BBER PUBLICATIONS SEARCH RESULTS

The Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER) has collected log hauling costs in Montana and North Idaho since 2010. The early surveys were fairly complex. Following discussion with several individuals knowledgeable in the trucking and logging industry, BBER researchers developed a postcard approach to collect the basic information needed to estimate log hauling costs over a range of distances and cost of diesel fuel. We also collected information that helped describe their longevity in the industry, the size of operation and the number of loads hauled in 2021. A copy of the postcard is displayed in Appendix 1.

Farming and Ranching: Navigating Another Drought By George Haynes and Kate Fuller
Forest Products: COVID-19 Hangover Impacts Wood Products By Steven Hayes and Todd A. Morgan
Energy Montana's Energy and Minerals Future By Bill Whitsitt
Manufacturing: Shipping and Supply Chain Are Big Concerns By Robert Sonora
Travel, Tourism and Recreation: Staffing Shortages Cause Concern By Jeremy Sage
Health Care: COVID-19 Drives Exodus of Health Care Workers By Robert Sonora
Real Estate and Construction: Boom or Bubble? By Derek Sheehan
Transportation and Logistics: The Roller Coaster Ride Continues By Simona Stan
Technology and Innovation: Pandemic Has Not Slowed Montana's Growing Tech Sector By Christina Quick Henderson

There are a number of obstacles for small and midsized Montana firms to face when looking to expand into international markets.

Farming and Ranching - A Year of Volatile Commodity Prices and Near-Record Stimulus Payments Forest Products - Montana Wood Products in the Time of COVID-19 Energy - The COVID-19 Recession Impacts Prices Manufacturing - Continued Growth Is Interrupted by the Pandemic Travel, Tourism and Recreation - Crowds Flock To Montana During COVID Summer Transportation and Logistics - 2020 Was a Year of Disruption Health Care - COVID-19 Alters Health Care Landscape Technology and Innovation - Remote Work, Zoom Towns and a Spotlight on Biotech Real Estate and Construction - The Seller''s Market Continues

This survey examines Missoula area residents? perceptions of the local transportation system, views about priorities for investments in the system, opinions about possible taxes to pay for system improvements, the frequency of transportation activities, and opinions about electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, escooters and rideshare services.

How we work is rapidly changing as we approach the fourth industrial revolution. What can Montanans expect in this new world of work?

Montanans use more energy per capita than consumers in most other states and we spend more per person on energy overall.

Global economic conditions are important for Montana businesses because many operate in the world market. Take a tour of the global economy.

The overall world outlook is more positive than last year. Global economic growth is up for 2017 and will accelerate in 2018. Take a tour of the global economy with a summary of national and state trends.

Montana ranked third out 50 states in the most traffic fatalities per 100,000. Wearing a seat belt saves lives, yet the state does not have a primary seat belt law. Read the results of a public opinion poll about seat belt regulation in Montana.

The 2015 Missoula Area Transportation Survey provides the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), citizens of the City of Missoula and Missoula County, and area policy makers with information about Missoula area residents? opinions regarding the area transportation system and area residents? use of the area transportation system. The particular tool used to obtain this information, a rigorously conducted, randomly sampled survey enables the MPO to obtain reliable estimates of the proportion of the area population that holds various opinions and who use various aspects of the transportation system.

Trailhead Commerce Park is a rail-accessible industrial development project located in Lockwood, Montana, that is intended to serve manufacturing, transportation, warehousing, and other commercial business development. As it is conceived by its developers, its location adjacent to the BNSF/MRL rail line, bisected by the proposed Billings bypass roadway, and situated in the strategically well-positioned Billings market area, would make it an attractive candidate for business expansion. Its successful construction and development could be a major economic event for the Billings and southeastern Montana economies.

About 77,200 off-highway vehicles (OHVs) were registered for off-highway use in Montana during 2013. These vehicles are used both for pleasure and work. OHV-owning households own an average of two machines, and two family members usually participate in outings. Montana OHV users spend between 4.2 million and 5.9 million days recreating. This project was sponsored by Montana State Parks. Montana State Parks administers the OHV Program.

