A new bus route out of Whitefish began at the start of July, connecting the city directly to Missoula, Butte, Bozeman, Livingston, Big Timber and Billings four days a week.   

"We’re excited for this opportunity to connect cities that we weren’t able to connect to before,” said Kevin Pursey, director of operations at Jefferson Lines, the service provider.   

Jefferson Lines — a family-owned bus company rooted in the Midwest — was approached by the state of Montana after Flathead Transit discontinued its Whitefish to Missoula service at the end of June.  

The Whitefish to Missoula route is key in western Montana, connecting towns such as Kalispell, Lakeside, Polson, Pablo, St. Ignatius, Ravalli, Arlee and Evaro. The new route will continue servicing those communities while expanding eastward.   

“The city of Whitefish is grateful Jefferson Lines has stepped in to offer an important alternative form of transportation between Whitefish and many other Montana communities,” Whitefish City Manager Dana Smith said.  

Prior to the Whitefish to Billings route, Jefferson Lines had a schedule running between Billings to Spokane that stopped in Bozeman and Butte. That route will continue to run.  

The service is only available Friday through Monday, but eventually, Pursey said it would be great to have a bus running every day.   

Improving the availability of bus services is identified in Whitefish’s Climate Action Plan and Transportation Plan to reduce vehicle trips into the community, Smith said. While it is not a commuter bus system, which is still needed, she said, the Whitefish to Billings route plays a “critical role in the overall transportation system in our community and others.”  

The Whitefish to Billings route operates Friday through Monday, leaving Whitefish at 8:30 a.m., departing Missoula at 12:30 p.m. and arriving in Billings at 6:20 p.m.   

The Billings to Whitefish route operates Thursday through Sunday, leaving the Jefferson Lines Depot in Billings at 11:30 a.m., departing Missoula at 5:30 p.m. and arriving in Whitefish at 9:10 p.m.     

For more information and to book tickets, visit jeffersonlines.com.  

Reporter Kate Heston may be reached at 758-4450 or [email protected].