Montana is the 4th largest state in the U.S. in terms of total area, though with a population of just over 1 million residents it ranks 44th in the U.S. in terms of total population and 48th in terms of population density. This lack of population, in addition to its location in the far northern reaches of the U.S., makes it difficult for car shippers to make money transporting vehicles to or from Montana, which inevitably leads to higher shipping costs, on the whole. Montana grew primarily during the late 19th century, after such minerals as gold, silver, copper and oil were found underneath the state. However, the population of Montana has remained relatively small; its largest city is Billings, which has a population of just over 106,000.
I-90 and I-94 are the state’s only two east-west interstates, though east-west travel through Montana has long been serviced by U.S. Route 10, which is still a popular auto transport route for many shippers who travel through Montana. I-15 is the only north-south interstate, which can make it difficult to find transportation to or from the state from more southern states as opposed to eastern. When it comes to transporting your vehicle to or from Montana be prepared to spend a bit more because of the lack of interstate; though state routes are still popular, there are few areas in Montana that people ship to – and even fewer that carriers deliver to.
The climate in Montana varies depending on which part of the state you’re in. With most of the western half of the state covered by mountains, snow is quite common, especially during the winter months, which can make it difficult to find auto transport to or from many of the western cities of Montana during the winter. During the summer is typically when most transport companies will be running routes to and from Montana, as average daily highs reach into the mid-to-upper 80’s and snow and bad weather is not as much of a factor. However, due to the lack of people prices to or from the area, regardless of the time of year, will almost always be higher per-mile than most other states in the U.S.
Montana’s economy has long been based on agriculture, including wheat and other small grain farming, as well as ranching and oil, gas and coal mining. Lumber is also a major part of the state’s economy, but – somewhat surprisingly – the fastest-growing sector of Montana’s economy is tourism. More recent additions that have begun making an impact on the state’s economy include healthcare and pharmaceuticals, retail and service-based jobs, and government sectors.
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