Homepage Archives - Mountain Line | Fixed Route Service in Flagstaff

MOUNTAIN LINE RECEIVES $12.4 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING FOR KEY PROJECTS

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (November 28, 2023)) –

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) awarded Mountain Line $12.4 million in Federal Transit Administration grant funds for several local transit projects and initiatives.

A significant portion of the grant funding will be used to construct a bus plaza at the new Downtown Connection Center. The new administrative facility is currently under construction and is anticipated to open in spring 2025. When the City of Flagstaff completes the Rio de Flag flood mitigation project in this area, Mountain Line will use this grant funding to reconfigure the current bus plaza and parking area to better accommodate bus, pedestrian, and bike traffic, and increase the number of bus bays by 40 percent.

The remaining grant funding will be used to install solar panels on the new Downtown Connection Center administrative facility and to upgrade safety and technology equipment such as radios and cameras on buses and real time arrival infrastructure.

“Mountain Line is grateful to our funding partners for recognizing the importance of investing in transit services in this community,” said Mountain Line CEO and General Manager Heather Dalmolin. “Grant funding for capital projects leverages the local tax dollars and allows Mountain Line to make significant improvements to the transit system.”

Mountain Line is the transit agency in northern Arizona operating fixed route bus service on nine routes, paratransit service, vanpool, and seasonal Mountain Express service to Arizona Snowbowl.www.mountainline.az.gov for more information.

MOUNTAIN LINE TO REDUCE SERVICE ON ROUTES 2 AND 4

Flagstaff, AZ (November 15, 2023) –

Effective Monday, November 20, Mountain Line is reducing services on Routes 2 and 4 due to ongoing staffing shortages.
Routes 2 and 4 will continue to operate on a weekend schedule for frequency, but with the weekday span of service. This means that routes will start and end at approximately the same time they currently do on weekdays, but buses will not run as often.

The morning and afternoon Route 2 deviations to Gemini Rd./BASIS are operational, but the times are slightly different due to the reduced schedule. Click the links for complete weekday Route 2 and Route 4 schedules, which can also be found on the route pages on Mountain Line’s website.

“In order to prioritize service reliability for our riders and work-life balance for our staff, we made the difficult decision to reduce service on two Mountain Line routes,” said Mountain Line CEO and General Manager Heather Dalmolin. “Service cuts are a last resort, and we will focus our efforts on recruitment and retention so we can restore full service in a sustainable manner.”
Mountain Line is the transit agency in northern Arizona operating fixed route bus service on nine routes, paratransit service, vanpool, and seasonal Mountain Express service to Arizona Snowbowl. www.mountainline.az.gov for more information.

MOUNTAIN LINE MAKES GETTING TO SCHOOL EASY, CONVENIENT, AND SAFE

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (August 3,2023) –

It’s officially back-to-school season, and with Mountain Line’s variety of student pass options, you can mark “transportation” off the school supply checklist.

Mountain Line offers a safe and reliable transportation option for students to get to and from school and other activities. There are nine routes traversing Flagstaff, stopping within walking distance of most Flagstaff schools. Mountain Line offers route deviations on Routes 2 and 3 to better serve BASIS School and Northland Preparatory Academy (NPA) during the school year. Flagstaff Arts & Leadership Academy (FALA) students can also take advantage of supplemental morning and afternoon service on Route 5, which offers more options to get to and from school.
Flagstaff students enrolled in a K-12 school can purchase a Mountain Line semester pass for $49. Fall semester passes are valid Aug. 1 – Dec. 31 and spring semester passes are valid Jan. 1 – Jun. 15. An annual pass, valid for the entire calendar year from the date of purchase, is available for $119. Both passes are valid on the entire Mountain Line system for the duration of the pass. For students who don’t ride as often, FlagPass Cash is available. Load as little as $5 on a card, use as needed, and reload when the balance gets low.

Student passes are available for purchase at https://mountainline.az.gov/fares-passes-online/ or on the Token Transit mobile ticketing app. Passes are also available at the Mountain Line office at 3773 N. Kaspar Dr. between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (closed from 12-1), Monday-Friday. To purchase the pass, all students must show proof of enrollment and bring a student ID, if applicable.
The Mountain Line Customer Service staff is happy to answer any questions about routes and the best way for students to access their individual schools. Call 928.779.6624 or visit https://mountainline.az.gov/students/ for additional information.

MOUNTAIN LINE SECURES $16.3 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT FOR MAINTENANCE FACILITY

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (June 28, 2023) –

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced Monday that Mountain Line will receive $16.3 million through the Bus and Bus Facilities Grant to build a new maintenance facility.

Mountain Line’s grant was one of 130 awards totaling nearly $1.7 billion from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for transit projects in 46 states and territories.

