A number of routes were temporarily suspended or placed on modified routings during the COVID-19 pandemic; overall service levels were restored to pre-COVID levels in 2021, though some routes were not restored. Since 2018, the MBTA has been planning a major bus network overhaul, with implementation expected to be complete in 2028.[1]
The Silver Line is a six-route bus rapid transit system marketed as rapid transit. It is divided into two branches: Waterfront service (SL1, SL2, SL3, and the rush-hour SLW shuttle) that runs through the South Boston Transitway tunnel, and Washington Street service (SL4 and SL5) that runs on the surface via Washington Street. The Waterfront service costs the same as a subway fare, while the Washington Street service costs a regular bus fare. All Silver Line routes use articulated 60-foot (18 m) buses; the Waterfront routes use hybrid buses with extended battery range for electric operation in the tunnel.
The SL5 route was created in 2002 as a replacement for the Washington Street Elevated. The Shuttle route began operations in 2004, followed by the SL2 and SL3 (former) in 2004 and SL1 in 2005 when dual-mode buses became available. The SL4 was introduced in 2009 as a replacement for the canceled Phase III tunnel. A new SL3 route to Chelsea opened in 2018.[2]
The two crosstown (CT) routes provide limited-stop service on two routes that connect major subway and bus transfer points. Three crosstown routes were created by the MBTA in 1994; route CT1 was merged with route 1 in 2019.[2]
These routes provide almost all local service in the core of the metropolitan area; most were originally Boston Elevated Railway streetcar routes. They were originally numbered roughly clockwise from southeast to northeast, with 4 the furthest south in South Boston and 121 the furthest north (roughly) in East Boston. The BERy folded into the Metropolitan Transit Authority in 1947, and the M.T.A. in turn was reorganized as the MBTA in 1964. Despite some changes, including minor routes being merged into trunk routes, the core service network has remained roughly intact since the BERy eta. New routes have been added during the M.T.A. and MBTA eras.[2]
Seven routes – 52, 59, 61, 62, 67, 70, and 76 – serve more distant western suburbs including Waltham, Lexington, and Needham. They are descendants of routes acquired from the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway in 1972, which were subsequently renumbered using previously discontinued designations.[2]
Fifteen routes – 1, 15, 22, 23, 28, 32, 39, 57, 66, 71, 73, 77, 111, 116, and 117 – are designated as key bus routes. The highest–ridership routes in the system, they supplement the subway system to provide frequent service to the densest areas of the city. Key bus routes typically operate at higher frequencies than other routes.[3] Routes 28 and 39 use 60-foot articulated buses.
Four early morning round trips are run between outlying stations and Haymarket, each running over portions of several local routes. Although intended primarily for station agents, they are open to all passengers. The trips are internally numbered 191–194, but are shown in timetables as variants of local routes.[2]
Numbers from 131 to 137 operate in the Melrose area; their routings are based on routes operated as part of the former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway, which was folded into the MBTA system in 1968. The since-discontinued 136 and the 137 were briefly operated as far as Lowell and Lawrence, their original Eastern Mass terminals, while under MBTA control. The 132 was a Service Bus Lines route which was not operated by the MBTA until 1975.[2]
Route 171 is a special low-service route – a replacement for early morning CT3 service when it was cut back from Logan Airport in 2002. Other numbers in the 170s were previously used for special routes, largely short-lived routes serving industrial areas.[2]
The 20 belt route was created by the M.T.A. in 1962 as a combination of the 20 and 21 stub routes inherited from BERy. In 2005, the MBTA redesignated the two directions of the loop as the 201 and 202 to avoid confusion about which way each bus ran.[2]
Route
Description
MBTA link
201
Fields Corner Loop via Neponset Avenue
Link
202
Fields Corner Loop via Adams Street
Link
210–245
These routes operate in the Quincy area. Routes 210-245 are based on routes originally operated by the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway (folded into the MBTA in 1968) which mostly ran into Fields Corner station. When the Red Line's Braintree Branch opened in phases in 1971 and 1980s, these routes were rerouted to terminate at the new rapid transit stations (principally Quincy Center).[2]
