The Vast web site now has a survey to be filled out. This survey will help to move our sport forward. Please take a minute to fill it out. The web address is VTVAST.ORG

No comments about the survey or is it that no one cares.This is being done to help mold our future so please take a moment and fill it out.

Took the survey last night

just completed it

I took it last night as well.

Just completed the survey - some of the questions wre phrased a little strange but I am glad to see VAST is reaching out to its members - I hope we get to see the results!

I did it. I hope they publish the results.

Survey complete.

SURVEY COMPLETE. I PUT GUYS LIKE SNOCRAZED WITH ALL THE MONEY WILL NEVER QUIT.

I added Lacapra to that in mine. IMO there are too many TMA options. I also think the 5 day is too expensive.

If I had my vote it would one early TMA and another TMA after that date regardless of residency. Maybe a vintage TMA.

Hey ct skidoo now that i think about it i think you got snowcrazed and i beat by a mile you and kim got some serious money trees i would love to be your neighbor
I agree way to many T.M.A. options you should try to have to sell them way to confusing. They should have one early one late.

Ha ha - I still need to come in and spend that gift certificate too!

I think that gift certificate expired right after it was paid for.

Uh oh.. Kim is going to be after you and she knows your address!

Back to the survey.... It will be interesting if any changes are made.

Everyone has their limits Cap! The tree isn't producing like it use to and the press is old and finicky. I pulled a yuppie food stamp out of my wallet today and Andrew Jackson put on sunglass cuz it was the first time he'd seen sunlight in a long time.

I completed it as well. Just wondering what pre-scholler VAST hired to make up the questions.

The survey questions are all "economic" just like everything else in our lives right now. How much would you pay/not pay in this/that situation? If gas was $1.50/gal this survey would not exist.

Where are the questions about future riding the State and Federal land from IP to the NH border?

Where are the questions about working with landowners who post hundreds of acres of land?

Where are the questions about grooming payment to clubs?

and many more............

I just took the survey.... Some of the questions are worded oddly. Others don't ask the right questions. When it comes to the sled prices, I ride used. I couldn't justify buying a new sled without living in VT. The question on gas prices.... I will ride no matter what, but I will adjust how I do it. Its now cheaper to go up for a 2 day overnight trip ( Towing from CT ) than it is to do 2 seperate day trips.

Look over the questions and how they are laid out, the oddly set up ones should stand out. Lastly, please add a comment question. Its always good to allow the survey taker to expound on the answers they gave. On some questions, the given choices for answers may not reflect what the respondant really thinks. Given the low response rate that most surveys get ( 2 to 10% ), there shouldn't be too much added work to read the comments. This is the first time that I have expressed an opinion with VAST, and this survey doesn't really cover all the opinions that I have, but it is a great start.

I think the questions are intended to shape your responses. I think one early, one regular, tma's priced the same for residents and non. Yes to antique or old sled tma discount. Helps young people have a sled and ride legally. No fuel surcharge. Continue to have clubs sell tms's, yes. Has the high price of insurance kept many sledders away, yes. Has the continous call for more money for vast annoyed a lot of potental tma buyers, yes. Here is a question that should have been on there. "Should vast post payroll & benefits, facts and figures on the web site?" yes!

No one ever said this was a cheap sport - I for one wnat the sport to continue to exist and am willing to pay (within limits) to continue to enjoy it.

I just took the survey as well.

I agree with others, some of the questions were very oddly written and the answers didnt apply to me. as well as a comments section would be nice.

This right here explains alot:

Vermont = $115 plus $150 Ins. =$265/ one sled
New Hampshire = $88/ one sled
Maine = $69/ one sled
Mass = $60/ one sled
New York = $70 plus $150 ins. = $220/ one sled



No I wont stop snowmobiling if the price of a TMA goes up. BUT i will stop snowmobiling in VT! when i can do it in NH for a third of the cost!

And NO snowmobiling is not a CHEAP sport. but not everyone buys a 10k dollar sled, 8k dollar trailers and 40k dollar truck. Some of us ride used and have open snowmobile trailers and 15 year old trucks! The cost of snowmobiling in VT seams to be way out of whack with the rest of New England.

