MTA Maryland bus service

The Maryland Transit Administration provides the primary public bus service for the Baltimore Metropolitan Area and commuter bus service in other parts of the state of Maryland. There is currently 81 bus routes, which include 47 local routes, 2 neighborhood shuttle routes, 4 limited stop routes (known as QuickBus), 4 express bus routes (which operate from various suburbs to downtown Baltimore), 19 commuter bus, and 5 Intercounty Connector or "ICC" routes (which operate from various locations mainly in central Maryland to Washington D.C. or various Metrorail stations). The commuter bus routes operate in conjunction with one subway line, three light rail lines, MARC train service, and various connections to other transit agencies.^[1][2]

Operation

The MTA's bus service operates throughout the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area and other parts of the state. These include: Local routes 1 through 99; Neighborhood shuttle routes 97 and 98; QuickBus routes qb40, qb46, qb47, and qb48; Express routes 104, 120, 150, and 160^[1]; Intercounty Connector routes 201, 202, 203, 204, and 205; Commuter bus routes 310 through 995^[2].

Local buses

Local bus lines are identified with a one- or two-digit number. Many of the numerical designations have origins dating back to the days of the Baltimore streetcars and share the route numbers of the respective streetcars that operated along the same streets.

Most local buses operate regular service seven days a week throughout most hours of the day and evening. Some routes operate 24 hours. A small number of routes operate without evening service, on weekdays only, during peak hours only, or only at the times needed for certain employers.^[3]

Until 2009, a series of routes operated in the northwest part of the city and suburbs known as Metro connection buses. These routes had designations of the letter M followed by a number, and operated from a Metro station to a specified location or between two Metro stations. When the Metro connection bus service began in 1984, it used designations beginning with the letter M (Mondawmin), R (Rogers Avenue), or P (Plaza), followed by a number. After the Metro was extended to Owings Mills in 1987, only the letter M was used, and it denoted "Metro."

Since 1988, the number of M-lines had declined, as many of them were consolidated, and some were completely eliminated. After the first phase of the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative took effect in 2005, only seven M-lines remained, though this increased to eight after Route M-6 was restored months later.

Throughout 2008 and 2009, all M-lines were renamed to plain two-digit numerical designations, ranging from 52 to 54 and 56 to 60. During this series of revisions, route changes were also made to some of them, including merging some, splitting others, and completely eliminating part of Route M-17 without any replacement.^[4][5]

Express, Commuter, and Intercounty Connector buses

The MTA's express routes should not be confused with the "express" trips assigned to several of the local bus routes. Express routes are dedicated to providing rapid service by limiting the number of stops along the route. The number of express routes has declined over the past two decades as new rapid transit services have been constructed, and poor-performing routes were eliminated or consolidated.

Unlike the commuter buses, express bus routes serve areas where local buses are available. Comparable slower trips can also be accomplished with local buses.^[6] Commuter routes, however, provide service between locations not connected by local bus routes.^[2]

Both the express and commuter routes, identified with 3-digit numbers, offer limited service mostly during weekday rush hour between downtown Baltimore or Washington and various Park-and-Ride lots or other suburban locations in the state of Maryland. The commuter routes, designated with higher numbers, are operated by contractors rather than MTA employees.^[2]

The newest addition to the commuter bus service since 2010. Known as Intercounty Connector or ICC for short, service operates from Gaithersburg to BWI Marshall Airport, University of Maryland College Park or DoD/Fort Meade, traveling along the newly built Intercounty Connector expressway in central Maryland.

Neighborhood Shuttle Bug

Two of the local routes MTA operates are considered neighborhood shuttles, also known as Shuttle Bugs. Theses local routes focus on a specific neighborhood and the transportation of persons within these communities.

During the early 2000s, MTA introduced two such routes. These routes, rather than operating like others around town, have differences that include:

• Reduced fare for a single ride: $1.00 rather than the $1.60 charged on regular buses. MTA unlimited ride passes (also known as "GO-passes") also cover the fare.^[7]
• In 2006, three shorter, distinctively painted buses, 30-foot Opus buses were purchased and are used exclusively by the Mondawmin shuttle.^[8] The Opus buses are the only non 40- and 60-foot buses in MTA's fleet; held at Northwest (4) garage. In mid-2011, MTA retired the three 30-foot Opus buses due to reliability issues.
• Schedules are printed in full color, rather than the monochrome design of most printed schedules, in order to attract more riders.
• Bus stop signs have unique identifications different from usual bus stops. The Hampden Shuttle is identified by a ladybug, and the Mondawmin Shuttle uses the grasshopper symbol.^[9]

The Hampden Shuttle Bug was the first of seven shuttle routes originally planned for Baltimore and its suburbs. Only the Hampden and Mondawmin routes were implemented; no timetable was ever set for other neighborhood shuttle routes.^[10]