These routes operate in the Burlington and Woburn area. They are the descendants of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway's Lowell–Boston route, which was inherited intact by the MBTA in 1968 and soon cut back to Burlington.[2]
These routes operate in the Lynn area and the North Shore. Two routes that run to Haymarket have weekend short-turn variants (labeled with a W suffix) that terminate at Wonderland. The 411 and 430 were Service Bus Lines routes that were acquired by the MBTA in 1975; the other routes are largely Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway routes acquired in 1968.[2]
These routes operate express between Newton and downtown Boston via the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). The 500 series routes were created by the MBTA in the 1960s to take advantage of the newly constructed turnpike extension into Boston. The 550 series routes were Middlesex and Boston Street Railway routes to Newton Corner that were extended to downtown Boston in the 1960s and taken over by the MBTA in 1972. They were cut back to Newton Corner in 2020.[2]
The MBTA provides partial subsidy for some suburban routes outside its usual service area that connect with MBTA bus, subway, or commuter rail service. Routes 712-716 are radial commuter routes that accept MBTA passes on CharlieTickets only; they were taken over from various private operators (Rapid Transit Inc. for the 712/713, Nantasket Transportation for the 714, and Hudson Bus Lines for the 716).[2]
The non-numbered routes (listed here by their designator on MBTA maps) are local circulator services founded by the municipalities with partial MBTA subsidy.[2] All are operated by private companies under contract, except for the Beverly Shuttle which is operated by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority.
^"Service Delivery Policy" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. July 13, 2006. pp. 3, 26–27. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to MBTA bus routes.
MBTA – Bus schedules and maps
August 21, 2023
list, mbta, routes, massachusetts, transportation, authority, division, operates, routes, boston, massachusetts, metropolitan, area, routes, connect, mbta, subway, mbta, commuter, rail, other, mbta, services, many, routes, descendants, streetcar, routes, bosto. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority bus division operates 152 bus routes in the Boston Massachusetts metropolitan area All routes connect to MBTA subway MBTA Commuter Rail and or other MBTA bus services Many routes are descendants of the streetcar routes of the Boston Elevated Railway or of suburban companies including the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway and Middlesex and Boston Street Railway 148 routes are directly operated by the MBTA while private companies operate four routes under contract Four additional suburban operations are partially funded by the MBTA Geographic map of MBTA bus serviceA number of routes were temporarily suspended or placed on modified routings during the COVID 19 pandemic overall service levels were restored to pre COVID levels in 2021 though some routes were not restored Since 2018 the MBTA has been planning a major bus network overhaul with implementation expected to be complete in 2028 1 Contents 1 Silver Line 2 Crosstown 3 1 121 4 131 137 5 171 6 201 202 7 210 245 8 350 354 9 411 465 10 501 558 11 Privately operated routes 12 References 13 External linksSilver Line Edit SL2 bus at South StationThe Silver Line is a six route bus rapid transit system marketed as rapid transit It is divided into two branches Waterfront service SL1 SL2 SL3 and the rush hour SLW shuttle that runs through the South Boston Transitway tunnel and Washington Street service SL4 and SL5 that runs on the surface via Washington Street The Waterfront service costs the same as a subway fare while the Washington Street service costs a regular bus fare All Silver Line routes use articulated 60 foot 18 m buses the Waterfront routes use hybrid buses with extended battery range for electric operation in the tunnel The SL5 route was created in 2002 as a replacement for the Washington Street Elevated The Shuttle route began operations in 2004 followed by the SL2 and SL3 former in 2004 and SL1 in 2005 when dual mode buses became available The SL4 was introduced in 2009 as a replacement for the canceled Phase III tunnel A new SL3 route to Chelsea opened in 2018 2 Route Description MBTA linkSL1 Logan Airport terminals South Station LinkSL2 Drydock Avenue South Station LinkSL3 Chelsea South Station LinkSLW