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.
