New bus service gets rolling Dec. 16
A new bus service between the Flathead Valley and Missoula will begin Dec. 16.
Flathead Transit, a service of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, will implement the daily passenger service.
Buses will stop in Evaro, Arlee, Ravalli, St. Ignatius, Pablo, Polson, Lakeside, Kalispell and Whitefish.
“We’re excited to expand our transit service to include this new route,” said Corky Sias, manager of Flathead Transit. “This new service will be available to the general public and anyone needing transportation along this route.”
Bus service in Montana served by Billings-based Rimrock Stages was shut down March 22 by the U.S. Department of Transportation due to safety violations.
By April, out-of-state bus services had worked out an agreement to cover some of the former Rimrock routes throughout Montana — but the Missoula-to-Kalispell line was not among them.
The Montana Department of Transportation is providing federal funding for the new service and Greyhound is offering the required match to help make the new service sustainable. No state or local money is required because of the Greyhound match.
“Connecting Missoula and Whitefish with a fixed route fills a void in Montana’s intercity system,” said David Jacobs, Montana Department of Transportation transit section supervisor. “This new service provides a connection to Greyhound, Amtrak and local and regional services in Missoula. More importantly, it re-establishes mobility options for Montanans who rely on public transit out of necessity or choice.”
The new service is being offered in cooperation with Greyhound Lines Inc. as part of its growing Greyhound Connect services to small towns and rural communities throughout the nation.
New Greyhound ticket agents in Kalispell, Polson, Pablo and Saint Ignatius will be able to sell tickets to anywhere Greyhound goes, and Flathead Transit will operate in the existing Greyhound terminal in Missoula at 1660 W. Broadway.
Customers can buy tickets through any Greyhound selling locations nationwide.
“Greyhound is proud to add Flathead Transit as its newest partner in the Greyhound Connect program,” said Dave Leach, president and chief executive officer of Greyhound. “This expansion will give the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes additional travel options while providing a safe, comfortable and affordable ride and we look forward to maintaining this partnership for the traveling public for years to come.”
Tickets can be purchased in Kalispell at Brian’s Conoco at 1319 U.S. 93 S. They are also available at KwaTaqNuk in Polson, Quick Silver in Pablo and Stuart’s Cenex in St. Ignatius.
Information about the service times, reservations, ticket prices and stop locations in each community is available from Flathead Transit at Quick Silver in Pablo at (406) 275-2877.