APTA Award

History & Facts

Overview

The Missoula Urban Transportation District (MUTD) was established by voters in June of 1976. The vote established taxing authority for the creation of the district and passed by a margin of 2 to 1. The resulting service, known as Mountain Line, began operating on December 12, 1977.

Since that time, Mountain Line has grown to provide an average of 1.5 million rides per year on our fixed-route service, a record we first reached in 2017. Ridership today is up 70 percent from 2014, in large part due to Mountain Line’s Phase II service enhancements and the popular Zero-Fare program, which debuted in 2015.

Our system serves 70 square miles throughout the Missoula Valley, running 12 fixed routes with a fleet of 30, all ADA-accessible coaches. Within our service territory we also offer door-to-door Paratransit service and a complimentary door-to-door Shuttle Van service for seniors not eligible for Paratransit under ADA.

During popular community events, such as the Farmers Market and on election days, we operate special service in collaboration with community partners.

To learn more about Mountain Line’s vision for the future, see our commitment to sustainability and our 2018 Strategic Plan.

Timeline