The U.S. Postal Service said it shifted the majority of mail in Montana that was going through the air to ground transport several months ago, but the chief executive of the air transport company said the federal agency relied on bad data to do so.

Alpine Air CEO Michael Dancy said this week he doesn’t believe the Postal Service will be able to meet its own standards for one- or two-day mail either despite its pledges to do so, the Daily Montanan reports.

“I think they’ve just decided that it’s OK to fail delivery standards in the state of Montana,” Dancy said.

Alpine Air has worked with the Postal Service in Montana for some 35 years.

A spokesperson for the Postal Service said again that it isn’t changing Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express in Montana.

“The contract move was simply to transition to more reliable surface transportation,” said spokesperson Kim Frum in an email.

Last month, the Postal Service abruptly stopped air service in Montana and then went silent in the midst of air cargo negotiations with Alpine Air despite the company’s offer to reduce its contract by $3 million.

The Postal Service has been in financial trouble, and in 2021, it released a plan to get its budget on track and, it said, “forge a bold vision for transformation” and provide “service excellence.”

It had projected a loss of $160 billion during the course of 10 years. Its plan, which included reductions in air service and investments in ground transportation, estimated a net income of $0.2 billion instead.

But implementation in Montana has been fraught with controversy.

Both U.S. Sens. Jon Tester, a Democrat, and Steve Daines, a Republican, have urged the Postal Service to reverse course in the decision about air service and have been critical of other effects on Montana.

“Once again, it appears that the USPS is turning its back on rural America and attempting to solve its budget woes on the backs of our nation’s rural citizens,” said Tester in a July 18 letter to the Postmaster Louis DeJoy.

But the Postal Service stepped away from negotiations anyway, and Dancy said since then, he took a closer look at the federal agency’s plan, “Delivering for America.” And he said he found it lacking when it comes to information about air transport.

For one thing, he said, the data about air transport reflects information for all air carriers, not just postal carriers, and it doesn’t reflect Alpine Air’s record in Montana.

The report described air transport as “very unreliable,” and it said the following: “Air transport has major uncertainties and risks (weather, flight delays, etc.) that can drastically impede service performance.”

Before the pandemic, it said ground transportation met a 92% on-time performance rate, but air transportation had 89.4% on-time performance.

Dancy, however, said Alpine Air counts a 99% on-time rate, and it produced the same even during the pandemic when it was deemed an essential service.

The Postal Service’s plan, however, doesn’t make note of the 99% rate. The agency spokesperson said its plan “looks at the network as a whole and does not single out specific providers/states.”

Dancy also questioned the ability of ground transportation to deliver top service in the winter given Montana’s weather and roads, a factor Tester noted in his letter as well.

In its plan, the Postal Service said it will invest another $11 million in vehicles, but this week, the agency did not provide the Daily Montanan performance data for ground transportation related to Montana.

“Unfortunately, your request for ground data is not publicly available information,” Frum said. “However, what I can tell you is in keeping with the DFA plan, the majority of the mail for this contractor, much like others nationwide, was transitioned to existing ground transport several months ago.

“The remaining minimal volume wasn’t enough to justify continuing the service.”

The Postal Service did not directly address whether it can continue to meet delivery standards during the winter months or when mailing distances are on the longer side, such as across the country.

Last week, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Tester secured provisions for rural postal service in the appropriations package. Those include language directing the Postal Service to provide a briefing regarding the end of air service contracts that affect priority and express mail in Montana and other rural states.

Dancy, for one, is skeptical one- or two-day service is still possible in a state the size of Montana.

“There’s just no way they can do that,” he said. “And they know there’s no way they can do that. But that’s what they’re representing.”

Daily Montanan is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Daily Montanan maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Darrell Ehrlick for questions: info@dailymontanan.com.

BOZEMAN, Mont. — A packed house of about 10,000 cheered Friday as President Donald Trump painted a picture of an America in decline, ravaged by illegal immigration and impoverished by President Joe Biden’s economic, foreign and domestic policies.

“We will soon be a great nation again,” he said. “The worst administration in the history of our country will be a fading image of the past.

