Need a ride from a local establishment for Griz Football Game Day? We have you covered! Take a look at the following locations to enjoy your day and leave the driving to us!
Fall Newsletter 2025
📣 Beach Transportation Newsletter – Latest Edition
Here at Beach Transportation, we publish three newsletters each year to keep our employees, families, and friends informed and connected. We’re excited to share our latest edition with you—full of updates, milestones, employee spotlights, and more!
👉 Beachlines Fall 2025
📬 *Feel free to share it with colleagues, friends, and anyone who’s part of our Beach family!
Enjoy!
—The Beach Transportation Team
Back to School Safety
Back-to-School Bus Safety: a Safe Start to the Year
As students head back to school, ensuring their safety on and around the school bus is a top priority for families, schools, and transportation providers. At Beach Transportation, we are committed to providing safe, reliable service every day — but safety also begins with awareness. Here are key safety tips and reminders to help make this school year a safe one for everyone.
🚸 For Students
1. Get to the Bus Stop Early
Arrive at least 5 minutes before the scheduled pickup time. Stand back from the curb or road while waiting.
2. Stay Visible
Avoid standing behind parked cars or trees. Wear bright-colored clothing or reflective gear if it’s dark or foggy.
3. Wait for the Driver’s Signal
Always wait for the driver to signal that it’s safe to board or cross the street. Never assume it’s safe just because the bus is stopped.
4. Stay Seated and Buckle Up (if available)
Remain seated during the entire ride. Keep the aisle clear and follow the driver’s instructions at all times.
5. Exit Safely
After getting off the bus, walk at least 10 feet in front of the bus and make eye contact with the driver before crossing the street.
👨👩👧👦 For Parents
1. Review Bus Safety Rules
Go over basic rules with younger children before school starts and continue to reinforce them regularly.
2. Know the Route and Schedule
Make sure your child knows where to wait and when. Ensure they’re aware of what to do if they miss the bus or get off at the wrong stop.
3. Teach Safe Crossing Habits
Remind children to look left-right-left before crossing any street and to always use crosswalks when possible.
4. Stay Informed
Sign up for notifications from your school. Make sure your school has updated contact information recorded so Beach Transportation can communicate on delays, route changes, or emergency procedures.
🚗 For Drivers
1. Obey All School Bus Laws
In all 50 states, it is illegal to pass a school bus when the stop arm is extended and red lights are flashing.
2. Slow Down in School Zones
Children can be unpredictable. Always reduce speed and stay alert in school areas and near bus stops.
3. Be Extra Cautious During Pickup and Drop-Off Times
Most accidents involving school buses happen during loading and unloading. Watch for children crossing the road, even from behind the bus.
4. Mini school buses unload without their reds
Our mini school buses are a “curb-to-curb” service meaning that they are able to pull off the road safely to unload passengers. Unlike big school buses, they will engage their hazard lights instead of using the red lights and stop sign. Please be cautious going around them when loading and unloading.
Our Commitment to Safety
At Beach Transportation, our drivers are highly trained, our buses are maintained to the highest standards, and safety is at the core of everything we do. With your help, we can ensure that every child gets to school — and back home — safely. Let’s work together to make this a safe and successful school year!
School Calendars 2025-2026
Bellow are the official 2025–2026 academic calendars for Public Schools. Select the one that matches your school:
Vehicles for Sale
From time-to-time, we rotate our fleet out with newer models. This allows our transportation company to sell our trucks, school buses and motorcoaches. Below are the current vehicles for sale:
Motorcoach MCI #9559
*Please contact Carlin Cavill for questions and more information: 406-549-6121 x118 or at ccavill@beachtrans.com
Community Involvement
Community Events
Here at Beach Transportation we are a local family-owned business. We are dedicated to our community and the safety of the most precious cargo, our children. Every year we stay involved with multiple community events to help promote the safety of our kids. We annually attend the Kids Fair, Fall Kids Fest, and Safe Kids Day. These events give us the opportunity to bring out a bus for kids to climb in, to get comfortable, and most importantly to share safety information.
Our safety director and staff help teach children safe practices all year-round. Through the year, safety demonstrations, school functions, and other presentations keep us busy! If you would like to schedule a bus safety presentation, or simply have questions about additional safety information- please reach out! You can email our safety director, HERE.
