Providing reliable and affordable public transportation in rural areas like Vermont can be a real challenge. But it is critically important for the many low-income and working Vermonters who rely on public transportation to get to work, visit the doctor, drop the kids at childcare, go grocery shopping and much more. In spite of the many challenges – including a chronic lack of funding – Vermont’s public transportation agencies provide 5 million trips per year through regular scheduled bus service and on-demand rides for elderly or disabled Vermonters. That is pretty impressive, although clearly, we must do more to provide more transportation options here in Vermont and across the nation by significantly increasing investment in our transit systems.