Burlington's Commuter Rail System (smallest)

On December 5,

the nation’s smallest commuter rail system began operation in Burlington, Vermont. The Champlain Flyer carries passengers just 13 miles (21 km)—between downtown Burlington and Charlotte. The rail service is initially free, but a charge will be imposed by April, when frequency of train trips is expected to increase to 10 per day. The $18 million dollar public transit project has been controversial, with opponents claiming that the money could have been better spent elsewhere, but Vermont Governor Howard Dean is an avid supporter. “This is the beginning, I hope, of a real renaissance in rail,” he said at the debut of the rail service. According to the American Public Transportation Association, it is very unusual for such a small community to have rail service (the greater Burlington area has a population of only 150,000). The Champlain Flyer becomes one of just 22 commuter rail systems in the U.S.