The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
We are a resort community…
By Mark Reaman and Kendra Walker]
Both the Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte town councils agreed this week to fund a request for 2026 to keep the Late Night Taxi (LNT) operating another year and probably two. Fielding a request from Mountain Express managing director Jeremy Herzog, the councils agreed to each allocate $44,250 in next year’s budgets for the service. The RTA is anticipated to contribute $29,500.
That amount is about $13,000 less than last year’s contribution of $57,200 and while the Crested Butte council cannot commit to 2027 budget allocations, they indicated if the request comes in the same ballpark, they would step up again.
The Late Night Taxi is operated by Downtowner, the company that operates the Mountain Express FirstTracks service. It operates 300 days a year from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. and serves the North Valley from Crested Butte South to Mt. Crested Butte. Taking the taxi from Elk Avenue to Mt. Crested Butte costs $15. Going anywhere else in the operating area in unincorporated Gunnison Valley costs $25. Only digital payments are accepted.
The LNT came under the umbrella of Mountain Express in 2023. Neither Mountain Express nor the RTA offer bus service much after midnight and so on-demand service was deemed the most efficient way to meet the need of people looking for rides home after public transportation ceased or drivers were too impaired to drive their vehicles.
According to figures presented by Herzog to the councils, 95% of late-night rides start in Crested Butte with 75% of them ending in Mt. CB.
The data indicates that most people using the taxi do so between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. Only 9% take a ride between 10 and 11 p.m. with another 9% hopping in between 1 and 2 a.m. While that would indicate the service could be reduced, Herzog said Downtowner expressed a concern about finding someone to work a three-hour shift.
“The funding requests to the towns are less than last year given the increase in ridership and fare collections,” Herzog said.
“It seems like a good, important service,” said councilmember John O’Neal. “I’m in favor of keeping it.”
“And it’s really expensive,” noted councilmember Gabi Prochaska.
“It is but it is going down which is a good sign,” said mayor Ian Billick. “I too would continue to support it but am also interested in exploring perhaps tying some funding through liquor licenses.”
Local bar owners and managers supported the funding request. Mike Knoll of Kochevar’s said he has dealt with the LNT issue for many years. “It is important to get people home at night. It is a resort community and people come here to enjoy town. My hope is that council will support it again this year. The new company providing the service (Downtowner) is doing a great job.”
Talk of the Town owner Mary Boddington agreed. “It is extremely important to get people home safely,” she said. “People end the night with us but they go to other Crested Butte restaurants and businesses first. Funding shouldn’t just fall on the bars that stay open late. Bars are gathering places. If we are hit with a liquor license fee for just the few bars that stay open late, that is not fair to us. That is something to discuss later down the line. I hope you understand the importance of this funding and also remember that more locals are being pushed to affordable housing units not in town.”
“I support what Mary and Mike expressed,” added Will Brown of the Eldo. “We aren’t a late-night bar anymore, but I agree the burden shouldn’t all be placed on them.”
Representatives of the Public House said with their seasonal late-night music shows, the LNT is a benefit. They also noted staff at restaurants get off late and use the service.
“I’m in support of funding the taxi,” expressed councilmember Beth Goldstone. “I went to the after-party music from the Bowl Bash and it is apparent our late-night bars are where locals go and they are locally owned.”
On the Mt. CB council, councilmember Steve Morris asked about how to get more aggressive with marketing the LNT service to increase ridership. Herzog said Mountain Express does not have the resources in staff time and in the budget to put toward increasing marketing at this time.
“I think if you’re stuck out at the Talk of the Town you will be connected with that service and how to contact it,” said councilmember Alec Lindeman. However, he noted that the service’s lack of consistency over the years may have deterred people from relying on and using the Late Night Taxi.
Herzog said that the long-term plan is to eventually have someone other than Mountain Express provide the LNT service.
Both councils agreed to allocate $44,250 toward funding the Late Night Taxi service. Both councils also considered additional funding requests from Herzog regarding the FirstTracks summer service and Mountain Express budget shortfalls, which will be covered by the Crested Butte News in the coming weeks.
