Glacier National Park has awarded a new contract for its popular shuttle service. This comes after Flathead County canceled its contract with the park, claiming it wasn’t paid enough to supply drivers.
Flathead County supplied drivers for the park’s fleet of 35 buses since the service came into being in 2007. The popular bus rides gives free lifts to visitors along Going-to-the-Sun Road, and usage has increased 61 percent since it started, particularly in the last couple of years when park visitorship has skyrocketed.
Glacier announced Tuesday that private company LC Staffing of Kalispell entered into a new contract to provide drivers.
The park says the service could begin operating a hiker and biker service on the lower sections of the road before the alpine section is opened. However, the park remains closed due to the coronavirus pandemic and park officials say they will abide by guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when it comes to reopening the park.
