Call 406-426-4506 to schedule a ride.
There is a new Voluntary Recommended Donation for this service to defray costs.
TO CARBON COUNTY DESTINATIONS:
We have 2 Cart Vans available 5-days a week, all across the county. On Mondays and Fridays, those two vans are BOTH providing rides to and from anywhere within the county. And on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, when one of the vans is in Billings, the other van still offers local service.
TO BILLINGS/LAUREL:
One CART van goes to destinations in Billings/Laurel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Billings/Laurel trips are generally reserved for medical-related purposes, but we will drop you off for other purposes (shopping, lunch, groceries, etc.) when we are there. Please book your appointments no earlier than 9:30 a.m. and no later than 2:30 p.m. on those days, so we can depart and get back to Carbon County within reasonable hours.
*Please Note: When you schedule a trip to Billings/Laurel, you will be sharing the ride with 2-4 other passengers, so please plan on spending most of the day there. We request your flexibility & patience while we drop others off at their appointments and wait until finished, the same as they will need to wait for you when your appointment time comes. While you wait, we are always happy to drop you off at other stops in order to shop, get coffee or lunch, or purchase groceries, while you wait on others’ appointments to end
WHO CAN USE CART?
CART is a county-wide public transportation service for ALL residents of Carbon County. ALL ages and abilities may use CART. Our two 6-passenger mini-vans are ADA accessible, with a ramp to handle wheelchairs securely and easily. You do NOT have to be elderly or disabled to use CART! Currently about 60% of our riders are 60 and older. About half of our riders have some kind of disability. Many Vets use CART.
Children may also use CART: Ages 0-10 can ride, so long as they are accompanied by a parent or guardian; kids aged 11-15 can ride independently, but need a signed permission slip to do so; anyone 16 & older can book their own rides with CART, independently.
COST to RIDE
While it is not MANDATORY, we highly encourage our riders to submit a Voluntary Donation each time they use the service. Our recommended amounts to donate are:
· $3.00 per ride for Local rides (anywhere within the county)
· $10.00 per ride for rides to Billings or Laurel.
These amounts are intended to offset the significant costs of operating CART. And keep it in operation! CART is funded by federal grants, RLACF funding, business sponsorships, and individual donations.
WHAT CAN YOU USE CART FOR?
Our riders regularly use CART for: Doctor/Dental/Eye Care appointments, vaccinations and flu shots, groceries and food banks, senior centers, other shopping, hair appointments, physical therapy, pharmacy, bank/post office, automotive service, to and from work and school, libraries, gyms/yoga, public meetings and events, recreation, and social gatherings.
DEMAND/RESPONSE
This simply means we pick you up at your door, take you to and from your destination(s), and then take you home again when you are through. Usually, we have the flexibility to take you to more than one stop if you need. Just ask your driver.
HOW TO USE CART:
1. Call us at 406-426-5406: the Dispatcher will take your info over the phone. We may need some time to arrange the schedule to fit you in, but then we’ll call you back.
2. Please try to CALL us more than 24 hours in advance; we can book your ride even weeks ahead! If advanced notice is not possible, call us anyway, and we will try to fit you in!
3. Be ready to go 5-10 mins. before the designated pick-up time. CART has an excellent on-time record. We will wait for you up to 10 mins. after your arranged pick-up time, but if you are not there, we may have to leave without you. More than two “No-Shows” can lead to the loss of your riding privileges for a period of time.
4. If you must CANCEL, gives us as much heads-up time as possible. Canceling at the last minute prevents others from using the service. Repeated cancelling can also cause you to lose your riding privileges.
OUR AREA OF OPERATIONS:
CART connects every community in Carbon County—Bearcreek, Belfry, Bridger, Fromberg, Edgar, Rockvale, Joliet, Boyd, Roberts, Red Lodge and Luther. Rides within the county are considered “Local Rides.” If you live within 3 miles of the paved highways on a county side-road, we will do our best to come get you. The only places we don’t currently go are to Roscoe, and around Cooney Reservoir. Call if you’re unsure. Our vehicles are NOT 4WD and are low clearance, and so county dirt roads are often off-limits to us, especially in the wintertime.
WINTER CONDITIONS/INCLENMENT WEATHER
In/after heavier snowstorms, extreme cold, poor road conditions, and/or high-winds/low-visibility conditions, CART will assess early in the morning if it’s safe to operate for that day. We will post any decisions to cancel or postpone on local social media sites like the CART Facebook Group site, Red Lodge Buzz, Red Lodge Area Road Conditions & Ride Share, or Bridger Happenings, and call everyone about our schedule for the day.
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT
CART is a federal transit program, and therefore operates according to Federal Transit Administration and Montana Department of Transportation guidelines. If you believe you have been denied service or received unfair treatment because of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation or gender identity, you are encouraged to file a grievance by contacting the Red Lodge Area Community Foundation or
the State Department of Transportation in Helena. There are forms and numbers to call in our lobby or use the Non-Discrimination & Accessibility Statement Link below for more information.
View the Carbon County Transit Development Plan
Non-Discrimination & Accessibility Statement