A proposed Shuttle Bug route between Randallstown and the Owings Mills Metro Subway Station was fought by residents along the route the shuttle would take. Objections included that the service would operate on quiet residential streets not accustomed to bus traffic, and area residents did not need the service.^[11]

In 2005 and 2006, in various phases of the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative, MTA proposed various changes to these routes which included routing changes and threats to eliminate Route 98 completely and reduce service on Route 97 to once an hour.^[12] The only change that was actually made was a shift on Route 98 in 2008 to replace service on Roland Avenue, that was lost through a change to Route 27.^[13]

QuickBus

In 2005, MTA introduced a new form of express transit, known as “rapid bus service.” The first of these services was designated Route 40. The line operates every 12–15 minutes from the western to the eastern suburbs of Baltimore through the downtown area, serving various communities in West and East Baltimore. Stops are limited to major intersections, transfer points, and points of interest. Unlike other express buses, local fares are applicable on Route 40. Route 40 was later named "QuickBus."^[14]

In 2009, a new "QuickBus" route was introduced. Designated as QuickBus 48, it operates along the same route as Route 8 minus the section north of Towson Town Center.^[4] Introduction of another QuickBus service that would operate along the route Route 3 and would have carry the designation "Route 43", but this proposal was delayed.^[15]

Two more QuickBus routes began service on August 30, 2010. QuickBus 46 operates alongside routes 5 and 10 from Paradise Avenue loop to Cedonia Loop. QuickBus 47 travel along the route 15 from Walbrook Junction to Overlea Loop. Both buses operate on weekdays at peak hours only.^[16]

Current bus routes

Fares

See: Current MTA Fares

Fleet roster

Current fleet roster

• Note: * = The New Flyer DE60LFs were ordered by MTA on a rejection from Chicago Transit Authority in 2009 and was purchased in 2010, but did not begin revenue service until August 2011.

The first two digits of every local bus on the MTAs fleet indicate the year the bus was built. Although the 30 hybrid articulated buses (series 08001-08030) purchased from New Flyer began service during 2009, they were ordered and built in 2008; or like the New Flyer XDE40 hybrids (series 11001-11057) ordered in mid-2011, but will not go into revenue service until the early winter of 2012.

The three Optima Bus Opus models (series 06011-06013) were purchased specifically for the Mondawmin Shuttle Bug service.^[8] The models have since been retired.

During summer seasons, the MTA loans several of its articulated buses to the Ocean City Transit fleet in Ocean City, Maryland to accommodate the large ridership of the summer season. Ocean City runs the buses from around Memorial Day until around Labor Day, returning them to the MTA at the end of the summer season.

Retired fleet roster

• Note: To view the images and history of these retired vehicles, access to this site: btco.net/Vehicles/

Hybrid vehicles (2008-)

Governor Martin O'Malley announced, in 2008, a commitment to convert the MTA's fleet to hybrid-electric buses by 2014 after the previous order of ten DE40LFRs in 2006. This involves purchasing up to 500 hybrids over a five year period. In 2009, the MTA put the first 130 New Flyer hybrids into service.^[17] Thirty of the hybrids were the 60-foot articulated "DE60LFR" model (ordered in 2008) and one-hundred were the 41-foot "DE41LFR" model (ordered in 2009).^[18] In 2010, forty-one more hybrids joined the fleet. These buses are "DE40LFR" models, similar to the DE41LFR, but with the air conditioning unit mounted on the top front half of the vehicle to make it appear with a streamline roof styling. In 2011, twelve "DE60LF" articulated hybrids began service August as rejects from a previous CTA order in 2009. The 60-foot DE60LF, similar configuration to DE60LFR except with the original model style. These buses are intended for the most heavily traveled routes carrying up to 100 passengers sitting and standing.^[22]

Since 2006, the MTA has put one hundred ninety-three hybrid buses in service and has plans for fifty-seven more hybrids from New Flyer (known as "Xcelsior" or "XDE40" model) scheduled to arrive in January 2012. On October 7, 2011, MTA Maryland posted on their official Facebook page, a picture of 11001 one of the first XDE40s to roll off of New Flyer's production line for Baltimore with the caption of "MTA's first pilot Xcelsior Bus is here! Can't wait to get it on the streets of Baltimore!"^[25] New features of the hybrid buses (since 2008) include:

Bus yards

MTA local bus service in Baltimore is divided into four divisions, each served by its own maintenance yard. The first digit of a bus's "block number", attached to the bottom right corner of its windshield (from inside of bus), indicates its "base" division. As well on the buses, they feature a letter attached to the end of the fleet number. The letter represent the "first letter" of the division from where the bus is based.

External links

• Official MTA site
• Baltimore Transit Company history, including a forum

References