Advance Transit (AT), the free public transit service in the Upper Valley region of New Hampshire and Vermont, will be hosting information sessions to share upcoming enhancements and potential changes to its bus service. These events are open to the public and will provide an opportunity for community members to learn about service plans, which include later weekday and Saturday service.
The information sessions will include poster displays outlining planned and proposed service changes, with AT staff on hand to provide detail, answer questions, and receive feedback. Visitors can drop in anytime during the two-hour session to review this information. For those interested in a guided experience, there will be a half hour presentation with a question-and-answer segment, which will also be recorded and made available online after the event.
The two information sessions will take place on Tuesday, May 16, 2023:
- 11:30am – 1:30pm at the Howe Library (13 South Street, Hanover, NH)
with a half-hour presentation at 12:30pm - 4:00 – 6:00pm at Tracy Hall (300 Main St, Norwich, VT)
with a half-hour presentation at 5:00pm
“We’re excited to share these service plans,” said Adams Carroll, Executive Director of Advance Transit. “We know that many of our riders rely on public transportation to get to work, school, and key community resources, and we believe that these changes will help make it easier for them to travel where they need to go. ”
These service enhancements are in response to feedback collected as AT continues the process of updating its five-year transit plan. Updating this plan is a multi-phased approach that includes a review of existing services, a survey of riders and community members, and an analysis of travel patterns, which considers planned construction and development projects that may affect public transportation in the future.
A crucial part of this process is community feedback, which is critical in identifying rider preferences and learning how AT services can better meet transportation needs.
“We encourage members of the community to attend the meeting and learn more about the changes we are making to our bus service,” said Carroll. “We believe that these changes will have a positive impact on our riders and the community as a whole.”
AT has a long history of careful system planning, including coordination with local and regional planning efforts. To update its current transit plan, AT has been working with Steadman Hill Consulting, a consulting firm with extensive experience in public transportation planning. AT has worked with Steadman Hill Consulting in the past to produce its 2018 plan. That plan resulted in changes to routes and schedules, which included increased frequency on the Blue route (operating between downtown Lebanon and downtown Hanover), now offering 15-minute service.
For additional information on AT’s planning process and to review past transit plans and relevant studies, visit advancetransit.com/plan
For more information, contact Trish Palao, Director of Marketing and Philanthropy, at tpalao@advancetransit.com or (802) 295-1824.