Mountain Line is currently using a separate FTA Bus and Bus Facilities Grant award for the
construction of the new Downtown Connection Center. When that facility opens and Mountain Line’s
administrative and customer service teams relocate, the current space in the Kaspar Dr. facility will
be repurposed to better meet the agency’s fleet and maintenance needs. The new facility will
improve and expand maintenance capabilities, and create the capacity for Mountain Line’s
transition to a zero-emission fleet.

“We appreciate U.S. Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly, and Arizona Reps. David Cook and Mae Peshlakai for their leadership and support of our grant application,” said Mountain Line CEO and General Manager Heather Dalmolin. “Mountain Line proudly services and maintains our entire fleet and this new facility will allow our team to effectively take care of our vehicles now and as we grow into the future.”

For more information on the grant funding, visit https://www.transit.dot.gov/about/news/biden-harris-administration-announces-nearly-17-billion-help-put-better-cleaner-buses.

Mountain Line officially breaks ground on new Downtown Connection Center

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (May 31, 2023) –

In a ceremony attended by local, state, and federal officials, Mountain Line officially broke ground on its new Downtown Connection Center facility on May 31.

Located at the site of Mountain Line’s current Downtown Connection Center on Phoenix Ave., the new facility will provide necessities, including restrooms, customer service, operations and dispatch spaces, and administration offices. It will be a multimodal connection center and provide for long-term service expansion, regional transportation Services, and be a hub of bike and pedestrian activity.

The project is funded by a $17.3 million Federal Transit Administration Bus and Bus Facilities Grant, along with one-time capital funds from the State of Arizona and land from the City of Flagstaff that was used as local match for the grant.

Visit www.mountainline.az.gov/dcc for full project details and current construction status.

MOUNTAIN LINE OFFERS SUMMER YOUTH PASS

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (May 25, 2023) – Put the brakes on driving the kids all over town this summer and get them Mountain Line’s new Summer Youth Pass!

Children ages 7-17 are eligible to purchase the $24 Summer Youth Pass, which is valid June 1 through August 12. The pass offers unlimited rides to all destinations Mountain Line serves, including the movie theater, shopping areas, downtown, museums, and more.

Transit gives kids the freedom of navigating their own summer and gives parents a much-needed break from being the year-round taxi service. Safety is Mountain Line’s top priority, both onboard the bus and at all transit facilities. The free Transit app shows where buses are in real time so parents can know when kids have made it safely to their destination. In addition, the See Say app allows riders to report safety concerns or issues directly to the Mountain Line dispatch office.

The Summer Youth Pass is available for purchase at https://mountainline.az.gov/fares-passes-online/, on the Token Transit mobile ticketing app, or at the Mountain Line headquarters building (3773 N. Kaspar Dr.).

MOUNTAIN LINE DEBUTS FIRST BATTERY ELECTRIC BUS

Spot the bus during the first week of service to win prizes

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (April 24, 2023) –Mountain Line’s first battery-electric bus is officially going into service on April 26, marking a new era in low-emission fleet technology for the community.

The Gillig Battery Electric Bus is the first of two grant-funded zero-emission buses in the Mountain Line fleet, with the second bus expected later this year. In addition to federal grant funding, Arizona Public Service (APS) is partnering with Mountain Line to study how electric vehicles and charging infrastructure interact with the electric grid. Mountain Line will share battery charging data with APS to inform the utility’s customer programs and energy resource planning.

Mountain Line’s decision to invest in electric buses is guided by the agency’s Zero Emission Bus Transition Plan, which provides an analysis of various zero emission technology options and maps out the logistics, budget, and infrastructure needed to achieve this milestone.

Mountain Line has already received federal grant funding to purchase four additional electric buses and will continue to pursue funding to replace the existing hybrid-electric buses as they reach the end of their useful life. Flagstaff voters approved a 2008 proposition to fund the purchase of hybrid-electric buses and 10 years later, Mountain Line was the first transit system in the U.S. to operate a 100 percent hybrid-electric fleet.

When Mountain Line fully transitions to an all-electric fleet, it will reduce local greenhouse gas emissions by 68 percent. Replacing just one hybrid bus with an electric bus reduces annual greenhouse gas emissions by 61 tons, which is the equivalent of removing almost 10 passenger cars from the road each year. At full conversion, this would equal almost 300 cars a year.

The electric bus will be on different routes around town for the first week of service and the public is invited to spot the bus, post it on Facebook and tag Mountain Line at @FLGMountainLine for a chance to win prizes. The contest is open April 26 – May 3. Visit www.mountainline.az.gov/electric for more information.