Silver Line Way South Station LinkSL4 Nubian station South Station LinkSL5 Nubian station Downtown Crossing Temple Place LinkCrosstown EditThe two crosstown CT routes provide limited stop service on two routes that connect major subway and bus transfer points Three crosstown routes were created by the MBTA in 1994 route CT1 was merged with route 1 in 2019 2 Route Description MBTA linkCT2 Sullivan Square station Ruggles station LinkCT3 Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Andrew station Link1 121 Edit A route 1 bus in Cambridge A route 7 bus in downtown Boston A route 29 bus on Columbus Avenue in Roxbury Boston A route 34E bus in Walpole A route 39 bus in Jamaica Plain A route 60 bus at Kenmore station A route 75 bus in the Harvard Bus Tunnel A route 96 bus in Somerville A route 101 bus on Main Street in Somerville A route 111 bus at Bellingham SquareThese routes provide almost all local service in the core of the metropolitan area most were originally Boston Elevated Railway streetcar routes They were originally numbered roughly clockwise from southeast to northeast with 4 the furthest south in South Boston and 121 the furthest north roughly in East Boston The BERy folded into the Metropolitan Transit Authority in 1947 and the M T A in turn was reorganized as the MBTA in 1964 Despite some changes including minor routes being merged into trunk routes the core service network has remained roughly intact since the BERy eta New routes have been added during the M T A and MBTA eras 2 Seven routes 52 59 61 62 67 70 and 76 serve more distant western suburbs including Waltham Lexington and Needham They are descendants of routes acquired from the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway in 1972 which were subsequently renumbered using previously discontinued designations 2 Fifteen routes 1 15 22 23 28 32 39 57 66 71 73 77 111 116 and 117 are designated as key bus routes The highest ridership routes in the system they supplement the subway system to provide frequent service to the densest areas of the city Key bus routes typically operate at higher frequencies than other routes 3 Routes 28 and 39 use 60 foot articulated buses Four early morning round trips are run between outlying stations and Haymarket each running over portions of several local routes Although intended primarily for station agents they are open to all passengers The trips are internally numbered 191 194 but are shown in timetables as variants of local routes 2 Route Description MBTA link1 Harvard Square Nubian station Link4 North Station Marine Park Link7 City Point Otis Street amp Summer Street Link8 Harbor Point Kenmore station Link9 City Point Copley Square Link10 City Point Copley Square Link11 City Point Chauncy Street amp Summer Street Link14 Roslindale Square Heath Street station Link15 Fields Corner station or Kane Square Ruggles station Link16 Forest Hills station Andrew station or Harbor Point Link17 Fields Corner station Andrew station Link18 Ashmont station Andrew station Link19 Fields Corner station Kenmore station or Ruggles station Link21 Ashmont station Forest Hills station Link22 Ashmont station Ruggles station via Talbot Avenue Link23 Ashmont station Ruggles station via Washington Street Link24 Wakefield Avenue Ashmont station Link26 Ashmont station Norfolk Street Loop Link28 Mattapan station Ruggles station Link29 Mattapan station Jackson Square station Link30 Mattapan station Forest Hills station via Cummins Highway and Roslindale Square Link31 Mattapan station Forest Hills station via Morton Street Link32 Wolcott or Cleary Square Forest Hills station Link33 River Street amp Milton Street Mattapan station Link34 Dedham Mall Forest Hills station Link34E Walpole Center Forest Hills station Link35 Dedham Mall or Stimson Street Forest Hills station Link36 Millennium Park or VA Hospital Forest Hills station Link37 Baker Street amp Vermont Street Forest Hills station Link38 Wren Street Forest Hills station Link39 Forest Hills station Back Bay station Link40 Georgetowne Forest Hills station Link41 Centre Street amp Eliot Street JFK UMass station Link42 Forest Hills station Nubian station Link43 Ruggles station Park Street station Link44 Jackson Square station Ruggles station Link45 Franklin Park Ruggles station Link47 Central Square Cambridge Broadway station Link50 Cleary Square Forest Hills station Link51 Reservoir station Forest Hills station Link52 Dedham Mall Watertown Yard Link55 Fenway Copley Square Link57 Watertown Yard Kenmore station Link59 Needham Junction Watertown Square Link60 Chestnut Hill Kenmore station Link61 North Waltham Waltham Center Link62 Bedford VA Hospital