STAGECOACH INTRODUCES THE 89ER NORTH
By Holly Brown
As morning breaks in downtown Montpelier, the capital city is just coming to life… shops with freshly brewed coffee and oven-hot pastries are opening their doors; one by one, lights pop on, piercing the darkness; and residents begin their daily routines.
Since mid-January, this routine for some has included boarding the 89er North, a bus route operated by Stagecoach between Montpelier and South Royalton. Before the 89er North made its debut, there was no public transportation linking this segment of Interstate 89. Riders eagerly share some insight into their experience using this service.
Dwight Cross, a staff member at Vermont Technical College, cites economy as being the biggest factor influencing his decision to take the bus. “I can’t even start my vehicle up for the price of a fare!” He further states that taking the 89er North keeps him on schedule. Although it makes for a little longer day, Dwight feels “it’s worth it”, and sometimes uses extra time before the return trip to exercise at the SHAPE facility on campus.
One Vermont Law School student claims that the 89er North makes her life easier and that “I get a lot of work done on the bus!” John Miller who formerly commuted to work at VLS via single-occupancy vehicle, uses the 89er North every day. He and other riders exclaim, “It’s a nice way to start and end the day!” John further divulges that “we have our own little bus community!”
Indeed, there is a mix of visiting, reading, napping, and studying along the trip amid an overall pleasant atmosphere. Once passengers get into the rhythm of using public transportation, they readily point to its advantages: environmental ethics, financial savings, convenience, and avoiding driving hassles, especially in the winter.
The 89er North is funded for an initial three-year period by the Federal Transit Administration through the Vermont Agency of Transportation. A key component to securing this grant funding is local match commitment being provided by Vermont Technical College, Gifford Medical Center, and the Vermont Law School.
“Stagecoach commends these community partners for their involvement in planning and supporting this route. Their dedication to public transportation and its benefits helped make this new service possible,” notes David Palmer, Stagecoach Manager.
While the core ridership at this point consists of students and employees from these three supporting organizations, others are realizing diverse reasons for using the 89er North.
Randolph resident Patrick French recently rode the late afternoon bus from Randolph to join his wife, Patsy, a legislator, for dinner and a show at the Barre Opera House. Pat found the bus trip to be “reasonably priced and enjoyable”, adding that as a passenger rather than a driver he had “a chance to look around!”
“[The 89er North] saved us from having two cars in that area; I would definitely do it again!”
One woman from Barre used the 89er North to come visit family members in Randolph village, and another person from that area has made use of this route for appointments at Gifford Medical Center.
Certainly, the 89er North is filling a void and taking a foothold in the lives of people considering alternative methods of traveling to their destinations on both ends of this route.
The 89er North originates on Montpelier’s Main Street (by Shaw’s) at 6:50 am, stops at the Exit 8 Park-and-Ride lot at Montpelier Junction, continues down I-89 to the Exit 7 Park-and-Ride, then goes to Northfield’s Exit 5 Park-and-Ride before traveling on to the Randolph Center Park-and-Ride lot at Exit 4. There, passengers remain on board to alight at VTC, Gifford Medical Center or downtown Randolph, or they can transfer to a second bus bound for the Vermont Law School in South Royalton. The evening trip north reverses this route.
See Scheduled Routes for schedules and route information.
