Mountain Line Transit Strategic Plan

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Mountain Line, Missoula's bus system, is operated by its own board of directors and is not part of City of Missoula government. It benefits both organizations and our community to coordinate in transportation planning efforts and to host this project on the Engage Missoula platform.




Project Overview

The Missoula Urban Transportation District (MUTD), more familiarly known as Mountain Line, has launched the 2024 Transit Strategic Plan with the goal of developing comprehensive recommendations for Missoula's public transit system to better serve riders, residents, and the broader community. This plan will cover numerous facets of the agency, including service and operations, capital improvements, funding, climate and sustainability goals, equity objectives, and policy issues.

Building on the successes of the 2018 Transit Strategic Plan and responding to evolving local, national, and global contexts, this new effort will determine MUTD’s course for the coming years.

Key elements of the plan include:

  • Evaluating service schedules and route design enhancements to improve efficiency, equity, and accessibility.

  • Assessing the passenger experience to improve comfort and convenience for riders.

  • Considering emerging technologies and ways new technologies could be incorporated into the transit system.

  • Reviewing local and regional transit policies and potential updates.

  • Analyzing COVID-19 impacts on public transit usage and challenges.

  • Land use and infrastructure analysis to determine effects on transit and opportunities for necessary infrastructure improvements.

  • Planning and implications of a new operations center.

  • Impacts of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on future service design.

  • Exploring alternative service delivery options.

About MUTD

Mountain Line connects Missoulians to the community through safe, sustainable, and innovative transportation solutions. Operated by the Missoula Urban Transportation District (MUTD) since 1976, Mountain Line provides zero-fare fixed-route bus and Paratransit service in and around Missoula seven days a week.

MUTD is a leader in adopting zero-emissions buses (ZEBs) in the United States, setting an example for other small urban transit networks. In February 2020, its Board of Directors committed to transitioning to a 100% zero-emissions fleet by 2035. More than 40% of the Mountain Line fleet is currently battery-electric, with four new electric buses arriving in 2024.

Mountain Line was recognized as the top public transit agency of its size in North America in 2021 by the American Public Transportation Association and named System of the Year in 2023 by the Montana Transit Association.


Further Reading

We will share project documents as they are completed. These documents are located under "Project Documents" in the sidebar.

The Existing Conditions Report provides a comprehensive overview of Missoula’s regional planning context, focusing on population and employment patterns. It evaluates the current state of the transportation network, including roadways, transit, and multimodal infrastructure. This report lays the groundwork for future recommendations and improvements in Missoula's regional planning and transportation systems.

The Executive Summary condenses the key findings of the Existing Conditions Report. It highlights important aspects of Missoula’s demographics, transit system performance, and multimodal transportation conditions, including roadways, bicycle, and pedestrian networks. This summary serves as a quick reference to the broader report’s insights, supporting the development of future plans and recommendations.


Related Projects

The Transit Strategic Plan is being conducted in tandem with the Missoula Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) Update. For more information about the LRTP update, please visit https://www.engagemissoula.com/long-range-transportation-plan.


Mountain Line, Missoula's bus system, is operated by its own board of directors and is not part of City of Missoula government. It benefits both organizations and our community to coordinate in transportation planning efforts and to host this project on the Engage Missoula platform.




Project Overview

The Missoula Urban Transportation District (MUTD), more familiarly known as Mountain Line, has launched the 2024 Transit Strategic Plan with the goal of developing comprehensive recommendations for Missoula's public transit system to better serve riders, residents, and the broader community. This plan will cover numerous facets of the agency, including service and operations, capital improvements, funding, climate and sustainability goals, equity objectives, and policy issues.

Building on the successes of the 2018 Transit Strategic Plan and responding to evolving local, national, and global contexts, this new effort will determine MUTD’s course for the coming years.

Key elements of the plan include:

  • Evaluating service schedules and route design enhancements to improve efficiency, equity, and accessibility.

  • Assessing the passenger experience to improve comfort and convenience for riders.

  • Considering emerging technologies and ways new technologies could be incorporated into the transit system.

  • Reviewing local and regional transit policies and potential updates.

  • Analyzing COVID-19 impacts on public transit usage and challenges.

  • Land use and infrastructure analysis to determine effects on transit and opportunities for necessary infrastructure improvements.

  • Planning and implications of a new operations center.

  • Impacts of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on future service design.

  • Exploring alternative service delivery options.

About MUTD

Mountain Line connects Missoulians to the community through safe, sustainable, and innovative transportation solutions. Operated by the Missoula Urban Transportation District (MUTD) since 1976, Mountain Line provides zero-fare fixed-route bus and Paratransit service in and around Missoula seven days a week.

MUTD is a leader in adopting zero-emissions buses (ZEBs) in the United States, setting an example for other small urban transit networks. In February 2020, its Board of Directors committed to transitioning to a 100% zero-emissions fleet by 2035. More than 40% of the Mountain Line fleet is currently battery-electric, with four new electric buses arriving in 2024.

Mountain Line was recognized as the top public transit agency of its size in North America in 2021 by the American Public Transportation Association and named System of the Year in 2023 by the Montana Transit Association.


Further Reading

We will share project documents as they are completed. These documents are located under "Project Documents" in the sidebar.

The Existing Conditions Report provides a comprehensive overview of Missoula’s regional planning context, focusing on population and employment patterns. It evaluates the current state of the transportation network, including roadways, transit, and multimodal infrastructure. This report lays the groundwork for future recommendations and improvements in Missoula's regional planning and transportation systems.

The Executive Summary condenses the key findings of the Existing Conditions Report. It highlights important aspects of Missoula’s demographics, transit system performance, and multimodal transportation conditions, including roadways, bicycle, and pedestrian networks. This summary serves as a quick reference to the broader report’s insights, supporting the development of future plans and recommendations.


Related Projects

The Transit Strategic Plan is being conducted in tandem with the Missoula Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) Update. For more information about the LRTP update, please visit https://www.engagemissoula.com/long-range-transportation-plan.


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Page last updated: 16 Oct 2024, 07:53 PM