MTA Maryland Local Bus
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 MTA Maryland #04119 operates along North Eutaw Street north of Mulberry Street on the 27. |
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| Parent company | Maryland Transit Administration |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1970 |
| Headquarters | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Locale | Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area |
| Service area | Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area |
| Service type | Local, express and shuttle bus service |
| Operator | MTA |
| Web site | www.mtamaryland.com |
The Maryland Transit Administration Local Bus service is a bus service operated by the MTA in Baltimore, Maryland.
Contents |
[edit] Operation
The MTA's bus service operates throughout the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area and other parts of the state. These include local bus lines (routes 1 through 98 and routes M-1 through M-17), which serve areas of Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and Anne Arundel County. Commuter and express bus lines, which also operate within other parts of the state, include routes 120 through 995.
Local bus lines consist of two types: regular bus lines, which are identified by a one or two digit number, and metro connection lines, which bear the letter “M” followed by a one or two digit number. The “M” lines, which are concentrated in the northwest part of the city and suburbs in the vicinity of the Metro Subway, are designed to serve as feeder routes for the Metro system. In recent years, a reduction in the number of “M” lines has occurred due to consolidation of services. Many of the M-lines are being renumbered with regular numbers. for example, the former M9 line, which was split, is now known as the nos. 56 and 59 lines. The 56 runs from Owings Mills Towne Center to Glyndon as the 59 runs from Reisterstown Plaza Station to Owings Mills Towne Center. Other lines up for renaming in the near future include Routes M-3, M-8, and M-10.
[edit] Current bus routes
- Further information: MTA Maryland bus routes
The following routes are operated regularly by MTA. These include local, express, and commuter buses. Over the years, as MTA has modified most of its services, many bus lines have ceased operation. Some of these lines have been merged into others, and other services have been completely been discontinued in order to meet the needs of new and changing communities and changes in ridership habits. Some of the lines and branches that have operated since 1990 and are no longer in existence.
[edit] Fares
- See: Current MTA Fares
[edit] Other bus services
[edit] Neighborhood Shuttles
Recent years have seen the introduction of the Neighborhood Shuttles, also known as Shuttle Bugs. Theses local routes are focus on specific neighborhood and the transportation of persons around these communities.
Currently MTA Maryland operates two such routes. The Hampden Shuttle Bug (route 98), identified by a ladybug, was the first of these so-called Neighborhood shuttles to begin operation. The shuttle makes a circular route through the Baltimore neighborhood of Hampden. The second one, the Mondawmin Metro Shuttle (route 97), is identified by a grasshopper. Its focus is the area in and around the neighborhood of Mondawmin, specifically serving the Mondawmin stop on the Metro-Subway.
Plans were made to launch other shuttle services throughout Baltimore and into some of the suburbs, but the expansion of the service has been put on indefinite hold, with MTA putting its resources into other projects.
[edit] Express and Commuter Buses
MTA also operates so called “Express” or “Commuter” Buses”; these routes should not be confused with “Express service” on the local standard bus routes. These routes 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. They are generally identified with a 3-digit number. The number of existing express routes has declined over the past two decades as new rapid transit services have been constructed, and poor-performing routes are eliminated or consolidated.
In 2005, MTA introduced a new form of express transit, known as “rapid bus service” or the No. 40 line. 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 the no. 40 line.
[edit] Vehicles
The MTA's current fleet of buses contains Flxibles (formerly known as Grumman Flxible) buses that were ordered from 1982-1995, North American Bus Industries (NABI) buses ordered from 1995-2000, a fleet of articulated buses from NABI in 1995 and 1997, forty foot NABIs built from 1997 to 2000 and since 2003 a set of low-floor buses from Neoplan.
In early 2004, the MTA ordered more low floor buses, this time from New Flyer, (04001-04125) and again in 2005 (05001-05094). In 2006, the Maryland Transit Administration ordered 10 new low floor Hybrid buses from New Flyer to start revenue service in Spring 2006. Numbered 06001-06010. These buses use a combination of diesel and electrical power to decrease the amount of air pollution. Following the delivery of the hybrids. 3 Diesel Optimabus Opus's were delivered to operate on the Mondawmin shuttle bug. They were numbered 06011-06013.
The MTA has plans to purchase 30 hybrid Articulated buses from New Flyer due to arrive in late 2008 or early 2009. MTA also plans to purchase 500 hybrid 40 foot long buses within a 5 year period starting to arrive in mid 2010 with 100 buses per year. They will be replacing the remaining Flxibles as well as maybe the NABIs.
The current Articulated fleet consists of 9 1995 NABI Articulated buses. 9501-9510. Then the 1997 NABI Articulated buses. 9601-9620. Even though they have the 1996 numbering they were delivered in late 1997 so they are designated as 1997 with the 96 numbering. The 97-00 Series NABIs are the 40 foot model. Which are 9701-9750. 9801-9865. 9901-9967 and 0001-0080. During summer seasons 11 of the 9600 Articulated buses are lent to the Ocean City Transit in Ocean City, Maryland to accommodate the large ridership in the summer season. Ocean City runs those buses from around Memorial Day until around Labor Day. After the summer season Ocean City has to return these buses back to the Maryland Transit Administration who normally runs them on Bus route 8.
04068 was involved in an accident after a car ran a red light causing both the car and the bus to collide before the bus collided into a tree. 4 passengers on the bus. The bus driver as well as the driver and passenger of the car were taken to the hospital with non life threatening injuries. The driver of the bus was trapped for several minutes before crews could rescue her from the bus. As for 04068. The bus will be undergoing repair at the manufacturers location in Winnepeg. Unless one of the local commercial vehicle repair shops in the Baltimore area bids on the repairs.
The MTA has 4 local bus yards. Each base has both a name and a number. And the number of the base is shown as the first digit of the block number to each depature. Which is shown at the bottom right corner of the windshield. The names are Bush Street, Eastern, Kirk Avenue, and Northwest divisions. Bush Street division is base 1. Eastern Division is base 2. Kirk Avenue Division is base 3. And Northwest division is base 4. Routes that serve the Southern Baltimore area run out of Bush division. Routes that serve Eastern Baltimore City and Eastern Baltimore County run out of Eastern Division. Routes that Serve Northern Baltimore County and Northern Baltimore City run out of Kirk Avenue. And routes that operate to the northwest corridor of the Metro Subway run out of Northwest division.
The first 2 digits of every local bus on the MTAs fleet indicate the year the bus was built. The Flxibles, NABIs, and Neoplans have 4 digit numbers indicating the year they were built in the first 2 digits of the number. Including buses from 2000 and newer. The 2000 NABIs are numbered 00 as the first 2 digits. Many times referred as double Zero. The 02 Neoplans are mainly referred as 02. And the New Flyers have 5 digit numbers due to the amount of buses purchased. The New Flyers are numbered 04001-04125. And 05001-05094 for the D40LFs. The DE40LFRs are numbered 06001-06010. And the 3 Optimabus Opus's are numbered 06011-06013. As for the New Flyer numbering they usually keep the first zero out when referring to the numbering. So basically they refer the New Flyers as forty. Fifty. And sixty. And the same with the Optimabus Opus's.
[edit] Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative
In 2005, the MTA announced that it had plans to make sweeping changes to its current bus routes and services. This was in response to heavy criticism from riders and community leader that the system was slow and inefficient.