Alewife station Link62 76 Bedford VA Hospital Alewife station via Hanscom Airport Link64 Oak Square University Park or Kendall MIT station Link65 Brighton Center Kenmore station Link66 Harvard Square Nubian station via Allston Link67 Turkey Hill Alewife station Link68 Harvard Square Kendall MIT station Link69 Harvard Square Lechmere station Link70 Market Place Drive or Waltham Center University Park Link71 Watertown Square Harvard station Link73 Waverley Square Harvard station Link74 Belmont Center Harvard via Concord Avenue Link75 Belmont Center Harvard via Huron Avenue Link76 Lincoln Lab Alewife station Link77 Arlington Heights Harvard station Link78 Arlmont Village Harvard station Link80 Arlington Center Lechmere station Link83 Rindge Avenue Central Square Cambridge Link85 Spring Hill Kendall MIT station Link86 Sullivan Square station Reservoir station Link87 Clarendon Hill or Arlington Center Lechmere station Link88 Clarendon Hill Lechmere station Link89 Clarendon Hill or Davis station Sullivan Square station Link90 Davis station Assembly Row Link91 Sullivan Square station Central Square Cambridge Link92 Sullivan Square station Downtown via Main Street Link93 Sullivan Square station Downtown via Bunker Hill Street Link94 Medford Square Davis station Link95 West Medford or Arlington Center Sullivan Square station Link96 Medford Square Harvard station Link97 Malden Center station Wellington station Link99 Woodland Road Wellington station Link100 Elm Street Wellington station Link101 Malden Center station Sullivan Square station via Winter Hill Link104 Malden Center station Sullivan Square station via Ferry Street Link105 Malden Center station Sullivan Square station via Newland Street Housing Link106 Lebanon Loop Wellington station Link108 Linden Square Wellington station Link109 Linden Square Sullivan Square station Link110 Wonderland station Wellington station Link111 Woodlawn Haymarket station Link112 Wellington station Wood Island station Link114 Market Basket Maverick station Link116 Wonderland station Maverick station via Revere Street Link117 Wonderland station Maverick station via Beach Street Link119 Northgate Shopping Center Beachmont station Link120 Orient Heights station Jeffries Point Link121 Wood Island station Maverick station Link131 137 Edit A route 137 bus at Reading stationNumbers from 131 to 137 operate in the Melrose area their routings are based on routes operated as part of the former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway which was folded into the MBTA system in 1968 The since discontinued 136 and the 137 were briefly operated as far as Lowell and Lawrence their original Eastern Mass terminals while under MBTA control The 132 was a Service Bus Lines route which was not operated by the MBTA until 1975 2 Route Description MBTA link131 Melrose Highlands Oak Grove or Malden Center station Link132 Redstone Shopping Center Malden Center station Link134 North Woburn Wellington station Link137 Reading Depot Malden Center station Link171 EditRoute 171 is a special low service route a replacement for early morning CT3 service when it was cut back from Logan Airport in 2002 Other numbers in the 170s were previously used for special routes largely short lived routes serving industrial areas 2 Route Description MBTA link171 Logan Airport terminals Nubian station Link201 202 EditThe 20 belt route was created by the M T A in 1962 as a combination of the 20 and 21 stub routes inherited from BERy In 2005 the MBTA redesignated the two directions of the loop as the 201 and 202 to avoid confusion about which way each bus ran 2 Route Description MBTA link201 Fields Corner Loop via Neponset Avenue Link202 Fields Corner Loop via Adams Street Link210 245 Edit A route 240 bus in RandolphThese routes operate in the Quincy area Routes 210 245 are based on routes originally operated by the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway folded into the MBTA in 1968 which mostly ran into Fields Corner station When the Red Line s Braintree Branch opened in phases in 1971 and 1980s these routes were rerouted to terminate at the new rapid transit stations principally Quincy Center 2 Route Description MBTA link210 Quincy Center station Fields Corner station Link211 Quincy Center station Squantum Link215 Quincy Center station Ashmont station via West Quincy Link216 Houghs Neck Quincy Center station via Germantown Link217 Quincy Center station Ashmont station Link220 Hingham Depot Quincy Center station Link222 East Weymouth Quincy Center station Link225 Weymouth Landing Quincy Center station Link226 Columbian Square Braintree station Link230 Montello station Quincy Center