Updates from Mountain Express

Ridership up 3 percent last year

By Kendra Walker

Mountain Express (MTX) transit manager Chris Larsen reported to the Mt. Crested Butte Town Council recently some annual MTX updates and projects in the works.

Ridership in 2019 was up 3 percent from 2018, with the fleet carrying 712,000 passengers. Summer ridership was down 23 percent in June, most likely because of the late snow, he said. Service to Gothic and Judd Falls was relatively successful, he reported. “Ridership did increase somewhat but still not where I’d like to see it.

“We will not receive any new buses in 2020,” said Larsen, but they do have a grant application with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to purchase two new buses in 2021. There were no changes to the routes this winter, and MTX continues to work with RTA to provide service to Crested Butte South.

At the end of 2019, council decided to increase MTX’s share of the admissions tax to 50 percent from 25 percent of the total 4 percent gathered. “Thank you, thank you,” said Larsen. “We have not discussed where we will use those additional funds yet,” he said, but we may put it into a reserve account to go toward the new facility. MTX has hired a Denver consultant to help plan the new Whetstone Industrial Park facility and is currently working with them for potential building designs.

Council also thanked Larsen and MTX for providing extra bus service for holidays and town events. “We’re in tune with what’s happening in the valley and will always provide additional service for those events,” he said.

This was most likely Larsen’s last annual report to council, as he has set a retirement date for August 28.

“Thank you for everything you’ve done,” said council member Steve Morris.