Tri-Valley Transit Celebrates 50 Years of Connecting Communities with Regional Food Drives
Central Vermont—For 50 years, public transportation has helped connect people across central Vermont to the places, people, and opportunities that matter most. This year, Tri-Valley Transit (TVT) is celebrating that milestone by giving back to the communities that have supported public transportation for five decades.
As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, TVT will host community food drives in each region it serves, bringing employees, riders, community partners, and neighbors together to help local food shelves and food-assistance organizations. The anniversary food drives are a simple way to recognize an important part of TVT’s history: public transportation has never been just about getting from one place to another. It is about helping communities thrive.
“Fifty years ago, our communities came together to find ways to make sure people could get where they needed to go,” said Jim Moulton, Executive Director of Tri-Valley Transit. “That same spirit of community is at the heart of TVT today. We wanted to celebrate this milestone by giving back to the people and communities who have made our work possible for the past 50 years.”
Details about where to connect with TVT’s designated food drive collection buses.
In Montpelier from 12 to 4 pm on October 3, in conjunction with the Montpelier Fall Festival on the Vermont Statehouse Lawn. Proceeds donated to the Montpelier Community Market (formerly the Montpelier Food Pantry).
In Middlebury from 11 am to 1 pm on October 25, in conjunction with the Spooktacular Trick-or-Treating parade on Main Street. A second food collection event in Middlebury will take place at Hannaford grocery store on Saturday, November 7 from 9 am to noon. Proceeds donated to the HOPE food shelf.
In Randolph from 4 to 7 pm on October 31, in conjunction with the Safe and Seen Halloween downtown celebration. Proceeds donated to the Randolph Area Food Shelf.
Fifty Years of Connecting Vermont Communities
TVT’s story began on December 1, 1976, when Stagecoach Transportation Services was established in response to the transportation challenges created by the 1970s energy crisis. Under founding director David Palmer, community meetings helped identify local transportation needs, leading to early programs that included community ride boards in Bethel and Randolph and transportation using school buses serving the Randolph Technical Career Center. Those early efforts grew into scheduled town-to-town bus service throughout Orange and northern Windsor counties.
In 1992, Addison County Transit Resources was added to the region’s public transportation network. In 2020, the organizations came together as Tri-Valley Transit, creating a unified public transportation provider serving communities across central Vermont. Most recently, on July 1, 2026, TVT expanded its services in Washington County, continuing the essential transportation service that began with Wheels and later became part of Green Mountain Transit. Today, TVT serves 72 towns throughout central Vermont, connecting communities from Lake Champlain to the Connecticut River and providing approximately 425,000 rides each year.
And while the organization, technology, and transportation services have changed dramatically over five decades, the fundamental purpose remains the same: connecting people with their communities. For riders, that connection can mean a trip to work, a medical appointment, school, the grocery store, an essential service, or a visit with family and friends. For employers, it can help workers get to their jobs. For communities, it helps people stay connected and participate in daily life.
TVT also continues to look toward the future, expanding the use of electric vehicles and technology designed to make public transportation easier to use, including the MyRide by TVT and Transit apps.
“Our first 50 years were built by people who recognized that transportation is a community need,” Moulton said. “As we begin our next 50 years, we want to carry that same spirit forward—by continuing to connect people and by being an active partner in the communities we serve.”
TVT invites residents throughout its service area to join the 50th anniversary celebration, participate in a regional food drive, and help make a difference for neighbors in their own communities. Fifty years of service. Seventy-two towns. Millions of rides. One connected community.
About Tri-Valley Transit
Tri-Valley Transit is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the public transportation provider for Addison, Washington, Orange, and Northern Windsor counties of Vermont. TVT’s mission is to enhance the economic, social, and environmental health of the communities it serves by providing safe, reliable, and accessible public transportation for everyone. For more information visit www.trivalleytransit.org.
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