Toy Drive
Each year, Beach Transportation is a proud community partner of the annual toy drive.
Griz for Kids help children in need get new, unwrapped toys to them during the holiday season. Our staff help promote, donate, and sort the toys after the toy drive is completed. Hundreds of toys are donated each year. Help us make 2024 a success too! Can’t make it in person to the Griz Game to drop off your toys? No worries! You can help donate to the Mountain Broadcasting Foundation directly, either online or through their provided Venmo QR Code.
For more information on the toy drive and its donations, head over to their website.
Food Drive
Each year, Beach continues the annual tradition of giving back. We proudly donate food to the Missoula Food Bank to help those in need of a healthy Christmas meal. We start taking donations from staff after Thanksgiving break which continues till the last Friday before Christmas. This year, our employees raised 2,472 lbs!
Donations
We are a proud supporter of many local organizations and donate to community partners throughout the year. Beach Transportation believes we can be a stronger community when we all come together to support each other. We hope to continue to support all of these wonderful efforts that make Missoula so special:
2024 Donations
2024 Donations total: $6,195
- The Missoula Mendelssohn Club
- The Poverello Center
- YMCA
- Missoula Economic Partnership
- Families First
- Honors Court Sports Award Banquet (KPAX)
- Safe Kids Missoula
- Big Sky Booster Club
- Glacier Ice Rink
- Missoula Community Chorus
- Lions Club
2023 Donations
2023 Donations total: $3,760.50
- Ancient Order of Hibernians
- Honors Court Sports Award Banquet (KPAX)
- Safe Kids Missoula
- Big Sky Booster Club
- Western Montana Fair Livestock
- Kiwanis Club of Missoula
- Families First Learning Lab
- Glacier Ice Rink
2022 Donations
2022 Donations total: $25,156
- American Legion
- Big Sky Booster Club
- Family First Learning Lab
- Glacier Ice Rink
- Koprivica High School Golf Foundation
- Honors Court Sports Award Banquet (KPAX)
- Missoula Country Club
- MCPS Bands
- Missoula YMCA
- Missoula FFA
- Safe Kids Missoula
- Target Range Playground Project
- Western Montana Fair Livestock
Non-monetary & In-kind services
- Wings Program LLC (animal rescue)- donated a bus
- Griz Kids -transportation service
- Griz for Kids Toy Drive – volunteers service
- Goodfellows Thanksgiving Dinner – transportation service
- Stuff the Bus -volunteer services
- American Legion of Missoula -transportation services
Are you looking for a donation? Please use our Donation Request Form
Letters | From You to Us
At Beach Transportation, we genuinely love what we do, and we hope that shines through in every ride. Our drivers and school bus attendants make a lasting impact on those we serve—whether it’s a daily school route, a fun field trip, or transportation for weddings and special events. We are always touched by the thank-you cards, letters, and kind words we’ve received over the years. Your thoughtful messages mean the world to us. Whenever a letter or card comes in, we proudly share it with our team—and now, we’d like to share some of them with you too. 💛
Below are just a few of the most recent messages we’ve received from the wonderful people we serve.
Franklin School
This card made us smile on July 28th from the staff at Franklin school.
The card reads: “To our friends at Beach, Thank you for all your do getting our precious cargo to/from school safely. We appreciate you!- The staff at Franklin.”
Thank you to all the teachers who help support the work we do.
Families First
This handmade card was so great as we all passed it around on November 5th from Families First.
The card reads: “Beach Transportation, thank you for making our Halloween Event so special. Families First is so luck to have your support.”
We appreciate the kind words and lovely card!
The Poverello Center
We received the a heartfelt letter the other day on October 26th 2024 from the Poverello.
The letter reads: “Thank you so much for your sponsoring Pumpkins for the Pov! The annual autumn campaign directly funds our food services, which provide hundreds of meals per day to Missoula’s most vulnerable population. Your sponsorship of $250 uplifts the work we do every day to provide food, shelter, help, and hope to all who ask.”
Thank you for all you do for the Missoula Community!
Opportunity Resources, Inc.
We received the most wonderful card the other day on October 25th 2024 from Opportunity Resources. The card reads: “Thank you for supporting people with disabilities!”
Thank you for the kind words and great sign!
Safe Kids Missoula (Community Health Alliance)
On October 11th 2024, Beach received a letter from our community partners. Every year, we join them in their Safe Kids Fair event.
