Traffic Patterns: Comparing Billings and Bozeman Commutes

A Montana Legacy Insurance Transportation Analysis

As Montana's urban centers continue to grow, understanding traffic patterns and commuting habits becomes increasingly important for both residents and businesses. At Montana Legacy Insurance, we're committed to providing valuable insights that help Montanans make informed decisions about where they live, work, and how they protect their assets. Today, we're examining the transportation differences between Montana's largest city and its fastest-growing community.

Traffic Index Comparison

Our analysis reveals some interesting contrasts between these two key Montana cities:

Metric	Billings	Bozeman
Traffic Index	91.51	87.04
Time Index (minutes)	15.75	16.78
Time Expenditure Index	15.75	16.78
Inefficiency Index	49.86	47.01
CO2 Emission Index	4,189.50	3,517.11

While Billings shows a slightly higher overall traffic index (91.51 vs. 87.04), indicating more congestion, Bozeman residents actually spend a bit more time commuting on average (16.78 vs. 15.75 minutes). This seemingly contradictory data makes more sense when we examine transportation methods.

How Montanans Get to Work

The most striking difference between these cities is the diversity of transportation options actually utilized:

Transportation Method	Billings	Bozeman
Car	100.00%	77.78%
Walking	0.00%	11.11%
Bicycle	0.00%	11.11%
Working from Home	0.00%	0.00%
Public Transit	0.00%	0.00%

Billings residents rely exclusively on cars for their commute, while nearly a quarter of Bozeman commuters choose active transportation methods. This difference significantly impacts each city's carbon footprint, with Bozeman's CO2 Emission Index substantially lower despite the longer average commute time.

Distance and Time Analysis

When broken down by transportation method, the data reveals more nuanced patterns:

Car Commutes

• Billings: 13.92 km average distance, 15.75 minutes average time

• Bozeman: 11.27 km average distance, 16.57 minutes average time

Despite shorter distances in Bozeman, car commutes actually take slightly longer, suggesting more traffic congestion or lower speed limits in the university town.

Walking Commutes

• Billings: No data available

• Bozeman: 8.05 km average distance, 15 minutes overall commute time

  
  

Bicycle Commutes

• Billings: No data available

• Bozeman: 5.00 km average distance, 20 minutes overall commute time

  
  

Insurance Implications

At Montana Legacy Insurance, we understand how transportation patterns affect your insurance needs:

1. Auto Insurance: Billings drivers may face higher collision risks due to higher traffic density, while Bozeman's diverse transportation methods mean more interaction between cars, pedestrians, and cyclists.

2. Coverage Needs: Bozeman's higher percentage of active commuters suggests a greater need for comprehensive personal liability coverage for both drivers and non-drivers.

3. Premium Factors: The different commuting patterns between cities can influence insurance premiums, with factors like average commute distance and time playing a role in risk assessment.

   
   

Making Informed Decisions

Whether you're considering a move between these Montana cities or evaluating your current insurance coverage, understanding these transportation differences can help you make better decisions about:

• Housing location relative to work or school

• Potential transportation costs and carbon footprint

• The appropriate level of auto and personal liability insurance

  
  

At Montana Legacy Insurance, we're committed to helping Montana residents navigate these decisions with personalized insurance solutions that reflect the unique characteristics of where and how you live.

Data updated July 2024 for Bozeman and March 2022 for Billings. For the most comprehensive and personalized insurance analysis based on your specific commuting patterns, contact Montana Legacy Insurance today.