The Bus

What The Bus does

The Bus is the operating brand of Marble Valley Regional Transit District (MVRTD), a Vermont-chartered regional public transit authority that has operated in the greater Rutland area for over 35 years. It provides fixed-route city bus service in Rutland City (North, Hospital, West, and South routes), regional commuter routes connecting surrounding towns (Proctor, Middlebury, Fair Haven, Killington, Manchester, and the seasonal Ludlow route), ADA complementary paratransit, Medicaid transportation, the Older Adults & Persons with Disabilities (O&D) program, the Recovery Job Access (RJA) program, and the VeggieVanGo food-distribution shuttle. According to firmographic inputs, MVRTD was founded around 1989 and operates as a government entity under Vermont state law with 11-50 employees, reporting 2,000+ annual passengers and 1M+ miles traveled.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally light: a mobile transit app (the third-party Transit App, available on iOS and Android) provides real-time bus tracking, trip planning, and service alerts; Google Maps APIs power mapping on the website; and SimplifiedSMS powers text-alert opt-in. The technology model is consumer-grade rather than AI-enabled, and no proprietary AI/ML or data-flywheel mechanics are referenced. Distribution is direct-to-consumer across fixed city routes, commuter routes, paratransit, subscription coupons, and the mobile app, with the Rutland Transit Center at 102 West St. functioning as the central transfer hub.

Revenue mechanics combine fare revenue (single-trip tickets, 10-ride coupons, monthly and seasonal passes priced between $1.50 and $300, with discounts for seniors, disabled, Medicare holders, and veterans), advertising revenue from inside/outside bus signage ($35-$90/month by contract length), and government appropriations consistent with its status as a publicly governed transit authority. The Bus is Vermont's largest non-urban public transportation system and holds a structural monopoly position in the Rutland area, with strategic partnerships anchoring regional connectivity (Tri-Valley Transit for the Rutland Connector, Vermont Translines, Amtrak referrals, and community partnerships with Vermont Foodbank, Chambers of Commerce, and Connecting Commuters).

Name

The Bus

Legal name

Marble Valley Regional Transit District

Website

https://thebus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Bus operates as Marble Valley Regional Transit District, a Vermont government transit authority providing fixed-route, commuter, paratransit, and social-service bus transportation across the greater Rutland area, serving 2,000+ annual passengers through city routes, regional connections, and ADA/Medicaid programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Transportation

NAICS

Special Needs Transportation (485991), Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation (48521), Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional/County Public Bus Operators (THAIAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Suburban/Regional Commuter Bus Operators (TLAFAGAC), Community & Senior Transportation Shuttles (Dial-a-Ride, Non-ADA) (TLAFAJAI)

Keywords

• Public bus transit
• Paratransit services
• Commuter transportation
• Route planning
• Transit advertising

Headquarters

HQ city

Rutland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Public Transportation Fares: Revenue generated from fixed route bus fares, paratransit fares, and subscription service fees from riders in Rutland area.
2. Bus Advertising: Revenue from mobile billboard advertising on the interior and exterior of buses. Pricing ranges from $35-$90/month depending on location and contract length.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Bus (Marble Valley Regional Transit District) provides fixed-route public bus service within Rutland City and regional commuter routes connecting surrounding Vermont towns. It complements these routes with ADA complementary paratransit, Medicaid transportation, and human service transportation programs for seniors, persons with disabilities, recovery participants, and food bank recipients, supported by a subscription ride coupon program and bus advertising sales.

Product overview

The Bus (Marble Valley Regional Transit District) operates Vermont's largest non-urban public transportation system, offering a portfolio of fixed-route bus services including City Fixed Routes serving Rutland City, regional routes connecting to Middlebury, Manchester, Fair Haven, Ludlow, and Killington, and the Proctor Route. The service portfolio also includes paratransit services (ADA Complementary Paratransit and Medicaid Transportation), social programs such as Recovery Job Access for substance use recovery, the Marble Valley O&D Program for seniors and disabled residents, and VeggieVanGo transportation for the food bank program. The company provides a Transit App for real-time tracking and trip planning, a Subscription Service for regular commuters, and bus advertising services. The fixed routes, paratransit, and special programs operate as an integrated network centered on the Transit Center in Rutland, serving Rutland County and surrounding areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Transit App: Real time bus tracking and trip planning mobile application offered by MVRTD for riders of The Bus transit system.