station Link236 South Shore Plaza Quincy Center station Link238 Holbrook Randolph station Quincy Center station Link240 Avon Square Ashmont station Link245 Quincy Center station Mattapan station Link350 354 EditThese routes operate in the Burlington and Woburn area They are the descendants of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway s Lowell Boston route which was inherited intact by the MBTA in 1968 and soon cut back to Burlington 2 Route Description MBTA link350 North Burlington Alewife station Link351 Bedford Woods Drive Third Avenue Link354 Woburn State Street Boston Link411 465 EditThese routes operate in the Lynn area and the North Shore Two routes that run to Haymarket have weekend short turn variants labeled with a W suffix that terminate at Wonderland The 411 and 430 were Service Bus Lines routes that were acquired by the MBTA in 1975 the other routes are largely Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway routes acquired in 1968 2 A route 430 bus leaving Malden Center station A route 451 bus on Route 1A in SalemRoute Description MBTA link411 Kennedy Drive or Jack Satter House Malden Center station Link424 Eastern Avenue amp Essex Street Wonderland station Link426 Central Square Lynn Haymarket station Link426W Central Square Lynn Wonderland station Link428 Oaklandvale Haymarket station Link429 Northgate Shopping Center Central Square Lynn Link430 Saugus Center Malden Center station Link435 Salem Depot Central Square Lynn via Peabody Square Link436 Liberty Tree Mall Central Square Lynn via Goodwin Circle Link439 Nahant Wonderland station Link441 Marblehead Wonderland station via Paradise Road Link442 Marblehead Wonderland station via Humphrey Street Link450 Salem Depot Haymarket station Link450W Salem Depot Wonderland station Link451 North Beverly station Salem Depot Link455 Salem Depot Wonderland station Link456 Salem Depot Central Square Lynn Link501 558 Edit A route 505 bus on the Mass PikeThese routes operate express between Newton and downtown Boston via the Massachusetts Turnpike I 90 The 500 series routes were created by the MBTA in the 1960s to take advantage of the newly constructed turnpike extension into Boston The 550 series routes were Middlesex and Boston Street Railway routes to Newton Corner that were extended to downtown Boston in the 1960s and taken over by the MBTA in 1972 They were cut back to Newton Corner in 2020 2 Route Description MBTA link501 Brighton Center Federal Street amp Franklin Street Link504 Watertown Yard Federal Street amp Franklin Street Link505 Waltham Center Federal Street amp Franklin Street Link553 Roberts Newton Corner Link554 Waverley Square Newton Corner Link556 Waltham Highlands Newton Corner Link558 Riverside station Newton Corner LinkPrivately operated routes Edit An MBTA bus operated by Paul Revere Transportation running on the 713 route at Orient Heights station in 2018The MBTA provides partial subsidy for some suburban routes outside its usual service area that connect with MBTA bus subway or commuter rail service Routes 712 716 are radial commuter routes that accept MBTA passes on CharlieTickets only they were taken over from various private operators Rapid Transit Inc for the 712 713 Nantasket Transportation for the 714 and Hudson Bus Lines for the 716 2 The non numbered routes listed here by their designator on MBTA maps are local circulator services founded by the municipalities with partial MBTA subsidy 2 All are operated by private companies under contract except for the Beverly Shuttle which is operated by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority Route Description MBTA link712 Point Shirley Winthrop Orient Heights station via Revere Street Link713 Point Shirley Winthrop Orient Heights station via Winthrop Center Link714 Pemberton Point Hull Station Street Hingham Link716 Cobbs Corner Mattapan station LinkBED Bedford Local Transit LinkBEV City of Beverly Shuttle LinkLEX Lexington Lexpress 4 routes LinkMIS Mission Hill LINK LinkReferences Edit Bus Network Redesign Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Retrieved August 5 2022 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Belcher Jonathan Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district PDF Boston Street Railway Association Service Delivery Policy PDF Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority July 13 2006 pp 3 26 27 Retrieved July 24 2014 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to MBTA bus routes MBTA Bus schedules and maps Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of MBTA bus routes amp oldid 1169910127 62, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,