The letter reads: “Thank you for your participation in our 2024 Safe Kids Fair. Your support has once again made it possible for us to continue this vital community event providing crucial health and safety information for western Montana families. The event welcomed over 300 people, meaning 300 people are now better informed and equipped with safety information to protect their children from the leading cause of death- preventable injury. Your contribution to this event not only impacts these families but also strengthens the health and safety of our entire community. In the last year, our Coalition engaged 1,000+ individuals and community safety experts from more than 30 organizations in year-round activities including car seat checkups, educational sessions, Home Safety Kit distribution, and outreach. This collective effort continues to make a meaningful difference, helping to reduce childhood injury and death rates. We appreciate your ongoing participation at the fair!”
Thank you for the letter and for your support!
Listening to America (motor coach customer)
All year round, but especially during the summer, Beach Transportation takes our motor coaches all over the United States. From local trips to multi-state and week(s) long trips, our drivers try their best. We received this card from one of our tour customers complimenting our drivers.
The card reads: Dear Josh and Dusty, Thank you so much for our fine coach bus and a wonderful drive from Ft. Benton to Lochsa Lodge. We appreciate you being there for us!! Looking forward to 2025, July 24th!! Thanks again, Listening to America.”
Thank you for letting us be a part of your groups adventure!
Wedding Transportation
Celebrate in style with Beach Transportation!
Planning a wedding, bachelor/bachelorette party, or group event? Let Beach Transportation handle the driving—so you can focus on making memories. Whether it’s getting your guests to the venue, shuttling your wedding party, or organizing travel for a group, we’ve got you covered with safe, stylish, and reliable service.
Our Services Include:
🚐 Wedding Shuttles
🥂 Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties
🎉 Group Event Travel
✨Guest Transportation to & from Venues
37th annual Missoula Wedding Fair
Are you planning your 2025 wedding? Don’t miss the Missoula Wedding Fair—a one-stop event for everything you need, from venues to vacation planners. Come visit the Beach Transportation booth to meet our team, ask questions, and start planning seamless travel for your big day.
💍Date: Sunday, January 5th 2025
💍 Location: Hilton Garden Inn Missoula (3720 N. Reserve St)
💍 Time: 11:00am – 4:00pm
💍Take a look at our Beach Transportation Wedding Brochure
History of Beach Transportation
Beach Transportation: A Legacy of Service Since 1941
Founding Years (1941–1958)
Beach Transportation began in 1941 when Ray Beach, a rancher near Florence, stepped up to provide school bus service for Missoula County High School. Initially passed over for the job, Ray was later called upon when the original bidder couldn’t fulfill the contract. He purchased a Novelty Jack school bus from Spokane and began transporting students, building a reputation for safety, dependability, and community care. Ray expanded the service over the years, hiring lifelong team members like Harley Keyser, who would become a crucial figure in the company’s future.
Growth and Leadership Under Bob Beach (1956–2000)
Ray’s son Bob Beach, an educator and Air Force veteran, joined the family business in the 1950s. With Harley at his side, Bob helped expand the company, adding routes and infrastructure. In 1969, they introduced their first motor coach, launching the “Beachliner” brand, which transported sports teams and community groups across the country. Under Bob’s leadership, Beach Transportation became known not only for excellence in student transportation but also for its dedication to community involvement and quality service.
Generational Legacy and Expansion (2000–Present)
Bob passed the company to his sons Greg and Scott Beach in 2000. Now joined by other family members, including their sister Diana and grandchildren, the company is truly a multi-generational enterprise. They continue to expand operations while staying true to the company’s core values. Today, Beach Transportation operates a fleet of 120 buses, travels over 1 million miles annually, and transports more than 3,500 students daily. The company has received multiple national and state honors, including the Golden Merit Award (3x), and continues to provide charter services nationwide.
Core Values and Legacy
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Safety and Reliability: From Ray Beach’s first drive to today’s operations, safety has been paramount.
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Community Engagement: Strong ties to Missoula’s schools, youth programs, and charitable causes.
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Family and Teamwork: Three generations of the Beach family and countless dedicated employees have made the company what it is today.
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Excellence in Service: Nationally recognized for service quality and community involvement.
Want to learn more? Read the full article from the History of Beach Transportation