Senate committee hears proposal for statewide public-transit interim study

Senator Andrea Olsen, sponsor of Senate Joint Resolution 19, told the Senate Transportation Committee she brought the resolution to request an interim study of public transportation across Montana "on behalf of all the people in Montana who wanna be able to get from 1 place to another reliably." The hearing drew rural residents, transit operators and state transportation officials who described gaps in services and local efforts to fill them.

The study would examine transit options and funding statewide, Olson said, and aim to address safety and access for people who cannot or do not drive. "This is whether you have a car or not by the way, I believe," Senator Andrea Olsen said in her opening remarks.

Proponents emphasized that lack of transit limits access to medical care and daily needs in rural communities. Jasmine Krotkov, a resident who testified that her mountain town sits about 60 miles from essential services, said long-distance travel options disappeared over decades and that rail and bus ties once supported communities. "I would love to ride the train to town for groceries, especially in winter," Krotkov said, describing how the loss of service reduced her town's population from about 2,000 to roughly 35.

Cassie Wick of Ability Montana, which serves 14 counties in southwest Montana, said access to transportation is essential for medical appointments and independent living. "Access to transportation is a fundamental need for many Montanans especially those who are relying on it for medical care," Wick said, noting that many rural residents must travel to Missoula, Helena, Bozeman or Billings for specialty care and lack reliable options.

Other proponents described local programs that have filled gaps. Representatives noted that Whitehall operates Liberty Place Transportation vans and Deer Lodge uses aging-network drivers for local and intercity trips; the Missoula Urban Transportation District's Mountain Line (founded 1976) and Gallatin County's Streamline service (operated by HRDC since 2006) were cited as longer-running examples.

Chris Dorrington, director of the Montana Department of Transportation, appeared as an informational witness and told senators the department has commissioned multiple rural transit studies and a longer-range Amtrak/Empire Builder service study. "We do have quite a few studies that we just recently commissioned and I'd be happy to share with the committee more details, probably via staff," Dorrington said. He also confirmed the department tracks traffic volumes and airport enplanements and that some planned studies address community-to-community transit.

Committee members asked about existing work and how tourism versus local travel is tracked, and Dorrington advised that local service providers and the Department of Commerce collect complementary data. Senators also noted the connections between housing availability and longer commutes, saying transit and housing policy are linked.

The hearing closed with Senator Olsen urging that the state participate in local efforts and federal funding opportunities to strengthen rural transit options. No committee action or vote was recorded at the hearing.

Ending: The committee concluded the SJ 19 hearing and moved on to other bills on the agenda.