This
summer Yellowstone visitors can leave the driving through bison jams to
someone else. They can ride a bus to the park’s most popular
destinations.
Linx
– a tri-state network of public and private transportation
operators - has announced it will pilot a newly coordinated bus service
to and from the park’s major lodges, campgrounds and visitor
attractions starting in July.
The
park’s primary gateway communities will be served by Linx
providers.
Once in the park, each
bus will travel a fixed route, making scheduled stops at campgrounds
and lodging areas before exiting the park. Visitors already in the park
or those staying in gateway accommodations will be able to purchase a
day pass to ride any Linx bus to access Yellowstone’s major
attractions while leaving their car or RV in place for the
day.
Linx
will not offer driver commentary or interpretive tours in the park, but
it will increase the mobility of visitors with limited transportation
options.
Linx will be an
important transportation alternative for seniors, disabled visitors,
seasonal employees, international guests, and those who simply would
prefer not to drive.
Passengers
on “Ride Linx in Yellowstone” will be able to plan
one-way and round-trip itineraries through the following park gateways:
West Yellowstone, Montana, from the west; Grand Teton National Park
from the south, Cody, Wyoming, from the east, and Livingston and
Gardiner, Montana, from the north. Because
Linx providers operate throughout the Greater Yellowstone region,
visitors can start and finish their Yellowstone trip from airports in
Idaho Falls, Idaho; Bozeman or Billings, Montana; or Jackson, Wyoming
– and never have to drive a car.
“The
goal of Linx is to connect the Yellowstone-Teton region in order to
improve our quality of life and to provide economic
opportunity.” said Linx President Ken Bullock. “For
local residents, the Linx system will allow them to create their own
itineraries and ride a bus from Bozeman to Jackson through both
national parks – which is currently not possible. Until
now Yellowstone National Park was like the doughnut hole in the region. It
will be great to see that the benefits of transit - in terms of air
quality and congestion reduction - can extend into our
nation’s premier parks as well.”
Final
approval for the coordinated Linx pilot demonstration was received from
Yellowstone National Park on June 8. All
Linx providers will begin their newly coordinated Ride Linx in
Yellowstone operating schedules in July and in most cases, reservations
will be required. Operating details such as provider schedules and
Yellowstone stop locations, as well as fares and day pass rates, will
be released in the coming weeks.
Trips
to gateway communities can be booked right now. Visit
www.linx.coop
to find out more about Linx and the cooperative’s
transportation services in the region.
For
more information:
Kim
Billimoria, Communications Specialist
Yellowstone
Business Partnership/Linx
208-881-3524
kbillimoria@yellowstonebusiness.org
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