windscreens may be added this summer.
The DVTA subcontracted Vermont Street Furniture of Brattleboro to
design and build the shelters. The transit company is looking for a
location for the one remaining shelter to hopefully be built this summer.
For information or questions please call 464-8487. -30-
RELEASE
DATE: January 19, 2000 DVTA HIRES SPECIAL PROGRAMS MANAGER
West Dover, VT
The Deerfield Valley Transit Association announced that it is
pleased to welcome Jan Terk to the newly-created position of Special
Programs Manager.
Jan
will oversee several new grants received by the DVTA this fall. They
include a $24,500 Rideshare grant, and a $33,250 Section 5310 state grant that
will provide free transportation to the Valley’s elderly or disabled
residents. She will also oversee the transportation
programs with several social service agencies. Jan comes to the DVTA after many years at Mount Snow where she was most recently Manager of Snow Lake Lodge. Originally from Connecticut, she resides in East Dover with her husband and three children.
RELEASE
DATE: December 3, 1999 NEW
ROUTE RIBBON CUTTING SET FOR DEC. 15
West
Dover, VT
The
Deerfield Valley Transit Association is hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony
to celebrate the opening of two new routes on Wednesday, December 15th
at 2 p.m.
The
DVTA was awarded a $150,000 per year operating grant for each of the next
three years to operate service five times daily to Wardsboro, East Dover,
Readsboro, Jacksonville and Whitingham. The actual service begins Friday,
December 17th.
The
DVTA chose the Wilmington site as a symbolic starting point for both new
routes. Representatives from all five towns, House and Senate
Transportation Committees who supported the funding, as well as the Agency
of Transportation staff who administer the grant have been invited.
The ribbon-cutting will take place at 2 p.m. across from the
Deerfield Valley Health Center near the junctions of Route 9 and 100 in
Wilmington. Following the ceremony will be a brief tour of the DVTA’s
proposed site for a multi-modal center on Mill Street in Wilmington. For more information please contact the DVTA at 464-8487.
RELEASE
DATE: November 16, 1999 DVTA
RECEIVES GRANT FOR FREE ELDERLY TRANSPORTATION West Dover, VT The Deerfield Valley Transit Association has received a grant to provide free door to door transportation for the Valley’s elderly or handicapped residents beginning January 3, 2000. The program is funded under the state’s Section 5310 sector that awards grants for elderly or disabled riders. In partnership with the Putnam Memorial Hospital, the DVTA was awarded a $33,250 operating grant to provide funding for a new handicapped van to operate Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. The DVTA matched the grant with an additional $24,000 to wage, marketing and supply costs associated with the program. The program is called Van-Go and serves residents in the towns of Wardsboro, Dover, Wilmington, Whitingham and Halifax. Two new lift-equipped vans have arrived and will provide rides to destinations such as the doctor’s office, hospitals, shopping, the hairdresser, senior meal programs, adult day care and other locations in southern Vermont. Each van seats up to 10 riders if no wheelchair riders are on board, or it can hold up to two wheelchair riders and four passengers. It is radio and cell phone equipped, and of course, features the DVTA’s Holstein spots. The van will run Monday-Friday non-holiday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Jan Terk has been hired as Special Programs Manager. She will collect information from qualified riders such as their home address, desired destinations, days of the week transportation is needed, and their special needs. When this data is collected, she will build a schedule that tries to serve the most people and the most locations possible within the parameters of time and funding allowances. Riders will simply make advance reservations, and the van will pick them up and take them to pre-arranged destinations on a door-through-door basis (meaning the driver will assist riders out of their homes and onto the bus, and off the bus into their destination’s doorway). To go along with the special vans, the DVTA is doing special training with a few select drivers to assure that riders are treated considerately and sensitively. The goal is to have drivers get to know our riders and their needs, likes and dislikes. The schedule will probably feature something like a set destination each day for people living in set Deerfield Valley towns. For example, Monday morning might be Wardsboro and Dover riders going to Brattleboro shopping, while Monday afternoon will be Wilmington riders going to the Health Center and the Grand Union. This schedule is work in progress and will be modified and improved over time. Based on the program’s flexibility, range of towns served and the fact that the service is free, it is likely that the van will not be able to serve all people and all their needs. But, the DVTA is committed to working with riders and their contacts to simply do as much as possible within the budget and any other operating limits that may develop. The DVTA is seeking names of potential elders (over age 60) and handicapped (any age) who need transportation to essential services. They will work through an agency, family member or other advocate if that is the preferred method of contact. Jan will collect ride requests, work on the schedule and will stay in touch with riders and advocates to constantly improve the range and service. If requested, all information received about a rider’s needs will be kept strictly confidential. If you or anyone you know is in need of this service, please contact the DVTA Monday-Friday between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 464-8487. Information will be taken over the phone and riders will be called back in late December as to what the schedule will be. The van starts rolling on January 3rd!!!!!! -30-
RELEASE
DATE: August 26, 1999 DVTA RECEIVES GRANT
REQUEST FOR NEW ROUTES! West Dover, VT Public transit bus service will be extended to the towns of Wardsboro, East Dover, Whitingham, Jacksonville, Readsboro and the western section of Wilmington beginning October 4th, thanks to a state and federal grant under the Access to Jobs Program. Access to Jobs is a national transit program authorized by Congress as part of the TEA-21 Act. It is designed to reduce welfare rolls by providing recipients with transportation to jobs and day care. Late last year, Vermont’s public transit providers and the state applied to the Federal Transit Administration for a $2.1 million grant for providers like the DVTA to extend existing routes or expand service hours. The grant is 50% federally-funded and 50% state funded. The Legislature approved having three state agencies – the Agency of Transportation (now called VTrans), the Agency of Human Services and the Department of Employment and Training - split the state’s 50% share.
