This commentary is by Una Fonte of Ferrisburgh, a board member of the 350VT board and its Just and Sustainable Transit Transition Working Group.
The 1960s TV version of utopia, “The Jetsons,” imagined smart watches, video chat, and Roombas ages before commercially available computers.
Yet, not even “The Jetsons” could imagine a future without single-passenger cars; bumper-to-bumper traffic sprawled across the show’s backdrop.
Today, single-occupancy cars continue to plague the U.S. In Vermont, it is easy to believe cars’ harms are limited to suburbia or are a necessary evil of life in a mostly rural state. However, our state exemplifies the social and ecological damage of a fossil-fueled single-passenger transit system.
Rather than accepting these harms as a fixed reality, it is time for Vermont to do what “The Jetsons” could not: imagine a future free of cars.
Right now, cars monopolize our transportation system at the expense of other solutions. About two-thirds of Vermont towns are without public transit. And many more are not walkable.
Without other options, we, as a state, drive far and frequently, often in single-passenger vehicles. Hence, transportation causes 42% of Vermont’s CO2 emissions. In comparison, transit comprises 27% of national emissions. So if we want to live up to our green reputation and reach net zero, Vermont must invest in transportation solutions to fossil-fueled cars.
Electric vehicles are a good start, but alone they won’t get us to net zero. Plus, currently, EVs force complicity in the often dangerous and exploitative conditions of the lithium mined for their constitution. Not to mention, focusing on EVs as the single solution to transit emissions perpetuates the inequalities of our car-based system.
A personal car requires a driver’s license and some financial stability for gas and upkeep. These requirements mean low-income, disabled and undocumented folks have disproportionately lowered car access. Because our current system requires a car to access community spaces, work and essential services, our continued reliance on cars is continued systemic inequality and marginalization.
The good news is that, through collective advocacy and change, we can build a more just and sustainable system. We have alternatives to cars that mitigate climate change and reduce inequality while providing additional benefits.
One solution is to expand and rethink public transit. In a predominantly rural state, traditional fixed-route buses can’t reach everyone. Luckily, on-demand micro-transit — essentially a public rideshare program — provides an effective alternative. A statewide investment in this solution would mean fewer cars on the road, and rides for all accessible by phone or mobile app. Plus, community resilience would increase as we got to know our neighbors through sharing rides.
Anyone traveling across county lines in Vermont soon realizes bus schedules rarely align — a consequence of the inconsistent statewide coordination between transit providers. Even accessing public transit within a county is difficult, as most service stops on weekends and past 5 p.m. Connecting and expanding existing bus routes, especially in and between urban areas, would let us access life, work and friends regardless of car ownership.
Finally, pedestrian-friendly planning and infrastructure can make walking and biking — our healthiest, cheapest, and only truly zero-emission transit options — safer, easier, and more practical for most. Short-term, this means extending safe bike lanes from main streets to the town’s outskirts and along major roads. In the long term, it means building closer together and zoning for mixed-use neighborhoods.
The bottom line is, we have alternatives to cars and we must start implementing them. This will require us to change our car-based culture, get comfortable sharing space, and learn new skills, such as biking. However, switching to a system that supports public transit and pedestrians is necessary. Switching will improve equity, protect a livable planet, and improve our collective quality of life in Vermont.
To start the switch to a sustainable and just transit system, here are some first steps.
First, if you can walk, bike, or take public transit, vote with your miles. Traveling without a car proves the value of these alternatives, teaches friends to use them, and increases the demand to fix current gaps in these services.
Second, as the legislative session approaches, encourage your legislator to advocate for our transportation budget to align with the values of environmental justice. Specifically, ask that the Transit Bill funds expanded bus routes, public on-demand micro-transit, and pedestrian infrastructure.
The solutions and problems listed in this commentary are not radical, new, or unique. Rather, they are an introduction to the large and growing belief that our state must invest in sustainable and equitable alternatives to cars.
So keep your eyes peeled for more articles on how transportation in Vermont could support people and the planet. And start talking to your neighbors about their long commute, their climate anxiety, and the cost of owning a car. You may find you both already share this desire for a people-centered transportation system.
