Missoula buses will be ‘zero fare’ beginning Jan. 5

Missoula will join the select ranks of communities around the world to eliminate bus fare in its public transportation system.

The Missoula Urban Transportation District on Tuesday unveiled plans to operate the Mountain Line bus system "zero fare" starting Jan. 5.

The announcement, in the works for months, came at a crowded noon press conference at the downtown bus transfer station. It was in response to requests from the City of Missoula and the University of Montana to forge a private-partnership that will subsidize $460,000 in each of the next three years to eliminate fares. UM and the city have the lion’s share of the financial commitments – $205,000 and $100,000 respectively.

By Kim Briggeman

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