Whitefish’s Rocky Mountain Transportation under new ownership

After 78 years of dedicated service driving school bus routes, managing the oldest Hertz rental location in the country, supporting Glacier National Park red bus tours, and operating Whitefish’s SNOW Bus, Whitefish-based Rocky Mountain Transportation Company has new ownership.  

Longtime owner Dale Duff said that “he couldn’t be more pleased” to hand over the wheel to the Hageness family. Both Duff and Seth Soley, of the Hageness family, are “spirited for the school year to start.”

“People have asked when I’m finally going to retire. The answer is that you have to wait until you find the right people, and that’s these guys, the Hageness family. They’ve been in it for three generations. I have confidence and trust in them,” Duff said.

Duff’s father, Roy Duff, started Rocky Mountain Transportation under the name Whitefish Taxi in 1946. They offered 24-hour taxi service, rental cars and soon added a school bus contract.

The company grew to offer additional services including a tow service, the only ambulance service in town, volunteer fire department trucks and interstate bus schedules.

Then came the shuttle up Big Mountain, which went through names including the Ski Bus, the Shuttle Bus, and the WART, or Whitefish Area Rapid Transport, before settling on the SNOW Bus.

Private charters, shuttles around Glacier National Park and transfers from Glacier Park International Airport also grew in the business.

Duff said his father first started Rocky Mountain Transportation when he came back to Whitefish after World War 2 as a veteran of The Greatest Generation.

Duff said that during the war years, cars weren’t being made, so “people needed transportation. And the Great Northern Railway started by the Hill brothers in 1905 was a great asset,” but there was a need for a taxi service, and so in 1946, Duff took it up and Whitefish Taxi got its start.

As the business grew, Roy and Dale’s mother went on to build an office garage at 15 Central Ave., where MacKenzie River Pizza is located today.

Beyond being a proud veteran and transportation entrepreneur, Roy Duff was also a dedicated servant to Whitefish. The list of positions and organizations he was a part of was longer than the list of ones he didn’t belong to. The City of Whitefish named the local armory in honor of Roy Duff’s service.

A 2008 Whitefish Pilot article celebrating Roy Duff’s life stated that “in Roy’s final days he made inquiries if [Rocky Mountain Transportation] was operating properly, exclaiming that ‘it damn well better.’”

Although Dale Duff said he “went off course for a little bit,” he ultimately followed through. Dale Duff attended the University of Montana, taught and traveled before returning to Whitefish in 1976 to start working for the business.

Around the time Dale Duff stepped in, Rocky Mountain Transportation moved from its downtown Whitefish location to its current one on East Edgewood Drive.

The historic Hertz Rental kiosk still stands today in the Whitefish Depot, and rental cars are still located outside. 78 years later, and the Hertz franchise is the oldest continuous Hertz location and operation in the U.S.

Among Rocky Mountain Transportation’s essential services, Duff said that the heartbeat has always been the Whitefish School District.

“The safe transportation of our children, both on the outside, and making sure inside of the bus is pleasant and that children can enjoy each other’s company, too, is our highest priority,” Duff said.

“We’re also blessed with our schools, teachers and leadership connecting to our kids, with the spirit of camaraderie, sharing and caring.”

Duff said he couldn’t be more pleased to hand over this duty to the Seth Soley and the Hageness family.

“They have high integrity and are experienced in school bus transportation. We couldn't have done better.”

AS A family member and part of the three-generational transportation business Harlow’s, Seth Soley understands buses and community.

Harlow’s has locations in Montana, Idaho, Washington, North Dakota and South Dakota. Soley clarified that Rocky Mountain Transportation will continue its operations independently.

Soley is from Libby and lived for some time in eastern Washington previously.

“I started by sweeping floors in the shop, then tearing apart, fixing, washing, changing oil, driving routes, running dispatch, everything buses. I worked on fire buses for the national Forest Service,” Soley said.

“Like me,” Duff chimed in.

Soley has children who will be attending Whitefish schools this year.

“My son is named Harlow after great grandpa,” Soley said.

He said his wife Brooke will be teaching third grade at Olney-Bliss School.

“I’m most excited about Whitefish’s close-knit community. There’s just this feeling here. I can’t even put it into words – for me, it’s home, even though I haven’t been here that long, it’s already home,” Soley said.

As for what Duff plans to do with his new-found free time, he says he “ought to groom those mules and reclaim some of those trails in Glacier National Park.”

Duff worked for 10 years as a seasonal firefighter in the Bob Marshall Wilderness at Big Prairie.

“Yeah, I’ll get those mules back out there, and out to Two-Med with my Blackfeet friends.”

Duff is also known for organizing and competing in the Whitefish skijoring event held on Central Avenue for many years, and for riding his horse to the Depot.

“I guess I’ll have more time to mow the lawn and spend time with my bride, too. She’s ready,” Duff said.

While Duff might not be canvassing the roads at 4 a.m. this winter making sure the school bus routes are safe, he said both he and Seth are looking forward to the first week of school.

“We’re spirited. Those kids bring a grin to my face, particularly during the first week. So it’ll be a smooth transition.”

    A historical photo of work on a Rocky Mountain Transportation vehicle. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
  

    A child drives a Rocky Mt. Transportation mini bus during the Whitefish Carnival parade. Print photo provided by Duff at the Railway Depot.
  

    Dale Duff at the Rocky Mountain Transportation desk located at the historical Great Northern Railway Depot in Whitefish. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)