Mountain Express ready to roll next week with fewer routes

No idea what to expect this summer

by Mark Reaman

As the valley begins its slow reopening during the coronavirus crisis, the colorful town shuttle buses will start rolling in the upper valley next week. Mountain Express bus service will resume service on Monday, June 1.

Summer will start with some cuts in service but the primary shuttle between Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte will run a regular summer schedule of every 20 minutes with the first bus leaving Old Town Hall at 7:35 a.m. and the final bus leaving that location at 11:35 p.m.

As part of the safety plan, there will be mandatory six-foot social distancing requirements and the number of passengers will be limited to eight. It is strongly suggested that all passengers wear masks while riding the bus.

Mountain Express managing director Chris Larsen said the board of directors voted last week to cut both the summer condo loop and the express bus that was running summer service between the Four-way Stop and Mountaineer Square. The cuts are being implemented both as a way to save money and with the expectation there will be less need for carrying bus passengers in the midst of an uncertain summer.

“Those cuts are expected to save Mountain Express a little under $50,000, primarily in wages and fuel costs,” explained Larsen. “The board is also looking at cutting the service to Gothic and Judd Falls but wants to talk to county and Forest Service representatives before they make a final decision on that move.”

Ridership on the routes from June to September of 2019 showed that the condo loop was probably the least used of the services, with 1,450 people recorded as using the loop. The town shuttle carried 137,400 passengers last summer, while 4,630 people hopped on the bus to Gothic and 10,600 used the express bus route. Many of the passengers on the Gothic bus are presumed to be kids attending the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory summer programs, which will not be taking place this summer.

Larsen said Mountain Express has a healthy reserve fund of about $800,000 and there are drivers ready to begin work, although the ones who fall into the “at risk” group are being given information about the risk and options.

“Honestly, we have no idea what to expect with ridership this summer,” Larsen concluded. “We feel that people will, in general, be avoiding public transportation for at least a little bit. We are like everyone else in that we are taking it as it comes and will adjust accordingly.”