The Bureau of Business and Economic Research''s most recent surveys suggest that about 8 percent of the state''s households include snowmobile recreationists. Nearly always, the whole family participates. With an average household size of about 2.5, perhaps as many as 100,000 Montanans participate in the sport each winter. Nonresident snowmobilers are important contributors to the Montana economy. Our estimates suggest that nonresident snowmobilers spend about $147 per activity day, including food, lodging, and often, snowmobile rental costs. Nonresidents accounted for about 97,000 activity days during the 2013-2014 snowmobile season, spending an aggregate of nearly $14.3 million in Montana. That spending supports about 200 winter jobs. This project was sponsored by Montana State Parks, which administers the Snowmobile Trails Program.

The Great Recession was barely noticeable in Hill County. There were only two years with little or no growth in income.

Montana''s second largest economy, home to one of the two flagship state universities as well as the state''s second largest health care delivery market, is still very much alive.

While the energy boom is taking place in rural eastern Montana, 42 of Montana's 56 counties - including urban and western counties - are directly impacted by energy transportation systems.

Five people are injured or killed each day in Montana because of alcohol-related vehicle crashes. These accidents cost Montanans $621,000 per day and more than half a billion dollars per year in medical costs, lost wages, and lost productivity.

The economic cost of alcohol abuse in Montana impacts all parts of the economy and is estimated to cost the state $511 million dollars per year. In Montana, an average of 1,700 people are injured in alcohol crashes each year. Bodily harm and life threatening injuries from alcohol related injury crashes account for over 10% of all vehicle crashes in the state, but 20% of all vehicle crashes with injuries in the state.

Four-wheeling through mud, snow, and woodsy trails continues to grow in popularity in Montana, with the state''s off-highway vehicle (OHV) owners spending nearly $123 million during 2008 and paying more than $1.4 million in to the highway trust fund via gasoline taxes. But a recent survey of OHV recreationists found that the sport is thriving amidst worry from enthusiasts that growth will hamper access because of poor behavior from a few riders.

About 54,000 off-highway vehicles (OHVs) were registered in Montana during 2007. OHV owning households own an average of two machines and two family members usually participate in outings. Residents spend nearly all of their out-of-pocket trip costs for gasoline. We estimate that OHVers buy about 5.3 million gallons of gasoline per year. With a base tax of $0.27 per gallon, we estimate that OHVers in Montana generate over $1.4 million in revenue for the state highway trust fund.

With innovations in technology and increasing globalization affecting all aspects of life, we should be aware that the demands on highways, railroads, airports, pipelines and other infrastructure in rural Montana are growing and changing. Through advanced technologies, expanded service, and regional coordination, we can address these transportation challenges.

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) needed information about citizens'' perceptions regarding seat belt use, child safety seat use, and possible laws governing their use. This information is one important component that will be used to inform MDT''s long-range planning process.

Traffic safety and other findings are detailed in a summary of the 2008 Montana Kids Count Data Book. The book is a statistical summary of the well-being of children and vulnerable families in the state.

Sparsely populated, with miles of rural highways and alarmingly high rates of teenagers who drink alcohol and drive, Montana has consistently shown higher death rates for children and teens than most other states in the nation. While the total death rates are the result of numerous causes, the leading cause of death for youth under 19 in Montana and throughout the nation is motor vehicle accidents.

There is a large difference between the views of Missoula City residents and residents of Missoula County who live outside the city on the question of which action would improve Valley transportation more: expanding road capacity or improving bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Two-thirds (67.5%) of County residents said expanding road capacity would improve transportation more than improving bicycle and pedestrian facilities. However, city residents were evenly split on the issue. 50.3% said expanding road capacity would result in more improvement, while 49.7% said improving bicycle and pedestrian facilities would improve the system more. Missoula Valley residents displayed little change in 2008 when compared to 2000 in how they travelled to work. Missoula Valley residents transportation mode choice in 2008 for all purposes resembles that of the United States as a whole. However, cold weather during survey administration may have been a confounding factor when examining modes like walking, bicycling, and motorcycle riding.

The Bureau of Business and Economic Research?s most recent surveys suggest that about 8 percent of Montana households include snowmobile recreationists. With an average household size of 2.5, perhaps as many as 85,000 Montanans participate in the sport each winter. Nonresident snowmobilers are also important contributors to the Montana economy. Snowmobiling is a popular, revenue-generating winter activity in Montana.