MET Transit Cuts Leave Billings Residents Struggling With Rush Hour

Billings residents who use public transit or drive during peak periods encounter the realities of MET Transit operations and road capacity on key corridors. The system runs 17 fixed routes with 25 vehicles and carries approximately 2,000 passengers daily from Monday through Saturday, with no service on Sunday.

Transit Service Patterns

Many local commuters plan around the absence of Sunday operations and the fixed number of vehicles available across the 17 routes. This schedule directly shapes how residents arrange work, errands and appointments on weekends, when no MET Transit buses run. The daily passenger total of roughly 2,000 reflects steady but constrained use of the network serving the city.

Peak Period Road Conditions

Drivers experience concentrated traffic between 7:30 and 8:30 AM and again between 4:30 and 5:30 PM. Bottlenecks commonly develop on Shiloh Road and on Main Street through the Heights, where U.S. Highway 87 functions as the primary through route. These recurring windows affect residents traveling to and from work or other obligations on those specific streets.

Highway and Airport Links

Interstate 90 crosses the southern part of the city and connects with Interstate 94 east of downtown, while Billings Logan International Airport sits near the center on the Rims cliffs. Residents traveling to or from the airport or using the interstate system must account for these fixed alignments and the separate absence of any passenger rail or ferry service. The last passenger rail stop at the depot occurred when Amtrak’s North Coast Hiawatha ceased operations in 1979.

Residents continue to adjust daily routines around the established transit schedule, the two daily rush-hour intervals, and the existing highway and airport infrastructure. Those seeking current route or timing details can consult MET Transit resources directly for the most up-to-date information on available service.