New director takes keys at group behind SNOW bus

Rick Cunningham and Jenny Cloutier both often get asked the same question — do you get to drive the bus?

The answer is no, but heading up the nonprofit behind the SNOW bus means being involved in nearly every aspect of operation. Cunningham is retiring this month as executive director of the Big Mountain Commercial Association, and Cloutier is taking over the position.

The Big Mountain Commercial Association is a nonprofit trade association that raises funds to pay for common services and programs, including funding the SNOW bus in winter and summer shuttle from downtown to Whitefish Mountain Resort, Big Mountain Road winter maintenance, Big Mountain Summer and Spring Brewfests, and the Winter Winefest.

The association is currently funded by 94 member businesses throughout the Flathead Valley. It contracts its bus service with Rocky Mountain Transportation.

“We’re a necessary piece of the economy in this Valley,” says Cunningham who has led the association for 13 years. “Many people have no idea what it does for the ski industry and the businesses in the Valley. It gets people from here to there. We provide bus service to get to the resort at no cost.”

The SNOW bus services more than 76,000 riders annually, and more recently added summer service to the resort. In 2008, when the bus was entering its 10th year of service, annual ridership was reported in the Pilot at 54,000.

Cunningham says the bus also has added benefits.

“There’s the amount of cars that aren’t going up and down the mountain,” he said. “There’s an environmental component of decreasing the cars, which is good for the environment. Also it reduces the congestion for traffic and parking.”

Cunningham grew up in the Bitterroot and went to school in Hamilton before earning his undergraduate degree at the University of Montana. He earned his graduate degree at Northwest Missouri State and doctorate from the University of North Dakota. He spent 25 years as an athletic trainer and also worked as a smoke jumper for 10 years.

Cunningham worked for the Red Cross before taking over leadership of BMCA.

Cloutier also has a background working with nonprofits. Since 2015 she was the education coordinator for the Friends of the Flathead Avalanche Center and the Patrol Fund. During that time, she has also coordinated a Youth Conservation Corps program for the Flathead National Forest. From 2013 to 2015 she was the Outreach Coordinator for the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation and previously served as development officer with the Montana Land Reliance. Cloutier began her career in the nonprofit field working for the Glacier Institute as a field naturalist. She also holds a master’s degree in nonprofit administration and environmental education from Western Washington University. Currently she serves as the snow safety coordinator for the Flathead Nordic Backcountry Patrol and teaches a variety of snow science classes throughout the region.

Cloutier, who grew up in Kalispell, says her familiarity with the SNOW bus along with experience working in nonprofits drew her to the association.

“There is a need for public transportation and we have the ability to help with that,” she said. “We provide an important service in the community and for the people who work up there to take a free bus to the mountain. Visitors can ride the train to Whitefish, stay downtown and not even need a car — it’s great for all businesses in winter and summer.”

She expects that ridership will only keep growing and recent upgrades such as GPS tracking of buses will allow routes and schedules to be modified to best serve riders.

“During the summer kids are grabbing their bikes and riding the bus to the mountain for the day,” she said. “We will likely continue growing for summer riders.”

New this year, the summer bus begins operating May 25 and will following the same summer schedule as Whitefish Mountain Resort. The Summer Brewfest is Aug. 24 in Depot Park.

For more information, visit http://bigmtncommercial.org or call 406-201-5669,