[Nfbmt] Bus service between Missoula, Whitefish, 8 other cities to begin

Thu Dec 12 02:11:20 UTC 2013

None that I'm aware of.
Ted

EDWARD C "TED" ROBBINS
, CEO MBEI, Treasurer NFB of Montana & MANAGER MAB EQUIPMENT PROGRAM
PHONE & FAX:  406 453 6678, CELL:  406 799 6268
104 RIVERVIEW 5 E
GREAT FALLS  MT   59404

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbmt [mailto:nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rebecca Stewart
Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2013 4:21 PM
To: 'NFB of Montana Discussion List'
Subject: Re: [Nfbmt] Bus service between Missoula, Whitefish, 8 other cities
to begin

Thanks Ted.  This is really great news.  Is there any news regarding bus
service to Helena and Great Falls yet?
Becca 

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbmt [mailto:nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Edward Robbins
Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2013 12:35 PM
To: 'NFB of Montana Discussion List'
Subject: Re: [Nfbmt] Bus service between Missoula, Whitefish, 8 other cities
to begin

Greetings,
Below is the link, processed to a word document.
Ted
***
Bus service between Missoula, Whitefish, 8 other cities to begin

PABLO - Starting next week, folks on the Flathead Indian 	Reservation
and in communities north will have a bus to catch.
It's been a while.
Daily passenger service between Missoula and Whitefish will resume Monday
with stops in eight more communities along the way, including Polson and
Kalispell.
Flathead Transit, a service of the Confederated and Salish Kootenai Tribes,
will offer the public transportation.
It's been eight years since bus service was offered between Missoula and the
Flathead Valley, according to Greyhound spokeswoman Alexandra Pedrini.
Federal funds administered through the Montana Department of Transportation,
and funding from Greyhound, are making it possible.
It's the first time Greyhound has collaborated with an Indian tribe or
tribes to offer bus service according to Corky Sias, transportation manager
for Flathead Transit.
"The federal funds are for routes that can't sustain themselves," says David
Jacobs, transit section supervisor for MDT. "They subsidize routes that are
not profitable, to provide transportation for people who need it."
The route will provide connections to Greyhound in Missoula, Amtrak in
Whitefish, and local and regional services in Missoula and Kalispell, he
said.
"More importantly, it re-establishes mobility options for Montanans who rely
on public transit out of necessity or choice," Jacobs added.
The annual federal funds total $204,688, according to Jacobs. Greyhound is
adding another $133,934, and no state or local funds will be used to
subsidize the service.
Flathead Transit must use the fares it collects to pay bills connected to
operating the service before the federal or Greyhound funds are accessed,
Jacobs added, and the service is only subsidized to the break-even point.
Sias says Flathead Transit will start running the route with a 17-passenger
"cutaway" bus already in its fleet, and purchase a larger vehicle down the
road if demand merits it.
When bus service did exist on the route, it averaged 10 to 13 riders a day,
depending on the day of the week, he said.
Flathead Transit worked with Greyhound to establish fares. A one-way ticket
between Missoula and Whitefish will cost $31, according to Sias. A one-way
ticket between Missoula and Polson will be $19.
Between Missoula and Whitefish the service will make stops in Evaro, Arlee,
Ravalli, St. Ignatius, Pablo, Polson, Lakeside and Kalispell. Flathead
Transit is still seeking a business in Ronan that is open seven days a week,
and at the right times of day, that is interested in serving as a stopping
point there.
"This new service will be available to the general public and anyone needing
transportation along this route," Sias said in the news release. "We are
also proud to be partnering with Greyhound to offer service nationwide."
The route will leave Missoula at 11:30 a.m. seven days a week and make stops
in Evaro (11:50 a.m.), Arlee (noon), Ravalli (12:10 p.m.), St. Ignatius
(12:15 p.m.), Pablo (1 p.m.), Polson (1:25 p.m.), Lakeside (2:10 p.m.),
Kalispell (2:30 p.m.) and Whitefish (3:10 p.m.).
The return route departs Whitefish at 4:45 p.m., and then leaves Kalispell
at 5:25 p.m., Lakeside at 5:45 p.m., Polson at 6:30 p.m., Pablo at 6:40
p.m., St. Ignatius at 7:40 p.m., Ravalli at 7:45 p.m., Arlee at 7:55 p.m.
and Evaro at 8:05 p.m. It is scheduled to arrive back in Missoula at 8:25
p.m.
Tickets can be purchased at the Greyhound Terminal in Missoula, Stuart's
Cenex in St. Ignatius, Quick Silver in Pablo, Kwa Taq Nuk Resort in Polson
and Brian's Conoco in Kalispell. Customers can also purchase tickets to and
from the 10 communities on the route through any Greyhound selling locations
nationwide or online.
The service is offered in cooperation with Greyhound as part of its
Greyhound Connect program, which serves small towns and rural communities in
the U.S.
As of Tuesday, the new route and fares were not displayed at the Greyhound
website. The link to Greyhound Connect showed it offers service in six
states, but Montana had not yet been added to the list.
Greyhound president and CEO Dave Leach said in the news release the bus
company looks forward "to maintaining this partnership for the traveling
public for years to come."
***
EDWARD C "TED" ROBBINS
, CEO MBEI, Treasurer NFB of Montana & MANAGER MAB EQUIPMENT PROGRAM PHONE &
FAX:  406 453 6678, CELL:  406 799 6268
104 RIVERVIEW 5 E
GREAT FALLS  MT   59404

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbmt [mailto:nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Travis S Moses
Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2013 10:48 AM
To: NFB of Montana
Subject: [Nfbmt] Bus service between Missoula, Whitefish, 8 other cities to
begin

Bus service between Missoula, Whitefish, 8 other cities to begin:
http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_5902e470-61fe-11e3-88a
8-0019bb2963f4.html

Travis S. Moses
406-369-5605

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