Park visitors embrace transit system
A band of bighorn sheep rams race across the snow at Logan Pass in Glacier National Park on Monday morning. People hiking the trail behind the visitor’s center were treated to glimpses of mature rams as the herd moved around alpine meadows. Karen Nichols photos/Daily Inter Lake
By AMY MAY
The Daily Inter Lake
The inaugural day of operation for Glacier National Park's new transit system was a huge success - almost too successful.
Droves of early-morning visitors and partially open routes contributed to long lines and frustrated passengers on Sunday, according to transit system manager Ray Tinky.
But by midafternoon the kinks were ironed out, the roads were opened and 27 shuttle busses transported well over 1,000 visitors along Going-to-the-Sun Road.
By Monday morning Tinky reported that "things are running much more smoothly today."
Making stops at 16 points along the 50 miles of the historic highway, the new transit system gives visitors a chance to get out of their cars and relax while they enjoy the scenic ride.
"There was a question of whether or not people would park their cars and get on a bus," Tinky said. "And people definitely got out of their cars and into the buses."
The system is considered a transportation-only service, not a guided tour, even though each stop features interpretive and educational information about the park. Guided tours are still available through Sun Tours and on the historic red buses with Glacier Park Inc.
The new transit system includes a fleet of 30 biodiesel buses - 22 12-passenger buses travel between Apgar and Logan Pass and eight 24-passenger buses travel between St. Mary and Logan Pass and between Apgar and Fish Creek.
Operated by Flathead County's Eagle Transit, the new system operates with a workforce of around 80 employees.
The new Apgar Transit Center, which will serve as the western transit hub, also opened this weekend. The center features interactive kiosks and displays to help orient and inform visitors.
The transportation service is intended to provide an alternative for travelers to minimize impacts on visitors throughout the 8- to 10-year Sun Road rehabilitation that begins this summer.
The new system cost around $4 million, with $2.1 million from the National Park Service and $1.9 million from the Montana Department of Transportation. The cost of operating the system will be covered by this year's $5 entrance-fee increase.
Shuttle buses run on three routes between 7 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. Buses are available at the stops every 15 to 30 minutes.
The cost to ride is free with park admission. A map of shuttle stops is available at www.nps.gov/glac.
Reporter Amy May can be reached at 758-4459 or by e-mail at amay@dailyinterlake.com