We are holding the final public meeting discussing the results on July 20, 2010 from 10am to noon at the Bozeman Public Library small conference room. Go to our event page for directions and to RSVP.

At the meetings, we will:

• Provide an overview of the project
• Discuss what we learned during the process and what has been accomplished
• Describe Montana intercity bus schedules including Rimrock’s expansions providing direct connections between Bozeman, Helena, and Missoula

Meeting facilities are accessible.  If you need assistance getting to or from a meeting please let us know, we’ll assist you with transportation arrangements.

Can’t come? Invite someone else from your organization or provide feedback by email or phone.

Rimrock Trailways is an intercity bus carrier based in Billings, founded by Thorm R. Forseth in 1972.  According to Forseth, “We currently employ 50 people and estimate that with this change, we’ll be adding up to 8 new jobs.  We’re excited to expand our business and make an increasingly positive contribution to Montana’s economy.  Most importantly, we believe this will improve our services for the traveling public.”
Steve Arveschoug, Executive Director for Big Sky Economic Development in Billings, says he’s proud of this Montana-based company. “Rimrock Trailways is working to improve Montana’s transportation links – which means greater ease of access for our state’s residents. At the same time, they’re adding jobs and improving service, which is good for continued economic development.”

In addition to taking over the two round trips a day that Greyhound ran for decades between Billings, Butte, Bozeman, and Missoula.  Rimrock will also

• Adjust one Billings-to-Missoula schedule to directly connect passengers from Billings to Bozeman, Helena, and Missoula.
• Add a schedule from Great Falls to Helena.  This new connection will make a travel hub in Helena and cut the time it takes to go from Billings to Great Falls by several hours.
• Maintain connections for travelers to access Polson, Kalispell and Whitefish from Missoula via Rimrock.
• Continue two round trips per day on I-90 from Billings through Butte to Missoula.
• Maintain two round trips per day on I-94 from Billings to Miles City, Glendive, Bismarck and Fargo, North Dakota and connections to points East.
• Connect with Greyhound’s westbound schedules at Missoula for people traveling to Coeur d’Alene, Spokane, and Seattle.
• Continue Rimrock’s Billings connections with Arrow Stage Lines to Denver and with Jefferson Lines through South Dakota and Minnesota.  The three carriers will continue to use the Billings bus depot on First Avenue North.

Check out the new Rimrock Trailways schedules as of June 21, 2011.

College students are one group of riders already taking advantage of intercity service in Montana, and this change in service will simplify their trips between home and campus.  “Students, and particularly student government, will be thrilled to know that there will be more convenient public transportation choices,” Nancy Wilson with the Associated Students of the University of Montana’s Office of Transportation stated.

Since riding the bus is the most fuel-efficient way to travel, Gretchen Hooker, director of the Associated Students of Montana State University Sustainability Center added, “Public transportation is important to MSU’s sustainability efforts.  Convenient and reliable intercity bus service means more students can choose to be car-free in Bozeman, since they have a way to get home for holiday breaks.”

Jim Lang, Helena resident and father of a University of Montana student, said, “I’m excited about these changes. My daughter will now be able to use Rimrock to come home from the University of Montana. It means we can save money on gas, and she won’t be driving on icy roads. If my other kids decide to go to Montana State University, they can use Rimrock as well.”

People with disabilities are also among those who take advantage of intercity bus service.  Billings residents Dar and Jim Aldrich, who travel frequently by bus representing the Montana Association for the Blind, reacted enthusiastically to Rimrock’s announcement of new routes and schedules, saying, “Wow, being able to get to Great Falls through Helena will cut time and it is a nice ride.  We’ve always liked to ride Rimrock.”  Currently, people in wheelchairs can ride any Rimrock route with 48-hour notice, but by October of 2012, all line motorcoaches will be lift-equipped.

In addition to passenger service, Rimrock offers express package shipping.  “This is better connectivity for passengers, and I love that businesses can use Rimrock Package Express to quickly and affordably send items between Montana and North Dakota communities… and beyond,” said Wendy Weaver of Green Stone Consulting, a Bozeman-based company that helps businesses improve their bottom line through sustainable operations.
Rimrock Trailways serves 27 locations in Montana and 12 in North Dakota.  For more information on the new routes, locations, and schedules, check Rimrock’s website at www.rimrocktrailways.com or call 800-255-7655.

Contact:    Thorm Forseth, President
Company:    Rimrock Stages, Inc. d.b.a. Rimrock Trailways
Phone:        406-208-8496 or 406-259-3147
Email:        tforsethrrs@aol.com or rimrocksta@aol.com
Website:    www.rimrocktrailways.com

• Miles City, Monday, Jan 10, 3:00pm – 5:00pm, Miles Community College
• Billings, Tuesday, Jan 11, 3:00pm – 5:00pm, MSU Billings Student Union Building

We appreciate hearing your thoughts on existing and future intercity bus services provided by Rimrock Stages.

Intercity Bus Travel on the Rise in the U.S. and Abroad.
Source: The City Fix
“We’ve said this before: the face of intercity bus travel is changing. The popularity of buses, in general,  is gaining ground for a number of reasons.  In cities from London to Los Angeles, buses are benefiting from sleek new designs, transit agencies’ marketing and rebranding campaigns, the use of social media to increase ridership, and new and improved services on longer bus routes.”

The Intercity Bus: America’s Fastest Growing Intercity Transportation Mode (PDF)
Source: DePaul University
“Intercity bus service in the United States remained robust through 2010 as a result of rising travel demand, escalating fuel prices and investments in new routes. These and other factors propelled motor coach travel to its highest level in years and made the intercity bus the country’s fastest growing mode of transportation for the third year in the row. Curbside operators, including BoltBus, DC2NY Bus, and Megabus, which eschew traditional stations in favor of curbside pickup and provide customers access to Wifi and other previously unavailable amenities enjoyed particular success. Express services linking major cities in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states grew at a particularly rapid rate.”

Download the agenda here:

http://rimrocktrailways.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/conference-call-agenda.pdf

To get more details and sign up to attend, choose the date and  location that work best for you, and please invite a friend or colleague. Participate to improve intercity transportation for Montana’s residents and visitors.

We held our first set of meetings the first week of December, and we have two to come:

• Billings, Tuesday, Jan 11, 3:00pm – 5:00pm, MSU Billings
• Miles City, Monday, Jan 10, 3:00pm – 5:00pm, Miles Community College

All meeting facilities are accessible. Contact us if you need help with your transportation arrangements. We look forward to seeing you at one of our workshops.

Previous meetings were held in western Montana:

• Bozeman, Tuesday, Nov 30, 3:00pm – 5:00pm, Bozeman Public Library
• Helena, Thursday, Dec 2, 3:30pm – 5:30pm, Carroll College
• Kalispell, Wednesday, Dec 1, 3:00pm – 5:00pm, Flathead Community College
• Missoula, Friday, Dec 3, 12:00pm – 2:00pm, Missoula Council Chambers