Mountain Transit Authority

What Mountain Transit Authority does

Mountain Transit Authority (MTA) is a public transit authority operating across eight rural West Virginia counties (Nicholas, Greenbrier, Webster, Fayette, Monroe, Clay, Braxton, and Pocahontas), with headquarters at 1096 Broad Street, Summersville, WV. The organization serves as the FTA-designated Section 5311 Rural Transit Provider for the region, offering a multi-modal service platform that includes deviated fixed routes (with up to 3/4-mile deviation flexibility), flag stop boarding, demand response / CALL-A-RIDE service, and Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT). The underlying technology stack is conventional for the rural transit sector: Trip Master software handles NEMT scheduling and dispatch, radio equipment supports dispatch operations, GTFS data feeds enable third-party schedule integrations, and Token Transit provides mobile ticketing. All vehicles are wheelchair-lift-equipped, and the organization maintains ADA and Title VI compliance programs.

MTA operates a grant-funded, multi-stakeholder business model. The dominant revenue stream is federal FTA Section 5311 grants, which have grown from approximately $825,000 (FY21) to a requested $3,950,000 (FY27), supplemented by required state and local matching funds from county commissions and municipalities. Secondary revenue includes passenger fares (zone-based, $1.00–$6.00 per trip), NEMT reimbursements authorized through Medicare and Medicaid brokers, and Greenbrier Valley Airport shuttle fares. The customer base consists of rural residents, elderly individuals, people with disabilities, NEMT patients, behavioral health and recovery services clients, sheltered workshop participants, and airport travelers. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via flag stops, dispatch phone scheduling, broker referrals, and the Token Transit app.

The organization is governed by a Board of Directors led by President Mark Gillespie and operated under General Manager Timothy P. Thomas. Recent strategic activity includes the January 2026 launch of a Braxton County pilot program, a 2025 Monroe County expansion, a 2024 partnership with the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine for the Western Greenbrier route, and a 2025 Clay County expansion. Persistent driver shortages have caused intermittent service reductions, including a 2022 Webster County service cut triggered by the loss of local funding match.

Name

Mountain Transit Authority

Legal name

Mountain Transit Authority

Website

https://mtawv.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Mountain Transit Authority is a public transit authority providing deviated fixed route, flag stop, demand response, and NEMT services across eight rural West Virginia counties, funded primarily through FTA Section 5311 grants with required local matches.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Transit Services

NAICS

Special Needs Transportation (485991), Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation (48599)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100)

akta.pro primary industry

Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) Providers (TLAFAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accessible Shuttle & On-Demand Paratransit (Microtransit for Riders with Disabilities) (TLAFAKAK), Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) (HSABAOAA)

Keywords

• Public transit services
• Rural bus transportation
• Demand response transit
• Non-emergency medical transport
• Paratransit services

Headquarters

HQ city

Summersville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Federal Transit Administration Section 5311 Grants: MTA is a FTA Section 5311 Rural Transit Provider. The organization receives federal operating and capital assistance grants. Recent grants sought include approximately $3,950,000 for FY27 (operating assistance and rolling stock replacement), approximately $1,313,208 for FY23, $1,053,960 for FY22, and approximately $825,000 for FY21. Grants also cover capital equipment such as buses, vans, radios, shelters, lifts, and computer hardware/software.
2. State and Local Matching Funds: Federal grants require local/state matching contributions. MTA relies on local funding matches from county commissions and municipalities. Some areas like Cowen provide local match to maintain service.
3. NEMT Reimbursement (Medicare/Medicaid): Non-Emergency Medical Transport services are reimbursed through Medicare (1-844-572-8194) and Medicaid (1-844-889-1940) brokers. Patients must call brokers 48 hours (Medicare) or 5-7 business days (Medicaid) in advance and obtain a trip number before scheduling with MTA.
4. Passenger Fares: MTA charges zone-based point-to-point fares ranging from $1.00 to $6.00 depending on distance. Children 0-5 ride free; children 6-12 pay half adult fare. Airport shuttle service is $5.00 per person each way. Deviation service may incur additional charges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Mountain Transit Authority provides rural public bus transportation across eight counties in West Virginia through deviated fixed route, flag stop, and demand response/CALL-A-RIDE services, plus Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. All vehicles are wheelchair lift-equipped, and the organization operates as the designated FTA Section 5311 Rural Transit Provider for its multi-county service area, funded primarily through federal grants with passenger fare revenue.

Product overview

Mountain Transit Authority (MTA) provides public transportation services across eight West Virginia counties through a multi-service platform. The core offerings include Deviated Fixed Route, Flag Stop, and Demand Response services, supplemented by specialized Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) and Call-A-Ride Services. The bus route network spans Routes 02-16, covering Clay, Braxton, Fayette, Monroe, Nicholas, Webster, Greenbrier, and Pocahontas counties. Additional services include Recovery Treatment Transportation, Airport Shuttle, and dedicated services for elderly and disabled riders. All routes feature wheelchair-accessible buses with lift equipment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Non-Emergency Medical Transport (NEMT): Non-emergency medical transportation services for individuals needing rides to healthcare appointments including doctor visits, dialysis, chemotherapy, mental health counseling, and physical therapy
• Call-A-Ride
• Token Transit App

Products and services

• Deviated Fixed Route Service

Quantifiable outcome

• MTA operates NEMT services in all counties within its service area, ensuring healthcare access across the region.
• +3 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered moderate, core and minor.

