Chittenden county is moderately dense. It has about 25% of the state’s population. There’s public transit in the form of buses and it seems moderately used. It’s a rural state, but not nearly as rural as you seem to think.
In contrast I grew up in a significantly more densely populated suburbs in the greater Boston area. People might use the commuter rail, but I’m not even sure what other public transit even existed. If it’s there I’ve never heard of anyone interacting with it.