Missoula’s Mountain Line wins national transit award

Missoula’s transit agency, Mountain Line, has been named the best transit system in the country by the Community Transportation Association of America, which advocates and provides training for small and mid-sized transit systems throughout the country.

The award, which has different classes, was among peer transportation agencies of the 1,300 the CTAA represents, which includes transit systems in Bend, Oregon, and Flagstaff, Arizona. Mountain Line was created by voter referendum in Missoula in 1976, serves 70 square miles in the Missoula Valley and averages about 1.5 million rides per year on 12 fixed routes.

The agency’s fleet — which includes 30 buses and 20 vehicles for its paratransit offerings — is also now 90% electric, CEO and General Manager Jordan Hess said Monday, adding they were “delighted” about the award.

“Mountain Line does really good work, and that work really matters to people and changes people’s lives and helps people access opportunity,” Hess said, recounting a recent conversation with staff over the award. “That’s pretty good motivation for us to get up and go to work every day, but then the national recognition kind of took it to the next level.”

Hess said the award highlighted its zero-fare (free trip) operation that has been in place since 2015, as well as the electrification of its fleet and some of its pilot projects.

One of those pilots, a recreation shuttle to Marshall Mountain, a popular hiking and mountain biking destination just outside of town, turned into a full-blown program. From May 30 to October, Mountain Line will offer hourly shuttles to and from Marshall Mountain from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., starting at the Downtown Transfer Center.

That idea was borrowed from similar programs in Oregon, Hess said, with some agencies there offering recreational shuttles to popular public land. There’s a Missoula twist — the Marshall Mountain shuttle has space for 16 bikes — and opens up recreation opportunities for more people, which also can help reduce personal vehicles at popular sites.

It’s a mixture of hikers, bikers, picnickers and berry pickers, Hess said.

“It’s a really interesting mix,” Hess said. “We find we have a lot of young, young adults and a lot of teenagers and a lot of people who might not have access to transportation, a lot of families.”

Transit agencies generally share a lot of information about what works and what doesn’t, and the CTAA is no different, Hess said. 

“I’ve got several of my peers with those systems, basically on constant text thread or speed dial as far as, ‘Hey, what are you guys thinking about?’”

Mountain Line is funded mostly (about 70%) by property taxes, which come from its urban transportation district, about a quarter is federal money and a small percentage, dedicated to paratransit, comes from the state rental car taxes.

Mountain Line has also applied for and received large federal grants, including one for $39 million that is allowing the transit agency to build a new facility. Their current shop is only about 2.2 acres and was designed for smaller buses than what Mountain Line runs now.

The agency has also been active with the Legislature and is closely following Senate Joint Resolution 19, a look into public transit in the state, Hess said. 

“They are an exemplary example for us to showcase to the rest of our members,” CTAA Chief of Staff Loreal Lance said in a press release. “It’s always difficult to choose winners for the Community Transportation awards. Mountain Line was chosen because of their leadership in innovative, accessible public transit.”