The survey is a big step in the right direction.The sport is really changeing with the fuel thing ,liability issues decreased volunteer participation etc.As one who does all the TMA stuff for our club really like the idea of the VAST office taking a good share of the burden off the club( and dealers who sell them) I know our main outlet for TMA's ,Central Vermont Motorcycles has been overwhelmed as they sell for all Rutland county clubs and it has really become almost impossible and expensive for them to handle such a huge volume .BY doing it through the VAST office it really takes out two middlemen in the process and cuts down on confusion and tracking etc.

I would be concerned vast would hang onto a bigger portion of the tma as a "service fee" or take from "rich" clubs and give to poor. Hold onto your money if you want to control the proper use of it. I hope I do't sound too cynical with my postings, but money has a way of making the simplist of things very difficult and controvercial.

I would expect there to be a "fee" for VAST to handle memberships at the Office, because they'll be performing a service that was a volunteer chore, in the past. That means hiring employees and developing a system to handle this enterprise. Not cheap. There are no "rich" Clubs, only different sizes of Clubs. Big Clubs have big bills.
You usually are very cynical, but this is a free speach forum, so it's your right. Just expect strong responses to strong opinions. For those of us that put in long hours of volunteer time, we take it personally when the organization gets trashed, or integrity gets questioned publicly. But then you already know this.
You're right about how money can screw up anything good. But with dwindling volunteer ranks, and higher costs, increases in fees or loss of the trail system are our options. Expect a $15 "fuel surcharge" on every TMA sold for this season and probably a general TMA price increase for the '09-'10 season. It won't be the price of a TMA that turns people away. It'll be the combination of all the increases that we face. This season will tell us the future of snowmobiling as we know it. Hopefully, we haven't become a "white elephant" in the snowmobile world.
Let's hope for snow like the rain that has fallen this summer.

been riding vt since 1967 remember when vast formed all started on the ISLANDS with all the BULLS#@& the last 2 years with closing trails when there has been snow ,know what i say park the F$%# groomers let us ride nobody groomed for us then, there are plenty of old roads and trails all over the state mainly in the NEK ,all these new sleds with there great suspensions ,what, need GROOMED trails?? suck it up boys and girls, lets ride. whats the worst thing that will happen you will pack some snow under your track.I've carried insurance since the 70's no big deal.Yea I took the survey,I think its BULL .so with that said the last 2 years i have been riding in a state where I can GO Where I Want, When I Want,How I Want, and it is the same drive as the NEK

Concensus in Essex County is to leave well enough along and let the clubs continue to sell their TMAs.

For those folks who love to compare prices in the adjacent states here is a news flash. The price everwhere will be going up. For those that complain about insurance all i can say is you must be really stupid to ride with out it. I have a friend who got clobbered in Maine and has two two surgeries to repair his shattered wrist.He now just got served notice that the fellow from New Jersey who hit him is sueing him (my friend has insurance therefore no legal bills, the NJ guy has none)

As far as riding ungroomed unmarked trails- well i imagine you have a black and white television also.

I know the system isnt perfect but obviously everyone is trying so lets end the conspiracy theory.

If a fifteen dollar increase is going to force people to quit then it is my thinking that they will quit anyway, so the rest of us must carry on.

I don't agree there are less volunteers, or people willing to pitch in. I think that as long as expense records at vast are so hard to get, not posted on web site, that there will be scepticism about the need for more money.

Liability insurance isn't paying the guys medical bills if the other guy didn't have any insuance. Vt's insurance law doesnt protect anyone from getting run into and the resulting bills if the other rider doesn't have insurance. I don't think you or the genneral public understands how liability insurance works. It is great for insurance companies and politicans.

If you think vast needs more money, get out your check book and write them a donation check.

Also, you should turn down the Free Volunteer TMA from your club and buy one at full price.

I don't accuse you of having black and white tv or being so poor that I can't afford to ride, why would you be so rude?

filled it out, looks to me like they are just trying to justfy raising the price, after all we did have ONE good season!
i'm not bitchin but can't we just maintain?