ND: Bismarck City Commission OKs Bis-Man Transit service hour changes

Bis-Man Transit riders will see expanded CAT bus and paratransit service in 2026 after the Bismarck City Commission approved the changes. The updates will take effect April 1.

Commissioners on Feb. 10 approved service hour changes that will extend bus operations by four hours and open paratransit service to the general public on Sundays and holidays. The changes were green-lighted by the Bis-Man Transit Board in January, but needed City Commission approval before being implemented.

The changes do not require approval from the Mandan City Commission because Bis-Man Transit’s brokerage contract is with the city of Bismarck.

Bis-Man Transit has been working on a potential service expansion since last spring. Many of the approved changes reflect recommendations from the Bismarck Transportation Steering Committee, while others stem from public feedback shared during two input meetings and a public hearing the agency held in January.

The changes are expected to cost $664,100 during the shortened 2026 fiscal year, according to a Commission memo. Expenses in 2027, the first full year of the changes, are expected to top $953,400.

Under the changes, the agency’s fixed-route CAT bus service will run from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays. The service does not operate on Sundays. The CAT bus runs six routes throughout Bismarck, including one that extends into Mandan.

Paratransit — a door-to-door option for seniors and people with disabilities — will expand Sunday hours to operate from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will be opened to the general public. The service will also be available to the general public on six holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Paratransit riders will still be required to schedule rides one day in advance and pay a $3 fare.

Bis-Man Transit Executive Director Deidre Hughes said the changes represent a meaningful step toward meeting transportation needs in the community. She said current CAT bus service hours leave gaps for workers with nontraditional shifts. Additionally, she said, the general public does not have transit options on Sundays or holidays.

The changes come amid growing ridership for Bis-Man Transit over the past year. The agency recorded more than 138,000 trips on its fixed-route service, an increase of about 16,500 compared with 2024. Paratransit rides increased by about 2.5%.

Voter-approved sales tax funding helped clear the way for the changes. In the 2024 election, voters in Bismarck and Mandanapproved separate but similar half-cent sales taxes, dedicating two-tenths of a cent to public transit. The Bismarck and Mandan city commissions in December used some of that funding to offset a $760,000 operating shortfall for 2025.

More information on the changes can be found at bit.ly/4aLxjBw.

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