The pieces fell together sooner than expected, allowing for expanded bus routes in Kalispell and Evergreen to begin Monday.

Eagle Transit Program Manager Dave Polansky said he’s excited to offer bus rides farther north along U.S. 93 in Kalispell and west into Evergreen.

Expansion of the bus routes has been in the works for several months, Polansky said. Initial plans called for starting the new service July 1. But, since all the planning is finished and the buses and drivers are ready, the service will begin three months early, he said.

“We’re pretty excited about it,” Polansky said.

He altered his original plan from creating two routes around the community to instead running two buses on one loop all day long. The two loops will run about 45 minutes apart. That means 45 minutes after a bus is at one stop, a second bus will be at the same stop, heading the same way.

Riders can now travel as far north as Starbucks or Home Depot. New stops on the north route also occur at Applebee’s north and Costco.

Previously, the north end of the Eagle Transit route ended at Flathead Valley Community College.

And, riders can now get to seven additional stops in Evergreen: the Verizon store at 1194 E. Idaho St., Super 1 Foods at 1346 E. Idaho, Goodwill, Glacier Bank at 2199 U.S. 2 E., the Army-Navy store, Kmart  and Office Max.

Eagle Transit buses run Mondays through Fridays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. throughout Flathead County. A one-way ticket costs $1, with $25 unlimited monthly passes available. Bus stop locations and schedules are available at the Eagle Transit office at 1333 Willow Glen Drive in Kalispell, online at http://flathead.mt.gov/Eagle and on all buses. Polansky reminds riders that schedule times can vary slightly and he urges riders to be at their bus stop early.

The schedule indicates where bus shelters are located and which stops are whistle stops, Polansky said. Drivers don’t stop at whistle stops unless riders are standing there waving at the bus, he said.

No changes are planned to the city bus routes in Whitefish or Columbia Falls or to the commuter buses that run between Kalispell and Whitefish and Kalispell and Columbia Falls.

A “Canyon Run” route is offered in the Canyon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with stops at the Columbia Heights park and ride lot, the Martin City Fire Hall, Mike’s Conoco in Hungry Horse and the Columbia Heights Gas and Grocery. The schedule is listed on the Columbia Falls city route schedule.

Eagle Transit also operates Dial-a-Ride services for senior citizens and people with disabilities. Those rides are door-to-door and require advance scheduling by calling 758-5728.

Eagle Transit has a $1.93 million budget this fiscal year. Bus fares generate about $45,000 a year toward operating revenue.

One mill of the county budget is dedicated to Eagle Transit. This year, a mill is worth $230,000, Flathead County Finance Director Sandy Carlson said. The three incorporated cities in Flathead County each contribute toward the bus services. For the 2011-2012 fiscal year those contributions are: Kalispell $15,000; Whitefish $9,300; and Columbia Falls $5,500.

Other projected revenue this year includes $15,000 from United Way, about $43,000 in federal grant funds for providing transportation for disabled people, $25,000 from Northwest Healthcare, about $80,000 in various federal grants and about $14,000 from contracted income when buses are leased out.

The county receives $660,000 from the Montana Department of Transportation earmarked for Eagle Transit and another $767,000 from Glacier National Park for summer bus services inside the park.

Chandler Advertising pays the county about $20,000 a year from their advertising contract. Chandler sells bus wraps and advertising signs at bus shelters.

Reporter Shelley Ridenour may be reached at 758-4439 or sridenour@dailyinterlake.com.