“And we will make America great again,” he continued, in unison with the thousands of people in attendance at the rally at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse on the Montana State University campus.

Trump also expressed regret that he debated Biden in June. It was Biden’s performance in the debate that led to his eventual decision to drop out of the race.

“If we didn’t have that debate, he’d still be there,” Trump said. “Why the hell did I debate him?”

But Trump also expressed confidence about his chances in the upcoming election and said he thinks Vice President Kamala Harris will be easier to beat than Biden, calling her “much more dangerous” than Biden, the president he claimed is barely alive.

“We’re becoming a full-blown, Communist country,” he said. “We’re not going to let that happen.”

Trump also vowed to beat Harris when they debate in September, an event Trump agreed to participate in on Thursday.

“We’ll find out about her IQ during the debate,” he said.

After making this statement, a montage video of Harris was played, showing her making a series of questionable and less-than-flattering statements.

And The Media

Friday’s event was the first rally Trump participated in since Harris announced her selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate. Also on Friday, Walz gave a speech in the battleground state of Arizona.

Trump spent a significant amount of his 99-minute speech bashing the news media, who he called names and said has asked much easier questions of Biden and Harris than he. But he also dismissed this as insignificant in the overall picture of presidential duties.

Throughout the rally, Trump supporters cheered and waved signs, some that read “Lyin’ Kamala, You’re Fired.”

Trump also claimed that Russia, who he has said he had a better relationship with as president, would never have attacked Ukraine, and Hamas never would have attacked Israel had he been in the Oval Office.

“Bottom line, we’ve got to get peace in the Middle East,” he said.

Toward the end of his speech, Trump returned to his claims that the 2020 election was rigged, and said he wants to get rid of early voting and only use paper ballots in elections. He encouraged the rallygoers to vote in support of their candidates so they win by such a large margin the election can’t be cheated.

“We will not let them rig the presidential election in 2024,” he said.

Trump also said he will cut funding for schools that teach critical race theory and favor mask mandates.

Trump also criticized Harris’ handling of the southern border, painting a picture of migrants as murderers and rapists that he will handle through a “Trump mass deportation.”

Trump quickly clarified that he fully supports people moving to America legally.

Transgender Issues

Trump also spent significant time addressing transgender issues, criticizing Walz for allegedly wanting to put tampons in boys’ bathrooms.

That was a reference to Walz’ support of legislation that requires Minnesota school districts develop plans to ensure all students who menstruate can access free tampons and pads, according to CBS News. The bill does not specify that tampons only have to be offered in girls’ bathrooms.

He also expressed strong opposition to allowing transgender females to participate in girls’ sports, a policy the Biden has generally supported.

In attendance at Friday’s rally was former Professional Golf Association star Nick Faldo.

The Economy

Trump oversaw a strong economy until the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Although the economy has stabilized, Biden has struggled to reign in inflation since that time. He said America now as a “failing country.”

“We can’t go any longer, we’re not going to have a country any longer,” he said.

He also said Harris doesn’t want America to be energy independent because she supports increasing wind energy production and is anti-oil.

Trump also said he plans to end electric vehicle mandates and instead of participating in the Paris Agreement on climate change, and that he would rather participate in the “Montana Climate Accord” and “drill baby, drill.”

The Rally

There were roughly 10,000 people in attendance at the rally, who often broke into chants of “fight, fight, fight” in reference to the cheer he led after nearly being assassinated at a rally last month, and “four more years.”

“We better get four more years or we’re not going to have a country left if we don’t get four more years,” Trump responded.

The crowd was lively, even after the rally started 90 minutes late. Trump’s speech didn’t end until 11:10 p.m. after taking the stage at 9:31 p.m.

His original flight into Bozeman had to take a pitstop in Billings because of mechanical failures. Trump made light of the great distances in between locations in Montana at the beginning of his speech.

During Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte’s speech before Trump took the stage, the crowd erupted into chants of “build the wall!”

Gianforte said the presidential election is a difference between the strong and successful and the weak and failed.

