Vernon Seniors Sporting A New Ride

VERNON, CT — One of the final pieces of the puzzle for the new Vernon Senior Center project was put into place this week with a new mode of transportation. It was months in the works, town officials said.

Mayor Daniel A. Champagne announced Wednesday that a new, 35-passenger bus

has officially joined the fleet of vehicles used to transport members of Vernon’s Senior Center to local and regional activities.

The 2020 Freightliner M2 Champion Defender bus includes handicapped provisions and will supplement the current 25-passenger van already in service.

The Senior Center vehicle fleet also includes a passenger car essentialy used to bring Vernon residents to out-of-town medical appointments.

"Since opening the new Senior Center in April of 2018, membership has grown exponentially," Champagne said. "After a full year of operation and with more than 2,220 registered attendees, we recognized that the members’ activity level warranted adding another vehicle to the fleet."

The Town Council budgeted and approved the funds in April of 2019, and the bus was custom-built over the summer months," Champagne said.

"As our membership grows we have responded by adding more trips to our programming schedule," Senior Center Director Maureen Gabriele said. "The new bus enables us to accommodate more seniors on our outings, allowing them to travel in comfort."

The maiden voyage of the bus took place Wednesday afternoon when an "Out to Lunch Bunch" visited a restaurant in Glastonbury.

The bus was purchased via internal financing. The total cost was $152,000 and it was paid for via a cash advance from the town budget. A total of $48,000 was paid off from revenue sources last year and another $48,000 is budgeted to be paid off during the current fiscal year. The balance has been designated for full payoff next year, according to municiapal officials.

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Senior Center membership is available to individuals ages 55 and over. The one-time cost for lifetime membership to the Center is $10 for Vernon residents and $15 for non-Vernon residents. For more information, please visit the Senior Center at 135 Bolton Road, or by telephone at (860) 870-3680 and online at www.vernon-ct.gov/senior-center.