Missoula Urban Transportation District (Mountain Line)

The Missoula Urban Transportation District, or Mountain Line, began operating in 1977 with three used buses on four routes. Since then the agency has grown to operating 6 days per week and now boasts 30 buses, 12 routes, and 55 employees. In 2008, the Mountain Line provided more than 800,000 rides to customers in this community of approximately 90,000 residents. In July 2008—typically a slower time of year for the agency—the Mountain Line experienced its highest summer ridership levels ever, showing a 30% increase over the previous year. Customer service calls indicated a swell of first-time riders seeking to decrease the cost of commuting to work. Despite decreasing gas prices, ridership remains high.