Two local organizations and a statewide organization that provides winter transit in The Valley have received Vermont Agency of Transportation Mobility and Transportation Innovation (MTI) grants.
The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) awarded $1.3 million in grants through the Mobility and Transportation Innovation (MTI) program this week.
Waitsfield-based Free Wheelin’ is the recipient of a $100,000 grant with a $27,700 match. Free Wheelin’ is a free, on-demand, essential transportation program for older adults and vulnerable residents from The Valley who lack mobility access.
That money, according to founder Mike Bransfield, will be used to purchase a second electric vehicle and increase paid staff hours, specifically drivers. Bransfield said that currently Free Wheelin’ has a paid driver for 10 hours a week and the funds will either be used to boost the hours of that driver or hire a second driver.
“We definitely need more drivers. It’s very busy. In addition to one paid driver, Free Wheelin’ has 22 or 23 volunteer drivers, all of whom are averaging about 127 rides a month. Rides are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“The demand continues to grow for this service. In October we provided 158 rides. The service is needed,” Bransfield said.
He said the paid and volunteer drivers take folks to Dartmouth several times a month, to CVMC, to UVMCHN and to the local health center, Waterbury and beyond. Free Wheelin’ has an annual budget of $50,000.
Bransfield said he has already ordered a new second Subaru Solterra and said that once the state funds are received, they’ll sit in an interest-bearing account until it’s time to purchase the lease on the current car and begin leasing a second car.
The Mad River Path received a $22,000 grant which will be used to purchase three e-bikes that will be outfitted for trail and fieldwork, river monitoring and public engagement events. The bikes will be used daily by the employees and volunteers of Mad River Path, Mad River Valley Planning District, and Friends of the Mad River for trail maintenance, river monitoring, riparian buffer restoration, and public meetings.
Green Mountain Transit, which provides winter transportation within and to and from The Valley received a total of $206,220 in grants which will be used for multiple projects, none of which are Valley-specific. Those projects include travel trainer and volunteer efforts, recruitment innovations, transit center hubs and overcoming no trespass orders.
The purpose of the MTI program is to incentivize innovative strategies that improve mobility and access for transit-dependent Vermonters, reduce the use of single occupancy vehicles for work trips, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
For more information on the MTI program and the SFY25 grant awards visit https://vtrans.vermont.gov/public-transit/mti