Like his speech at the Republican National Convention in July, Trump went into the late hours of the night. Many people in the audience could be seen yawning toward the end of the speech and heading for the exits, but the cheers for Trump and boos for Harris and Biden remained strong throughout.

Senate Race

The rally was held in support of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy, who’s in a high-stakes race with Montana’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester that could swing the balance of the Senate. Many of the speeches throughout the night touched on this race.

“Make no mistake, the race for the U.S. Senate starts in Montana,” Gianforte said.

Trump also criticized Tester throughout, whom he mocked and called obese. Tester has described himself as a moderate Democrat who supports some of Trump’s policies.

“You have to defeat Tester, you just have to,” Trump said.

Although similarly conservative, Montana politics is a different beast than Wyoming. Millions of out-of-state dollars have been pouring in for the Sheehy-Tester race on both sides. Although there are Democratic strongholds, the farther right of the Republican Party holds a majority in the state Legislature.

Cody resident and Park County GOP Committeeman Vince Vanata was at the rally with his daughter, who graduated from Cody High School.

“It’s very inspiring to see such a young crowd in a community dominated by a college atmosphere come out to support Republican champions,” he said. “Especially Tim Sheehy, who is competing against soon to be former Sen. Jon Tester. This is an important race that will turn the U.S. Senate red.”

But Sheehy himself dedicated just as much time to talking about the presidential race as his own.

“We’re going to send him (Trump) back to the White House in November,” Sheehy said.

MAGA Gala

As people poured into the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse on the Montana State University campus, a giddy enthusiasm filled the air.

Friday’s rally, as most of Trump’s are, was a gathering of his diehard fans. Many traveled across the country to come, making their visits to Montana.

It’s possible no one was better dressed than Florida resident Binh Vo, who was wearing a sleeveless “Born To Ride Donald J. Trump” motorcycle jacket with a green “Farmers For Trump” hat.

Vo said Bozeman was his 92nd Trump rally and that he’s also been to Trump’s Mar-A-Lago compound “countless times.”

“He (Trump) loves his country, that’s why he does it, for his country,” Vo said.

Vo moved to America from Vietnam about 30 years ago. His greatest fears are that America will become Communist like his homeland and that Vice President Kamala Harris will win the presidential election, which he believes will lead to World War III based on the simmering wars in Ukraine, Israel and the aggressive actions of Iran.

“We will be invaded,” Vo said. “The world needs us to have a strong leader.”

Trump supporters have been accused by some of being a rabid bunch who follow the former president with a cult-like passion. Most Trump fans support other Republicans, but rarely with as much vigor as they have for the former president.

Big Sky, Montana, resident Taylor Stobaugh said it’s not that people like her think of Trump as a God, but more that he’s the candidate his supporters have always been looking for: an anti-politician who doesn’t need to run for office. For Stobaugh, this proves he’s genuine.

“He’s already rich and famous,” she said. “He just wants to be able to help make this country great again.”

Bozeman resident Bob Hamilton agreed, saying he’s inspired by the fact Trump is a billionaire who he believes has nothing more to gain from running for office than helping his country.

“He’s not running because he’s a politician, he’s a businessman who is trying to run this country as a business,” Hamilton said.

One security guard told Cowboy State Daily that people started showing up at the facility at 10:30 p.m. Thursday night.

Sydney, Montana, resident Martin Trail showed up in line at 10 a.m. Friday just so he could be guaranteed a seat at the rally. He was most impressed by the fact Trump didn’t start any wars.

Hamilton described the crowds entering the event as a “clusterf***.”

Despite the attempted assassination on Trump in July, security wasn’t visibly over the top getting into Friday’s event, although police drones hovered overhead. Crowds were significant though, with thousands of people lined up outside the venue more than three hours before it was scheduled to start.

Hamilton and his friend Bill Miteik both were wearing shirts with a famous photo of the attempted assassination on Trump. Milteik found this event deeply inspiring for Trump’s ability to get up almost immediately after being shot at.

Contract Leo Wolfson at leo@cowboystatedaily.com

Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.

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