Category: News

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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March 29, 2024

MISSOULA, Mont.—The Missoula Urban Transportation District (MUTD/Mountain Line) Board of Directors has appointed Jennifer Sweten as the agency’s Interim General Manager. Sweten will step into the role after CEO and General Manager Corey Aldridge’s departure in mid-April.

“Jennifer’s appointment reflects her exceptional leadership qualities and her deep understanding of our operations,” says Aldridge. “Her track record as Operations Director assures us that she is more than capable of steering MUTD through this transitional phase.”

Sweten has worked for Mountain Line for 17 years, beginning her tenure as a bus operator in 2007 and serving as Director of Operations for the past five years. She is active in numerous regional and national industry associations and was recently elected secretary of the American Public Transportation Association Safety Coordinating Council. Sweten is also a Certified Safety & Security Director, with certifications from the World Safety Organization, the Transportation Safety Institute, and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The board plans to hold a nationwide search for MUTD’s new CEO & General Manager.

March 8, 2024

MISSOULA, Mont.—After nine years as the CEO and General Manager of the Missoula Urban Transportation District (MUTD/Mountain Line), Corey Aldridge announced this week that he will be leaving the agency in April to take the CEO and General Manager position at Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District in Santa Cruz, California.

“It was an incredibly difficult decision,” says Aldridge. “I have been honored to lead an extraordinary team in working on MUTD’s growth and success, and I will always treasure my time in Missoula and at Mountain Line.”

Aldridge’s tenure at Mountain Line saw significant achievements for the agency that have reshaped public transportation in Missoula. Noteworthy among these accomplishments were the fleet’s transition toward electrification, extensive service expansions, and critical infrastructure improvements. The recent completion of the Bus Stop Improvement Project modernized the bus stop network to enhance safety, accessibility, and operational efficiency. After a successful ballot initiative in 2020, Mountain Line launched a 30% service increase, including Sunday service for the very first time. In 2023, MUTD secured almost $40 million dollars in federal funds for the construction of a new maintenance, administration, and operations base, a key step for future growth and service enhancements. The agency has also been an industry leader in its electrification efforts since 2017, consistently winning federal funding for battery-electric buses as part of its commitment to a zero-tailpipe-emissions fleet by 2035.

“These accomplishments have been the highlights of my tenure, demonstrating our shared dedication to delivering exceptional service, promoting sustainability, and serving our community,” says Aldridge.

In 2021, Mountain Line was chosen as the American Public Transit Association’s System of the Year for North America, a testament to the visionary leadership and unwavering commitment of Aldridge and his team.

“Corey has been an exemplary leader for Mountain Line, not only because of his vision for public transit in Missoula, but also because of his character,” says Director of Operations Jennifer Sweten. “He understands the importance of an empathetic, inclusive workplace, and that has fostered a truly welcoming environment at Mountain Line over the last nine years.”

Aldridge will be leaving Mountain Line on April 12. The MUTD Board of Directors is expected to name an interim General Manager at their March 28 meeting.

October 3, 2023

Mountain Line was recently compelled to announce an unwelcome change to our weapons policy—a change forced upon us not by choice, but by legal necessity. As of October 1, 2023, our buses will now only prohibit unlawful weapons. However, our existing policy banning any kind of weapon in Mountain Line buildings remains in place.

This change is in reluctant compliance with a Montana state law enacted in 2020, which severely restricts local government’s ability to regulate firearms. As a government agency, the Missoula Urban Transportation District (MUTD) is legally bound to comply. We have maintained our original policy as long as we could, but recent threats left us with no viable alternative.

Let us be unequivocally clear: this decision was made neither lightly nor willingly. Since late August, when MUTD became aware of a potential lawsuit from a pro-gun special interest group, we have consulted with legal experts and other agencies around Montana and across the country to determine what recourse, if any, was available to us. The MUTD Board of Directors and senior staff have spent many hours deliberating on the best available course of action to keep our employees and passengers—as well as the wider community—as safe as possible. The conclusion is inescapable: resisting this change would likely be a futile and costly endeavor.

We strongly disagree with the notion that allowing firearms on public transit serves the best interests of the community and the people who regularly use or operate buses. The legislation as written did not adequately consider public transit, safety, common sense, and local expertise, and the current law undermines our commitment to ensuring the safety of our employees, passengers, and the community.

While we are forced to comply with state law, we are not silenced by it. MUTD is actively investigating avenues to push back against this requirement and fully intends to do so.

In the meantime, we are choosing to prioritize employee and passenger safety in our new policy by reducing the risk of unnecessary confrontation or aggressive challenges to the weapons ban. By removing the need for operators to confront those attempting to bring weapons on board—focusing instead on passenger behavior, rather than what they may be carrying on their person—we expect to continue to provide as safe an environment on board as we can. Any threatening, dangerous, or aggressive behavior will continue to be prohibited, as it always has been. Mountain Line is confident in our operators, supervisors, and safety procedures, and we trust that the community members who use our service will continue to treat their fellow Missoulians with care and respect.

We invite those with questions or concerns to contact us directly.

MUTD Weapons Policy, effective 10/01/2023:

No unlawful weapons shall be brought aboard MUTD vehicles. In cases where the law allows the possession of weapons, individuals may not display or handle these weapons in a manner that could reasonably cause fear or alarm among other individuals or District employees.

No weapons of any kind are permitted inside MUTD buildings. District employees are prohibited from carrying firearms, knives, or any other weapons on MUTD property, including in vehicles. Any exceptions to this policy must be approved in writing by the General Manager.