[ghaff]

>Back in the early part of the 20th century Vermont had extensive train access to ski areas

I'm guessing you probably still needed transportation of some sort from the train stations to the mountains.

One of the issues with just having a bus is that a lot of ski resorts have multiple base areas and most of the lodging and eating options are off-mountain. Some are pretty self-contained but the layout for resorts in the northeast for example pretty much presupposes that you have a car if you're going for a weekend.

There are self-contained exceptions of course but many aren't.

[cmrdporcupine]

A few ski area towns in Vermont actually still have their own local transit. I know at least Waitsfield (Sugarbush / Mt Elln & Mad River Glen) and Stowe have that kind of thing, to get you from local hotels and restaurants and the like to the hill and back etc.

And I recall that Steamboat Springs Colorado has something like this; shuttles from airport, hotels, ski areas.