Billings sits in the Yellowstone River valley below the sandstone cliffs of the Rimrocks, and its highways follow the river. I-90 runs along the south side of the city, heading west toward Laurel, Bozeman and Butte and east toward Hardin and Sheridan. I-94 begins just east of town and heads northeast toward Miles City and the Dakotas. US 87 runs north through the Billings Heights along Main Street toward Roundup, and US 212 heads southwest from Laurel toward Red Lodge and the Beartooth Highway. MT 3 climbs the Rims past the airport and continues northwest across the plains.
The valley floor is laid out on a grid, with the West End stretching toward Shiloh Road and the Heights spread out on the far side of the Rims. Getting between the two means Main Street, Airport Road or Zimmerman Trail, which climbs the cliffs on a steep, winding grade. Those routes and the I-90 interchanges at 27th Street and King Avenue are where most breakdowns happen.
Billings Logan International Airport sits on top of the Rimrocks overlooking the city, and its lots are a common place for a car that won't start after a winter trip. MET Transit buses run along the main corridors, but most people drive everywhere, often over long distances.
Billings is the trade and medical center for a huge stretch of Montana and northern Wyoming, so people drive in from ranches and small towns far away. A breakdown far from home is common here, and fixing it on the spot saves a very long tow.