Deerfield Valley Transit
Association General Manager Randy Schoonmaker notes that this is public
transit open to all types of riders and not just welfare recipients. He
hopes students, skiers, bikers, the elderly, disabled and others will ride
the bus. For these new routes, the DVTA has ordered two new 20-passenger
lift-equipped buses that will arrive in mid-November. The DVTA will use
its existing fleet until the new buses arrive.
There are two new routes. The
first or northern route will leave Mount Snow and go to Wardsboro, return
to Mount Snow and then go to East Dover Village via Dorr Fitch Road,
stopping at Country Day Care along the way. The second or southern route
will depart the Deerfield Valley Health Center and proceed along Route 100
to Jacksonville, Whitingham and Readsboro. After it returns to the Health
Center, the bus will continue to west Wilmington and turn around at the
High Country Wave Runner area in the summer or the Chimney Hill tennis
court parking lot in winter. All new routes will be scheduled to meet the
existing Route 100 MOOver buses for seamless connections. There will be
two round trips in the morning and two in the afternoon designed around
normal work commuting times. The service will run Monday-Friday from April
to Thanksgiving, and daily from Thanksgiving to March 31st.
Schoonmaker
has met with or talked to select boards in all towns asking their
permission to extend this service into their towns, as well as discussing
potential park and ride and bus shelter locations. The DVTA has a capital
grant to erect 10 shelters in the Valley this fall. Exact bus stops, park
and ride locations and shelter placements will be announced shortly after
input is received from the towns.
“We’re
very excited to be able to extend our service area from the present routes
in Dover and Wilmington. This program answers input we’ve received from
several communities about the MOOver coming to their area. We hope as many
people along the route as possible ride the bus or park and ride so that
this program can compete successfully and remain funded” said
Schoonmaker.
The
$150,000 annual operations grant begins in October 1999 and is for a three
year demonstration period running until September 30, 2003. Modifications
to the funding, routes and times may be made in the second year of the
program as these routes compete for funding against others in the state
based on ridership, impact on welfare levels, etc. The funds for the new
buses and shelters comes various capital grants the DVTA has received from
the FTA and VTrans. The new routes add six new Deerfield Valley communities serviced by public transit, and increase the DVTA’s route length from 11 to 36 miles. In 1997-98 the DVTA moved nearly 77,000 people along Route 100 and more than 150,000 more in the Mount Snow base area, making it the third largest transit system in the state. For questions or comments please call the DVTA at 464-8487.
CONTACT: Randy Schoonmaker, 802-464-8487 RELEASE DATE:
June 1, 1999 West Dover, VT Those aren’t horns on the cow spotted buses. Instead they’re the new bike racks on the DVTA’s summer bus fleet.
Racks that will
hold up to three bikes have been installed on the front of the MOOver’s
three new International buses that were purchased last fall. The racks are
self-service and padded, and will provide more mobility throughout the
Valley for bikers of all ages. Racks will be added to six other vehicles
later this month. The racks were built by Wilmington welder Marty Goodell
of High Country Welding.
The three
Internationals are also the DVTA’s first air-conditioned vehicles. The
MOOver’s daily 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. once per hour service changes to twice
per hour beginning July 2nd. Schedule Updates Summer/Fall Schedule Winter Schedule Elderly or Disabled Services Meeting Minutes The DVTA Story Brattleboro BeeLine Schedule Greyhound, Amtrak, Bus & Taxi Contact Us! Mount Snow Resort Deerfield Valley News Chamber of Commerce Weather Forecast Vermont Public Transit Association Call Monday-Friday 8am-5 pm Phone 802-464-8487 Vermont Relay 711 Box 429, West Dover, VT 05356 Fax 802-464-0164 email info@moover.com A private non-profit
corporation. |