Products and services

• City Fixed Routes Fixed-route bus service operating Monday through Friday and Saturday in Rutland City, with the North and Hospital routes running every half hour and West and South routes running hourly, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00/4:30 p.m., with a midday break between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. Designed for general residents and commuters needing intra-city public transportation.
• Proctor Route

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tri-Valley TransitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between TVT and MVRTD for the Rutland Connector, providing Monday-Saturday service connecting Middlebury to Rutland via Route 7.
• Vermont TranslinesminorOthersVermont bus schedules provider. Vermont Translines buses run daily, 7 days a week.
• Go Vermont!minorGTM or Marketing PartnerState resource for Vermont transportation options including bus routes and rideshare matching. Connected to Community Drivers program.
• AmtrakminorOthersPassenger rail service partner listed as a community resource for travelers.
• Rutland Regional Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional business organization supporting economic development in Rutland County.
• Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChamber representing Okemo Valley area businesses.
• Killington Pico Area AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAssociation representing businesses in Killington and Pico area, supporting regional tourism transportation needs.
• Vermont Foodbank (VeggieVanGo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransportation partnership for VeggieVanGo program - MVRTD provides transportation for the Vermont Foodbank's monthly fresh produce distribution on the first Friday of every month, departing Transit Center at 9:15 AM.
• Blind & Visually Impaired Division of RutlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent living assistance program providing training sessions for visually impaired individuals using MVRTD fleet.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Amtrak: National passenger rail operator. Listed by MVRTD as a transportation partner and complementary mode for travel into/out of Rutland. Not a direct competitor but thematically related passenger mobility provider.

Direct peers

• Green Mountain Transit (GMT): Vermont's other major public transit agency serving Chittenden and Washington counties with fixed-route and paratransit. Directly comparable to MVRTD as a Vermont state-chartered regional transit authority operating urban, suburban, and specialized services.
• Vermont Translines: Listed as a transit partner on MVRTD's website. Operates daily intercity bus service across Vermont, connecting Rutland to Burlington and other corridors; directly comparable as an intercity scheduled bus operator in the same state.
• Stagecoach Transportation Services: Operates rural and small-urban public transit in northern New Hampshire and Vermont. Comparable as a regional public transit provider with similar route structures and rider demographics in rural New England.
• Chittenden County Transportation Authority (CCTA): Vermont's urban transit system in Burlington metro. Comparable as a state-chartered regional transit authority operating fixed-route, paratransit, and commuter services under the same Vermont regulatory framework.
• Tri-Valley Transit: Partner agency that co-operates the Rutland Connector with MVRTD. Serves Addison County and central Vermont with rural fixed-route, demand-response, and human-service transportation; same Vermont regional transit mission and operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Greyhound Lines: National intercity bus operator with Vermont stops. Comparable only broadly as an intercity scheduled bus operator; MVRTD's regional commuter routes overlap with some Greyhound corridors at much smaller scale.
• MV Transportation: Large national contractor operating fixed-route, paratransit, and shuttle services for transit agencies nationwide. Comparable as a service provider in the same NEMT/paratransit category, though at much greater scale.
• First Transit: National transit management and paratransit contractor (now part of FirstGroup). Operates contracted fixed-route and ADA paratransit services for transit agencies; comparable in service category but serves as a national incumbent.

Regional players

• Advance Transit: Non-profit public transit serving the Upper Valley region of New Hampshire and Vermont (Dartmouth area). Comparable as a small, multi-town fixed-route and paratransit operator in a rural New England setting with similar service mix.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TheBusMVRTD
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/mvrtd_the_bus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marble-valley-regional-transit

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Bus