Missoula's Mountain Line uses electric buses to combat rising gas prices

MISSOULA, Mont. – As gas prices continue to rise, businesses and drivers across Montana are feeling the impact. However, Missoula's public transit system, Mountain Line, is less affected due to its transition to electric buses.

Mountain Line has introduced electric buses as part of a long-term strategy to reduce both fuel costs and emissions. This shift helps provide stability in operations despite fluctuations in gas prices.

Jordan Hess, CEO and general manager of Mountain Line, highlighted the benefits of their electric bus program. "You know one thing that that our electric bus program has shown us over the years and if you look back at historic electricity prices versus gas or diesel prices, electricity prices are just so much less. They definitely have a seasonal component in some states but if you just look overtime in the price of electricity is far more stable so that's been a big driver for us. You know when we when we had a full diesel fleet our diesel cost was also a lot more stable because we would buy it on contract months and months in advance so we were less. Susceptible to the price swings that that a consumer would see at the pump, but but I would say in general, the battery electric buses have had providing some real stability and some real predictability in our in our class," said Hess.

Public transit systems like Mountain Line offer an alternative for those looking to save money when gas prices rise. As more transit systems across the U.S. explore electric vehicles, it could influence how communities perceive transportation costs in the future.

While many in Montana still depend on personal vehicles, transit leaders believe options like electric buses can offer more stable transportation costs over time.

For more information on Mountain Line's electric bus initiative and its impact on transportation costs, visit Mountain Line's official website.