MBTA Bus

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority operates 177 bus routes (list of routes) in the Greater Boston area, many of which were formerly part of a large streetcar system. Some routes are for local transport within the city; others bring passengers from surrounding areas to stops on the MBTA Commuter Rail or subway lines. The MBTA has a policy objective to provide transit service within walking distance (defined as 0.25 miles (0.40 km)) for all residents living in areas with population densities greater than 5,000 inhabitants per square mile (1,900/km²) within the MBTA's service district. Much of this service is provided by bus.

The MBTA operates a four-route bus rapid transit service branded as the Silver Line, as well as three crosstown routes that were intended to become the first part of the now-suspended Urban Ring project. Fifteen routes designed as key routes run with higher frequency at all times, including extended service hours on Friday and Saturday nights over some of these routes.

Most MBTA Bus service is served by diesel, compressed natural gas, and diesel-electric hybrid buses. Silver Line routes running in the Waterfront Tunnel use dual-mode buses that operate as trolleybuses in the tunnel and as diesel-electric hybrid buses on the surface. Four routes based out of the Harvard Bus Tunnel run with trolleybuses in Cambridge, Massachusetts and several surrounding suburbs.

All buses and routes are wheelchair-accessible (see MBTA accessibility); most of the MBTA's bus fleet consists of low-floor buses with wheelchair ramps, while older high-floor buses have lifts. All buses have LED exterior headsigns displaying route and destination, with automated audio/visual stop announcements for passengers.

After taking over operations in August 1964 from the former Metropolitan Transit Authority, the MBTA began rebranding many elements of Boston's public transportation network. After being found unsuitable for what is now the Orange Line because it did not show up well on maps, yellow was chosen for the color of bus operations.^[3]

Fleet

Active fleet

This is the current bus roster for the MBTA as of August 2017, including two groups of buses where delivery is ongoing. All buses are 102 inches (260 cm) wide; most buses are 40-foot (12 m) length while 101 of the total MBTA bus fleet are 60-foot (18 m) articulated buses.^[1][4]

Order Year	Manufacturer	Model	Picture	Fleet	Qty.	Active	Propulsion	Length (ft.)	Notes
1994	TMC	RTS T80206		0001-0138	138	13	Diesel	40	All units expected to be retired in early-mid 2018
1995	NovaBus	RTS T80206		0139-0400	262	19	Diesel	40	All units expected to be retired in early-mid 2018
2004	Neoplan USA	AN440LF		4101-4128	28	28	Electric trolleybus	40	Buses are equipped with left-hand doors for operating into the Harvard Bus Tunnel
2004-2005	Neoplan USA	AN440LF		0401-0593	193	192	Diesel	40	All buses have been overhauled by Midwest Bus
2004-2005	Neoplan USA	AN460LF		1101-1132	32	32	Dual mode	60	In Silver Line (SL1 and SL2) service #1125-1132 owned by Massport Buses are being overhauled by Maine Military Authority, with completion estimated by Q1 of 2018. 12 buses have re-entered service as of June 2017
2006-2007	NFI	D40LF		0600-0754	155	154	Diesel	40
2008	NFI	D40LF		0755-0909	155	155	Diesel	40	MBTA has requested bids, due in November 2016, to overhaul this fleet
2010	NFI	DE60LFR		1200-1224	25	22	Hybrid	60	1222-1224 are painted silver for Silver Line (MBTA) use
2014-2015	NFI	XDE40		1400-1459	60	60	Hybrid	40
2016-2017	NFI	XN40		1600-1774	175	172	CNG	40	Delivery began in October 2016 and will last until August 2017
2016-2017	NFI	XDE40		1775-1924 & 3000-3005	156	151	Hybrid	40	Delivery began in October 2016 and will last until August 2017 6 buses (numbered 3000-3005) are assigned to privately operated routes 712 and 713[1]
2016-2017	NFI	XDE60		1250-1293	44	44	Hybrid	60	1273-1293 are painted silver for Silver Line (MBTA) use
2016	ElDorado National	Axess BRT Fuel Cell		5002	1	1	Hydrogen Fuel Cell	40	Bus is being tested in revenue service on Charlestown routes for up to 2 years (late 2016 to late 2018)

Future

On June 29, 2015, the MassDOT board approved the purchase of 325 new 40-foot buses (175 CNG-powered and 150 hybrid) from New Flyer, with options for an additional 200 hybrid buses or 200 diesel buses. The 325 buses, costing a total of $222.2 million, will be delivered in 2016 and 2017 following the acceptance of a production test model. They will replace the remaining C40LF and 40-LFW fleets.^[1][5] Six additional hybrid buses were purchased for use on privately operated routes 712 and 713.^[1]

In April 2017, the MBTA exercised an option from a previous order of 60-foot hybrid buses for one with extended-range electric operation intended for Silver Line Waterfront use. If tested successfully, an additional option for up to 45 hybrid buses with extended-range electric operation would be exercised to replace the dual-mode AN460LF fleet.^[1][6]

In February 2015, the MBTA was awarded a $4.14 million FTA grant to purchase five 60-foot articulated battery electric buses from New Flyer.^[1][7]

In late 2016, the MBTA placed a prototype 40-foot hydrogen fuel cell bus provided by the FTA into service.^[1][8]

Facilities

MBTA Bus routes grouped by the facility they operate from at peak hours

Albany   Arborway   Cabot   Charlestown   Fellsway   Lynn

North Cambridge   Quincy   Somerville   Southampton   Private carriers

MBTA buses are operated out of the facilities listed below.^[1]

Notes:

• * = Route during evenings & weekends
• ** = Route during Sundays
• *** = Route 72 will return to trolleybus operation out of North Cambridge in September 2017
• † = Route during evenings
• ‡ = 1 trip only, runs daily, serves Lemuel Shattuck Hospital

Private buses

A Blue Hill Bus Lines vehicle on the Canton - Mattapan route, now the #716 route, in 1967

Most local bus routes in Massachusetts outside the immediate MBTA operating area are operated by the state's other regional transit authorities (RTAs). However, some routes that connect with MBTA bus or subway service are operated by outside private contractors with partial subsidy by the MBTA. ^[9]

Five routes – the 710, 712/713, 714, and 716 – are numbered like other MBTA buses; their operators accept MBTA passes on CharlieTickets, but do not have CharlieCard readers. The five routes are primarily commuter routes which connect with other MBTA services at their inbound terminals. They were taken over from various private operators (Hudson Bus Lines for the 710 and 716, Rapid Transit Inc. for the 712/713, and Nantasket Transportation for the 714).^[10]

Five suburban municipalities contract with outside operators for local circulator routes, most with partial MBTA subsidy. Bedford, Beverly, and Dedham run single routes; Burlington runs five routes; and Lexington runs six.^[10] Most are run by private operators, except for the Beverly Shuttle, which is part of the Cape Ann Transportation Authority system. Additionally, a nonprofit shuttle is run in Boston's Mission Hill neighborhood.^[10] Those 15 routes appear on MBTA system maps and connect with MBTA services at designated transfer points, but are numbered separately and do not accept MBTA passes.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to MBTA Bus.

• MBTA - Bus Schedules and Maps
• MBTA Bus Route Performance Indicators (2012)