[expdxer]

Hello, I am thinking of applying for a job in Brattleboro. I have never been there but from what I am reading it appears to be a walkable town and has a bus system. But the bus system only runs until 6:00 or so (correct me if I'm wrong) so I am wondering if it's doable without a car. I haven't driven for many years. How is the bus system for getting to other nearby towns? Otherwise, I think I would really like Brattleboro. I am looking for a progressive town and I have lived in San Francisco and Portland, OR (now stuck in NYC).

[skytrekker]

Brattleboro will have much in common with both San Francisco and Portland OR- on a much smaller scale of course. Very liberal, bohemian- but very pleasant.

Brattleboro is pretty compact- so being without a car is doable- but if you want to travel into the local hinterlands which are wonderful, a car would be handy.

[pvjd]

Just make sure you have stable employment, and the ability to get to a hospital and airport. Also, factor in the snow. When I lived in Rutland, I had to take a job out in the next town due to lack of employment opportunities in-town. For a while I got a ride from a coworker or took a taxi, which was expensive, and but eventually had to settle for a job that did not pay dirt simply because I could no longer work out of the town without a car. Plus, even though there is a city bus, it is not always on time, especially when the weather is bad. Good luck.

[brattpowered]

Originally Posted by expdxer

Hello, I am thinking of applying for a job in Brattleboro. I have never been there but from what I am reading it appears to be a walkable town and has a bus system. But the bus system only runs until 6:00 or so (correct me if I'm wrong) so I am wondering if it's doable without a car. I haven't driven for many years. How is the bus system for getting to other nearby towns? Otherwise, I think I would really like Brattleboro. I am looking for a progressive town and I have lived in San Francisco and Portland, OR (now stuck in NYC).

If you live and work downtown you won't need a car or bus. It is very compact and walkable there. If you want to explore and go swimming in the West or Rock rivers, you can take a bike since Route 30 runs along the valley floor. But if you want to go up to Dummerston/Putney and points north, a car would be good.

[sijophi]

this site should help.

[url=http://crtransit.org/]The Current - Operated by Connecticut River Transit[/url]

a bit challenging to navigate for between-town transportation info but there are schedules for the local Brat. buses. my fiance and I just moved here from san francisco last month. we found a nice place in Putney, 8 miles north of Brat. it's true it's challenging to find work but I managed to land four jobs in a month and now have to decide which to turn down. however, I have now gone from twenty-five an hour to thirteen. ouch. but the cost of living is much lower, and it's just a start. my guess in that you lived in sf and nyc so you'll be just fine.

[cloven]

Via this url, CRT Transit says to check their FB page, as they're in process of updating schedules/routes-
The Current - News

No, the bus doesn't run after 6 p.m. which is most unfortunate if one wishes to do something downtown after business hours-but on the other hand, I'm grateful there's any bus service at all...
I don't drive, so getting around town is no easy task, though I catch ride w/friend whenever I can.

There's also the MooVer, if one wants to travel between Brattleboro and Wimington/Dover area, though again the available times for such trips are pretty limited (and routes switch between summer & winter versions)-
All Routes | DVTA MOOver!

NB: the links aren't displaying as such (clickable)-at least when I preview this post. Dunno' what's up w/that.
Edited-to-add: but the links did show up properly when I finally posted this. Go figure...

[arel]

The buses in Brattleboro are few and far between. Unless you like to walk or use a bicycle, or have access to a car, or reliable access to a driver, it is hard to get around.

There is an Enterprise rental car place in town, so if you need a car for a special occasion, you can have one. But if you don't drive, or for financial and/or credit reasons are unable to rent a car, you are much more limited in what you can do.

As has been said, downtown is small. The Brattleboro Food Co-op is downtown and so is a pharmacy. But most other downtown stores do not sell necessities. You can bicycle or walk to other places in the northern or southern ends of the town, but you will have trouble carrying things. Large items, of course, can be delivered, but if you buy food at Hannaford or at Price Chopper, chances are you will have to carry it home. I could be wrong, though, so you might want to call them and ask if they deliver to people who don't have cars.

Traveling out of town is much harder. There is an Amtrak stop downtown, so you can get to NYC by public transportation. But travel to Western Massachusetts, Boston, Keene (NH) or even to nearby towns in Vermont is very hard without a car.

But there are plenty of people of people in Brattleboro who do not have cars, and they get by. There are even people who have difficulty walking, and they get by as well.

[KEVIN_224]

The last time I was there, the Greyhound agency moved to a Sunoco station on US Route 5, next to a shopping plaza anchored by Price Chopper, just north of Exit 1 from 1-91. This puts you at least a mile south of downtown. Further complicating matters is that there's only one northbound run in the morning towards White River Junction and one late-morning run southbound towards Springfield (MA), Hartford (CT) and New York City. I liked it a whole lot more when Greyhound was in the north end closer to Exit 3. Walking distance from the old agency was a Hannaford shopping plaza, Friendly's, Wendy's, The 99 Restaurant, Pizza Hut, McDonald's, KFC/Taco Bell combination and access to Chesterfield, NH via VT Route 9 and the Connecticut River Bridge.

Lodging is quite weak at both sides of Brattleboro. The south end near Exit 1 only has an Econo Lodge, which left little to be desired. The north end had a Super 8 which was only slightly better. There was also at least two other hotels nearby.

As for downtown, the co-op supermarket was still under construction, but should be open now. You could walk over the VT 119 bridge into Hinsdale, NH (becoming NH Route 119). There used to be a Walmart immediately over the river, but has since moved further into the town. I didn't see anything else on that side of the river, the one time I walked it on February 13, 2012.

[arel]

The new Co-op is very busy now, and is a full-fledged supermarket. The old building has been torn down and is now part of a greatly expanded parking lot.

As for lodging, there is the Econo Lodge downtown. But uptown, there are lots of places to stay, from the upscale to the downright dreary.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the Greyhound station is gone.

As I already wrote, people in Brattleboro get by without cars, without bicycles and even without the ability to walk. But without a car, your freedom to go where you want, and when you want, is limited. It is limited by how far you can walk, or bike, and by your access to rides.

There are two services I forgot to write about in my last post:

There is a taxi service, Brattleboro Taxi. See their website: Brattleboro Taxi.

There is also a Time Trade, and there are people who will provide rides for time credits. Using Time Trade costs no money (except for dues), but you are dependent upon other people's availability. If you are unfamiliar with time banking, it is a wonderful concept. People earn time credits by providing services and then use them by enlisting the services of other members. The members who provide services to you earn time credits for themselves. So you can get free services without imposing on anyone. See the website:
Brattleboro Time Trade | A Time Bank for Changing Times

[KEVIN_224]

Greyhound's website still lists their agent as the Shell station on 429 Canal Street (US Route 5) in the south end. The reason I had said Sunoco was because the in-between Greyhound agency (after the Vermont Transit trailer was taken away but before the current place near Price Chopper) was Abraleez Deli/Sunoco along US Route 5 North/VT Route 9 East, just south of the Hannaford shopping plaza.

Glad to hear that the Co-op is doing well and thriving.

I once stayed at the EconoLodge near the Shell station (Greyhound agent) and Price Chopper's plaza. It left a lot to be desired. I had to deal with a skinny Indian woman was was a bit rude when I checked in there that evening.

I have seen Brattleboro Taxi and the Moover van/bus loop through the old Vermont Transit lot. I've never had the need to ride it, however.

Lastly, I've never dealt with that time trade thing. To be honest, I've never even heard of it.