“Mountain Line’s transition to a zero-emission fleet is a critical component in achieving our community’s carbon neutrality goals,” said Mountain Line CEO and General Manager Heather Dalmolin. “We remain committed to completing this transition in a fiscally responsible manner, monitoring new developments in the electric vehicle realm, and adapting our plans to best serve the Flagstaff community.”

“As the Flagstaff Community makes progress in decarbonizing transportation, this is an opportunity to learn more about how customers use electric vehicles and how they interact with our smart grid,” said Kerri Carnes, APS Director of Customer Technology.

MOUNTAIN LINE ROLLS OUT SERVICE CHANGES AND NEW RIDE GUIDE ON JAN. 16

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (January 12, 2023) – Mountain Line is rolling out a new Ride Guide on Monday, January 16 and reinstating full service on all routes. Highlights include:

Routes 2 and 4 will return to full weekday service hours.
BASIS Flagstaff families and riders who use the Route 2 deviations should note that the times the stops on Gemini are served will revert to the regular weekday schedule on Monday, January 16. The schedule differences are as follows:

https://mountainline.az.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Route-2.jpg

Route 10 will operate on a new schedule with Monday-Thursday service differing from Friday service. Weekend service will remain the same. A full schedule can be found at: https://mountainline.az.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Mountain-Line-Route-10-Schedule.pdf

Mountain Line Makes Getting to School Easy, Convenient, And Safe

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (July 28, 2021) – It’s officially back-to-school season, and Mountain Line student semester and annual transit passes are an essential part of the school supply checklist.

Flagstaff students enrolled in a K-12 school can purchase a Mountain Line semester pass for $49. Fall semester passes are valid Aug. 1 – Dec. 31 and spring semester passes are valid Jan. 1 – Jun. 15. An annual pass, valid for the entire calendar year from the date of purchase, is available for $119. Both passes are valid on the entire Mountain Line system for the duration of the pass.

Per federal law, Mountain Line requires riders to wear face masks all vehicles. Buses are also fully sanitized each evening and hand sanitizer is available on board all buses. Families are encouraged to download two useful apps – Transit and See Say Now. The Transit app is replacing Mountain Line’s previous FLGRide app to provide real time arrival information and bus tracking. The See Say Now app allows riders to get in touch directly with Mountain Line’s Dispatch office, right from their phone.

Student passes are available for purchase at the Mountain Line office at 3773 N. Kaspar Dr. between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (closed from 12-1), Monday-Friday. To purchase the pass, all students must show proof of enrollment and bring a student ID, if applicable. Passes can also be purchased at https://mountainline.az.gov/fares-passes-online/ and will be mailed to students.

The Mountain Line front desk staff is happy to answer any questions about routes and the best way for students to access their individual schools. Call 928.779.6624 or visit https://mountainline.az.gov/students/ for additional information.

Mountain Line is the transit agency in northern Arizona operating fixed route bus service on nine routes, paratransit service, vanpool, and seasonal Mountain Express service to Arizona Snowbowl.

Mountain Line Updates Mask Policy to Meet New Federal Law

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (February 2, 2021) – The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued an order imposing a mask requirement for public transportation systems, implementing President Biden’s Executive Order to “Promote Safety in Domestic and International Travel.”

The requirement went into effect on February 1, 2021 and impacts public transportation systems around the country. Per a local emergency declaration, Mountain Line has required face coverings on all vehicles and at stops and connection centers since June 21, 2020. The new federal mandate supersedes the local declaration, and all local requirements must meet or be more stringent than the federal law. To meet the parameters set forth in the CDC order, Mountain Line is implementing the following changes to its face covering requirement:

All transit riders over the age of 2 (updated from the local requirement of 5) must wear a face covering.
The only other exemption will be for a person with a disability who cannot wear a mask, or cannot safely wear a mask, because of the disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The local declaration provides an exemption when a person’s religious beliefs prevent the person from wearing a face covering.
Acceptable masks are defined as being made of a solid piece of material without slits, exhalation valves, or punctures. Masks must contain a minimum of two layers, fit snugly around the nose and chin, and be made of a tightly woven fabric. Unacceptable masks include scarves/ski masks, those that do not fit property, and those that have only one layer. A full description of the face cover guidance can be found at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html

Riders who do not have an acceptable face covering and do not meet the age or ADA exemptions will not be permitted to board. Mountain Line continues to make face coverings available for those who do not have one. If a rider removes their face covering while on a transit vehicle, the driver will safely pull over and ask the rider to exit the vehicle.

The full CDC order can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/pdf/Mask-Order-CDC_GMTF_01-29-21-p.pdf.

Visit www.mountainline.az.gov/health for information about Mountain Line’s COVID-19 response and regulations.

Mountain Line is the transit agency in northern Arizona operating fixed route bus service on nine routes, paratransit service, vanpool, and seasonal Mountain Express service to Arizona Snowbowl.