Loren Linden Levy, a Jackson local, rides the START bus to Teton Village to ski because it’s convienent and free. His vibrant image of his morning ride just won him two VIP passes to Zac Brown Band on March 18.
“I feel very lucky to have won the V.I.P. tickets. I love the START bus and ride it almost everyday in the winter. It’s so convenient and easy to get to the Vill and to get home safely after après,” said Loren.
Teton Village Association and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort launched the #STARTbus Challenge to inspire locals and visitors to travel to and from Teton Village without their car. It was a simple idea: ride START Bus to the Village, post a picture on Instagram, and tag #STARTBus for a chance to win. Four participants won to free ski passes at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, and Loren Linden Levy won the grand prize: two VIP tickets to the Zac Brown Band on March 18.
During last year’s Zac Brown Band concert in Teton Village, riders broke the START record with over 11,000 rides in one day. Previously, the most daily rides logged on START bus were 5,500. This year, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is increasing transit for the day of the concert, and START bus predicts that the number of riders will show an even bigger increase.
Teton Village has worked diligently over the last 15 years to reduce single occupancy vehicle trips to Teton Village, and it’s working. Frequent transit service that’s free from Stilson and free to those who buy JHMR ski passes or work in Teton Village, and paid parking in the Village, have inspired many skiers like Loren Linden Levy to ride the bus instead of drive their cars, which has stabilized traffic counts entering Teton Village during peak times.
TVA partners with START Bus and contracts Alltrans shuttles to provide frequent and free service from Stilson all winter. The START Bus schedule is available online at startbus.com, and free public Alltrans shuttles also run between Stilson and Teton Village from 6:15-8:15 a.m. and 3:30-5:30 p.m.