June 2, 2026

MISSOULA, Mont.—Mountain Line’s free shuttle to Marshall Mountain is back for a full season this year, running Saturdays and Sundays through October. From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends, recreators can catch a lift up to Marshall Mountain Park every hour from the Downtown Transfer Center. The shuttle includes a 16-spot bike trailer and room for up to 16 passengers per trip.

Riders can board and load bicycles at the Transfer Center, the outbound Missoula College stop, and the outbound Sha-Ron Fishing Access stop. The shuttles are wheelchair-accessible and will be able to accommodate adaptive cycles upon request.

Marshall Mountain-bound trips depart at the top of the hour beginning at 8 a.m. The last trip back to downtown from Marshall Mountain leaves at 4:30 p.m.

All Mountain Line buses are equipped with bicycle racks, so riders connecting to the Marshall Mountain shuttle from other routes will be able to transport bicycles by bus throughout their bus trip.

Some existing Mountain Line routes serve trails and other recreation destinations year-round, like Route 5 to the Rattlesnake and Route 4 to Sha-Ron and Milltown. Mountain Line also funds the UDASH river shuttle, which connects recreators to river access.

Complete details about the Marshall Mountain shuttle, including route information, schedules, and frequently asked questions, are available at mountainline.com/marshall.

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Mountain Line, Missoula’s award-winning community bus service, provides fare-free bus and Paratransit service in and around Missoula, helping employees get to work and students get to school and helping older adults and people with disabilities stay mobile and independent. Founded in 1976 and operated by the Missoula Urban Transportation District (MUTD), Mountain Line is committed to connecting Missoulians to the community through safe, sustainable, and innovative transportation solutions. The agency has committed to a zero-tailpipe-emissions fleet by 2035 and, as of 2026, is operating a 90% electric fixed-route fleet. Mountain Line was named System of the Year by the Community Transportation Association of America in 2026 and by the American Public Transportation Association in 2021.

May 27, 2026

MISSOULA, Mont.—Mountain Line was named the best transit system of its size in the country by the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) this month, celebrating agency achievements over the past year. The award was presented to Mountain Line representatives at the CTAA Expo on May 13, with bus operator Bryan Ursery, who has worked at Mountain Line for more than two decades, accepting the award on the agency’s behalf.

“This award recognizes our employees who help Missoulians get to where they need to go 361 days a year, but it also celebrates all of Missoula,” said CEO and General Manager Jordan Hess. “The award-winning service Mountain Line provides is only possible because of the community’s support.”

The CTAA’s annual awards highlight excellence in a variety of areas, including innovative services in the community, being responsive to community needs and goals, collaborating with a wide range of other organizations, and more. Mountain Line’s application highlighted the agency’s long-running leadership in zero-fare service and fleet electrification as well as more recent initiatives including the Marshall Mountain recreation shuttle, which will return for a full season this weekend after an initial seven-week pilot program in Fall 2025.

In remarks during a press event on Thursday, Chad Bauer, President and CEO of the Missoula  Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the connection between reliable public transit and a healthy local economy.

“Mountain Line isn’t just a transportation service; it’s part of Missoula’s economic infrastructure,” Bauer said. “When we talk about Missoula as a competitive, forward-looking community, a strong, visible transit system like Mountain Line is part of that story.”

Missoula Mayor Andrea Davis and County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier spoke at the event about Mountain Line’s positive impact on the community by connecting passengers to opportunities across Missoula.

In July, Mountain Line will launch new routes and frequency improvements as part of a cost-neutral system update, reflecting evolving ridership numbers and extensive community input about service needs around Missoula.

The changes will include a new Route 10, connecting the north Franklin to the Fort area to downtown with half-hour service six days a week, the first higher frequency service to be offered on Saturdays. The new Route 10 will serve the Wyoming Street corridor and the Missoula Food Bank and offer a more direct route to downtown and system transfers to multiple low median income neighborhoods. Routes 3 and 4 will also see increased frequency in response to high ridership demand on the Northside and in East Missoula. Future service improvements will also bring new service to neighborhoods around Mullan Road, where new housing is rapidly increasing density and demand for transit.

“CTAA is proud to award Mountain Line with the 2026 Large System of the Year Award. They deliver the essential transit services their community wants and needs. They are an exemplary example for us to showcase to the rest of our members,” shares CTAA Chief of Staff Loreal Lance. “It’s always difficult to choose winners for the Community Transportation awards. Mountain Line was chosen because of their leadership in innovative, accessible public transit. They were the first in Montana to offer seven-day-a-week service and have provided zero-fare service for over a decade.”

Mountain Line is also poised to begin construction on a new maintenance, operations, and administration base, supported by a competitive federal grant awarded to the agency in 2023. This new facility is expected to meet agency needs for decades, helping Mountain Line provide a high level of service across Missoula.

Monday, March 23, 2026

This morning, a Mountain Line bus was involved in a collision on East Broadway. No passengers were aboard the bus at that time, and no continuing service interruptions are expected. Following the incident, the operator was transported for medical treatment. The event is still under investigation.

(Last updated at 12:29 p.m.)

On Tuesday, March 25, Mountain Line will host a live “Ask Me Anything” post on the Missoula subreddit from noon to 3 p.m. Hop online to ask your questions about what it’s like behind the scenes at your local public transit agency!

As part of an ongoing strategic planning process, Mountain Line riders are invited to share their thoughts about two proposed scenarios for updated routing and service alternatives. The survey deadline has been extended through Wednesday, September 18.

See interactive scenario maps and share your feedback at the survey link here, and read more about the planning process at Engage Missoula.

July 26, 2024

MISSOULA, Mont.—The Missoula Urban Transportation District (MUTD) Board of Directors announced on July 25 that they have selected Jordan Hess as the next CEO and General Manager of the agency after conducting a national search to fill the position. 

Hess is a local government and transportation professional who served as an elected official for ten years, first on the Missoula City Council and recently as the city’s 51st mayor.

Concurrent with his City Council service, Hess spent nearly a decade as Director of Transportation at the University of Montana, where he led UM to be the first college campus in the nation to purchase and operate modern, fast-charging battery electric buses.

“The Board values Jordan’s deep knowledge of Missoula and his experience running a transit system, and we are eager to welcome his expertise and vision to this role,” says Board Vice Chair Amy Cilimburg, who was involved in the search committee for MUTD’s new leadership. “We’re also profoundly grateful to Interim General Manager Jennifer Sweten for deftly stewarding Mountain Line through this transition.” 

Sweten has served as Interim GM since previous CEO & GM Corey Aldridge’s departure in April and will resume her role as Director of Operations once Hess joins the Mountain Line staff.

“The team at Mountain Line is doing so much great work, and I’m excited to join them,” says Hess. “Public transit has immense power to make lives better, and I’m honored to become part of such a committed staff to work on something I’m passionate about in a place I love.” 

This change comes during a busy season for Mountain Line. The public transit agency has partnered with the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization for a strategic planning process to update the city’s Long-Range Transit Plan and develop a new Transit Strategic Plan that will account for changes in the transit industry and ridership habits in recent years and build on the successes from the 2018 Strategic Plan.

Meanwhile, MUTD’s electrification efforts continue with delivery of four new electric buses this summer to replace aging diesel vehicles. These buses will make the fixed-route fleet 55% electric, a milestone in Mountain Line’s commitment to a zero-tailpipe emissions fleet by 2035.

About Mountain Line:

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.

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.

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