Innovations in R ural Transportation Planning

1. Innovations in Rural Transportation Planning Northcentral Montana Presented by: Jim Lyons, Director of Transportation North Central Montana Transit and Opportunity Link

2. Innovations in Regional Rural Transportation • Regional Public Transportation System • Facilitated establishment of 6 new rural transit systems in North Central Montana (Northern Transit Interlocal, Fort Belknap Transit System, North Central Montana Transit, Rocky Boy Transit, Toole County Transit, and Glacier County Transit) • Opportunity Link’s Homegrown Strategies in Regional Transportation Planning • Together with communities, developed a regional transportation plan with options for local and/or coordinated implementation • Facilitated planning, if needed • Neutral convener to ensure inclusive, multi-jurisdictional participation in planning process • Horizontal, networked approach for collaboration and leadership • Provided technical assistance on rural public transportation with local expertise (Western Transportation Institute) www.opportunitylinkmt.org

3. Community-Supported Transportation Projects • North Central Montana Transit • Fixed route system; NCMT & Fort Belknap Transit sharing of buses, drivers, routes and other resources; YouthBuild North Central Montana to expand program reach; Project GreenBuild in renovating transit facility; Sharing of staff to manage Havre-Hill County Airport; Boys & Girls Club summer routes to increase program participation; Volunteer garden at NCMT facility provides fresh produce to food bank, soup kitchen • Biodiesel Demonstration • NCMT use of locally produced biodiesel; BNSF Railways use of Montana biodiesel to test effect on locomotive switch engine and injectors in severe winter conditions; Montana biodiesel made available at local fueling stations; National Biodiesel Board Diesel Technician training to dispel biodiesel myths; Developing a community-based oilseed industry that provides 10% fuel independence to oilseed producers, farmers for farming operations. www.opportunitylinkmt.org

4. NCMT Funding and Sustainability • NCMT Innovation in funding (2011 snapshot) • MDT Operations Assistance ($117,000) • Job Access and Reverse Commute ($50,000) • Montana State University Northern ($10,000, in-kind biodiesel equivalent to $15,000) • MSUN Youth Build North Central Montana ($10,000) • Hill County ($15,000); Blaine County ($15,000) • Fort Belknap Indian Community (in-kind Green Line route equivalent to $25,000) • Rocky Boy Transit (in-kind coordinated Blue Line route equivalent to $5,000) • Opportunity Link ($30,000, in-kind administrative & operations support equivalent to $10,000) • Bullhook Clinic and other partners ($2,000) • Fares ($14,000) • 2012 to 2014 • Aggregating services (airport management) • Community partnerships for services(Boys & Girls Club route, Harlem school teachers, Triangle Telephone)  $318,000

5. WE RIDE THE LINE 5-part web series of videos http://www.opportunitylinkmt.org/projects.php For more information, contact: Jim Lyons, Director North Central Montana Transit (406) 265-3699 jlyons@ncmtransit.org www.ncmtransit.org Barbara Stiffarm, Executive Director Opportunity Link, Inc. (406) 265-3699 bstiffarm@opportunitylinkmt.org www.opportunitylinkmt.org