Your perspective changes when you change your view. The other day, I spent three hours riding our local Mountain Climber bus, listening to the driver's thoughts about what he sees and hear; and it changed my perspective. We drove on streets I'd never been on and bounced through alleys. The driver has been transporting citizens and tourists for three years, and he's proud to have this job.
Instead of using my driver's name for this interview, I will refer to him as 'MCD' for Mountain Climber Driver. I met MCD that morning next to Albertsons, a frequent stop for the buses.
I noticed the bus was bigger inside than I thought. It had a security camera and a TV monitor to flash information to the riders. "How old is the bus?" I asked MCD. "She's one of the older ones," replied MCD. "She's about twelve. We have new ones on order, but they're 3-4 years out. Supply chain, I guess," smiled MCD. And with that, I settled in, fastened my seatbelt, and we were off.
Our first stop was the Warming Shelter on one of its last days for the season. Most everyone on the bus was pleasant, even though we were a little late picking them up. My fault: I should have been on time. "I'm sorry," I shouted out. "My fault we're late," and smiled. The woman who sat behind me whispered and said, "Don't worry, honey. We're not going anywhere," and she chuckled. We made the climb up the hill to the hospital area, where our stops included the Salvation Army and a rehab clinic.
"Next stop, Super One," MCD called out. "You can drop us off at the liquor store across the street instead," shouted one of the riders. MCD obliged and made the stop. The final two stops from the shelter crew were at places of work. "That's what I like to see," said MCD when the bus was empty. "People going to work. The one guy has been working all winter, saving his money so when the shelter closes, he can move into a rental somewhere." I thought, 'Good luck' since it's not easy to find an affordable place to live Flathead anymore. "He's really pulled himself together," continued MCD. "He's clean and sober. I've helped him practice for his interviews and I felt proud when he got this job."
We didn't chat much when we had riders; I didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable. But MCD had several stories to share when we were en route for a pickup. "People don't think we have homelessness or drug addicts here, but we do," shared MCD. "See, over there? Behind the trash bin," and he pointed to a few motionless people lying on the ground.
"How do you KNOW they're homeless?" I asked. "They're regulars," he answers. "I pick them up, take them to an encampment, or they'll just ride around for a bit." I asked if this was a problem for the Mountain Climber. "It can be." He explained: "As long as everyone behaves themselves, gives up their seat to ladies and elderly, and are going somewhere, it's fine. Our real problem is when people don't show up!" MCD seemed frustrated with no-shows. "It means we've wasted gas and time, but mostly, someone who really needs a ride has to wait longer, miss an appointment or a job interview. That makes me mad."
When I spoke later with Mountain Climber Director Elizabeth Wood, she mentioned she would soon return to charging a fare to ride. "We have always charged a dollar, but when COVID hit, we felt a zero-fare was right for our citizens and businesses for that time. Riders are less likely to no-show when they have a dollar on the line," she explained.
Our next few stops were for seniors going to Walmart for grocery shopping. The bus is equipped with a lift so passengers with walkers or wheelchairs can easily get on and off. MCD jumps down and helps each one. "He's my favorite driver," a few of them whispered.
"Why do you take the bus?" I asked. I could have guessed the answer, but I wanted to hear from them. "Oh, this is a lifesaver!" "I don't drive anymore;" "It's too hard to get in and out of a car;" "I hate parking." For them, the Mountain Climber is their only way to get out of the house, socialize, and take a ride.
I told MCD what a difference I thought he made in his passengers' lives. I saw him treat everyone with respect and dignity, talk to them like a friend, and start their day with a smile. "Why do you do this job?" I asked.
"I could drive a school bus and make more money," he told me. "But this job suits me. If I can make a positive difference in someone's life today, then it's been a good day." He made my day. Taking that ride gave me a better perspective of how just a little bit of mass transit can go a long way to help so many. I guess I never thought about where the riders were going or where they came from.
The Mountain Climber is a valuable service to our communities. Take a ride; it might change your view as well.
A Few Facts about the Mountain Climber
On-demand service: Unlike large city transit systems, The Mountain Climber is on-demand, similar to Uber/Lyft. Call or download the app to schedule a ride. You can book a ride up to three weeks in advance.
Hassell-free: No more worrying about parking, parking tickets, or car dents. No waiting at bus stops. The bus will pick you up right where you need it.
ADA compliant: Our buses are 100% ADA compliant.
Servicing: Kalispell/ Evergreen, Whitefish and Columbia Falls.
By the Way: It may be called the Mountain Climber, but it doesn’t go to the Big Mountain ski area. Check the SnowBus for a schedule.