• West Virginia Public Transit AssociationmoderateOthersMTA is a member of the West Virginia Public Transit Association (WVPTA), listed on its website at maximumcode.net. WVPTA is a trade association for public transit providers in West Virginia.
• West Virginia Division of Public TransitcoreOthersMTA is the FTA Section 5311 Rural Transit Provider administered through the WV Division of Public Transit (wvdot.com). The Division provides grant oversight, regulatory compliance review, and administrative guidance for MTA's federal funding. MTA submits budgets, audits, and grant applications to this body.
• Kanawha Valley Regional Transportation Authority (KRTMA)minorOthersListed as a partner/linked transit authority on MTA's Links page. KRTMA serves the Kanawha Valley region. The connection may facilitate inter-regional transit coordination or referrals.
• New River Transit Authority (NRTA)moderateTechnology or IntegrationMTA's Route 11 (Fayetteville) connects with New River Transit Authority in Fayetteville, WV, providing a transfer point for riders traveling between MTA's service area and NRTA's routes. This is a route integration partnership enabling broader regional connectivity.
• West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerMTA partnered with WVSOM in Lewisburg through a grant to create the Western Greenbrier County route (Route 14, Rainelle to Lewisburg). The partnership helps individuals access work, other transit services, and training opportunities. A WVSOM Grant/Rural Health Grant was on the March 2026 board meeting agenda.
• Seneca Health ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMTA provides available transportation for clients of Seneca Health Services, a behavioral health/substance use treatment provider. This partnership ensures patients can access ongoing treatment appointments.
• Medicare and Medicaid BrokerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedicare (1-844-572-8194) and Medicaid (1-844-889-1940) brokers act as intermediaries that authorize and assign NEMT trips to MTA. Riders must obtain a trip number from brokers before scheduling with MTA, making brokers the referral channel for all NEMT revenue.
• Snowshoe ResortminorOthersMTA provides daily transportation services to Snowshoe Resort in Pocahontas County. Route expansions and service updates for Snowshoe are discussed at board meetings, with possible expansion on the agenda as of March 2026.
• Region 4 Planning and Development CouncilminorOthersListed on MTA's Links page as a regional planning organization. The partnership likely relates to regional transportation planning coordination and funding alignment.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Modivcare (formerly Logisticare): Large national NEMT broker/manager that coordinates Medicaid and Medicare non-emergency medical transportation trips — comparable to MTA's NEMT segment as the dominant broker counterparty through whom MTA receives NEMT trip authorizations and reimbursements.
• MTM (Medical Transportation Management): Major NEMT broker coordinating Medicaid and Medicare medical transport trips across many states; comparable as the broker infrastructure through which rural transit providers like MTA receive NEMT trip volume and reimbursement.

Direct peers

• New River Transit Authority (NRTA): West Virginia public transit authority providing rural bus service in the New River region; directly comparable to MTA as both are FTA Section 5311-designated rural transit providers in West Virginia and operate inter-agency route transfer partnerships.
• Mid-Ohio Valley Transit Authority (MOVTA): West Virginia multi-county transit authority providing rural and small-urban bus service; comparable to MTA as a Section 5311-designated rural provider operating across a multi-county footprint with demand response capabilities.
• Tri-County Transit Authority: Rural West Virginia public transit authority serving multiple counties with deviated fixed route, demand response, and NEMT services — structurally analogous to MTA's multi-county rural service model.
• Mountain Line Transit Authority: Monongalia County, WV public transit authority providing fixed route and paratransit services; comparable to MTA as a small/mid-sized rural-to-suburban WV transit operator offering demand response and NEMT in addition to fixed routes.
• Bluefield Area Transit: Small West Virginia transit operator providing bus service in the Bluefield/Mercer County area; comparable as a rural WV public transit provider serving elderly and disabled populations with limited fixed-route and demand-response offerings.
• Potomac Valley Transit Authority: West Virginia regional transit authority providing rural public transit and paratransit across multiple counties; comparable to MTA in scale, federal funding reliance, and demand-response/NEMT service mix.
• Kanawha Valley Regional Transportation Authority (KRTMA): WV regional transit authority serving the Kanawha Valley; listed as a partner/linked transit authority on MTA's website. Both are West Virginia public transit operators coordinating inter-regional rider transfers.

Others

• West Virginia Public Transit Association (WVPTA): Industry trade association for West Virginia public transit providers, of which MTA is a member. Comparable as the umbrella organization representing MTA's policy interests and coordinating peer transit authorities across the state.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mountain Transit Authority