Bozeman-Area Transit System Partners with Montana Rail Authority

BILLINGS — Streamline, the zero-fare public transit system serving Bozeman, Belgrade, and Livingston, has joined the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority as the organization’s second regional transit partner.

The partnership connects the Gallatin Valley’s bus system with ongoing efforts to restore passenger rail service along the historic North Coast Hiawatha route, which served Montana until 1979.

“We’re thrilled to add Streamline to our growing coalition of multimodal partners,” said Dave Strohmaier, chair of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority. “This partnership exemplifies what it means to build a seamless, connected transportation future — one that makes it easier for Montanans to get where they need to go, whether across town or across the state.”

Streamline operates four fixed routes within Bozeman and provides weekday commuter service to Belgrade and Livingston. The system became zero-fare after 79 percent of Gallatin Valley voters approved forming the Gallatin Valley Urban Transportation District in May 2023, securing federal funding and eliminating bus fares.

“As a transit agency, we know that strong partnerships are the key to success,” said Sunshine Ross, director of Streamline. “By aligning local transit with future passenger rail, we’re creating seamless, multimodal connections that make travel safer, easier, and more reliable.”

The partnership follows Belgrade’s decision in July to join the rail authority’s Government Partners Program, making the city part of a coalition working to reestablish the former Amtrak route.

Streamline joins Mountain Line, which serves the Missoula area and became the rail authority’s first transit partner in December 2024.

The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority is working through the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program to restore service along the North Coast Hiawatha route, which connected Chicago to Seattle through Montana communities including Billings, Bozeman, and Missoula.

The authority is funding its planning efforts primarily through a $500,000 federal grant from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. To access larger federal grants in the future, the organization must secure matching funds from state and local sources.

Streamline will participate in the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority’s annual conference, scheduled for September 8-10 in Livingston. The conference will bring together transit, rail, and policy officials to discuss the corridor planning process.

The rail authority continues seeking additional partnerships with transit providers, regional authorities, and local governments as it advances restoration efforts.