Bus division of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Boston metropolitan area
MBTA Bus Division| Company type | Division |
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| Industry | Public transportation |
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| Founded | 1964; 62 years ago (1964) |
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| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
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Area served | Boston metropolitan area |
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| Products | Bus services, including local routes, express routes, Silver Line BRT |
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| Owner | Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority |
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| Website | mbta.com/bus |
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The MBTA bus division of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority manages 151 bus routes throughout the Boston, Massachusetts metropolitan region. Each route provides connections to the MBTA subway, MBTA Commuter Rail, or other MBTA bus lines. Many of these routes have origins tracing back to former streetcar services operated by the Boston Elevated Railway and suburban transit companies such as the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway and the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway. Among the total, 147 routes are directly managed by the MBTA, while four are operated by private contractors. Furthermore, four suburban bus services receive partial financial support from the MBTA.
The prevailing local fare for most bus routes is $1.70 per one-way trip as of 2024. The Silver Line waterfront routes (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW) require payment of the standard subway fare, which is $2.40. Express buses have a two-tier fare system: a local segment priced at $1.70 and an express portion on highways costing $4.25.
Service levels experienced interruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic but were largely reinstated to near pre-pandemic standards by 2021, although some routes remain inactive. Since 2018, the MBTA has been working on a comprehensive redesign of its bus network aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and service quality, with full rollout anticipated by 2028. The initial phase of these changes began in December 2024.
Silver Line
The Silver Line represents a six-route bus rapid transit (BRT) network promoted as a rapid transit option. It consists of two main segments: the Waterfront branch (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW shuttle), which operates through the South Boston Transitway tunnel, and the Washington Street branch (SL4 and SL5), which runs along surface streets. Fares on Waterfront routes correspond to subway pricing, whereas Washington Street routes charge standard bus fares. All Silver Line buses are articulated vehicles measuring 60 feet in length; those serving Waterfront routes are hybrid models equipped with extended battery capabilities to support electric operation within tunnels.
The SL5 route debuted in 2002 as a replacement for the Washington Street Elevated. The Shuttle service was introduced in 2004, followed by SL2 and SL3 later that year; SL1 commenced operations in 2005 utilizing dual-mode buses. The SL4 route was added in 2009 after plans for a tunnel expansion (Phase III) were canceled. A new SL3 extension to Chelsea began service in 2018.
Crosstown
Two crosstown (CT) lines provide limited-stop service linking key subway stations and major bus transfer points. Initially, three crosstown routes were launched by the MBTA in 1994; however, route CT1 was merged into route 1 in 2019.
1–121
These routes constitute the core local transit network within the metropolitan area, many tracing their origins to the Boston Elevated Railway streetcar system. Arranged approximately in a clockwise sequence from the southeast to the northeast, this network has remained mostly stable since the BERY's transition into the Metropolitan Transit Authority in 1947 and subsequently into the MBTA in 1964. Over time, there have been minor consolidations and additions to these routes.
Seven lines— , , , , , , and —cover western suburban communities such as Bedford, Waltham, Lexington, and Needham. These routes evolved from services acquired from the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway in 1972 and were assigned numbers previously retired.
In 2004, fourteen routes— , , , , , , , , , , , , , and —were classified as key bus routes due to their high ridership. These lines provide frequent service in densely populated urban zones, complementing subway operations. Starting in 2024, the MBTA is retiring the "key bus route" designation and adopting a broader frequent route network framework. Notably, routes 28 and 39 operate with 60-foot articulated buses.
There are four early morning round trips running between outlying stations and , primarily intended for station staff but accessible to all riders. Internally numbered 191–194, these trips are listed as variants of local routes in official schedules.
131–137
Serving the Melrose vicinity, routes numbered 131 through 137 originate from former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that were incorporated into the MBTA system in 1968. The now-defunct routes 136 and 137 once extended to their original endpoints in Lowell and Lawrence, respectively. Route 132 was integrated into MBTA operations in 1975 after previously being run by Service Bus Lines.
171
Route 171 provides a limited early morning service replacing the discontinued CT3 route to Logan Airport since its cessation in 2002. Other routes within the 170 series were short-duration industrial shuttle services.
201–202
Originally established by the M.T.A. in 1962 as the 20 belt route, inheriting routes from BERy, this service was renumbered in 2005 to routes 201 and 202. This change was made to better distinguish the loop directions around Fields Corner.
210–245
The routes numbered 210 through 245 primarily cover the Quincy, Massachusetts region. These lines originated from former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway services that were integrated into the MBTA system in 1968. With the gradual introduction of the Red Line's Braintree Branch during the 1970s and 1980s, these routes were adjusted to mainly terminate at , thereby linking suburban neighborhoods with rapid transit access.
Continuing:
350–354
These routes provide service to the Burlington and Woburn regions, tracing their origins to the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway's Lowell–Boston line. The MBTA took over this line in 1968 and subsequently shortened it to terminate at Burlington.
411–465
Serving Lynn and the North Shore, these routes include former Service Bus Lines (411, 430) acquired in 1975, as well as Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines absorbed in 1968. Two routes heading to Haymarket feature weekend versions that end at Wonderland, indicated by the suffix W.
501–558
The express services in this range connect Newton with downtown Boston via the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). Established during the 1960s to utilize the turnpike extension, these 500-series routes incorporate former Middlesex and Boston Street Railway lines (550 series), which were extended downtown in that decade and integrated into the MBTA system in 1972. In 2020, their service was truncated back to Newton Corner.
Privately operated routes
The MBTA provides partial funding for a number of suburban bus routes beyond its primary service zone that connect to the MBTA transit network. The radial commuter lines numbered 712 through 716 were originally owned by private companies, including Rapid Transit Inc. (routes 712 and 713), Nantasket Transportation (route 714), and Hudson Bus Lines (route 716).
Municipally established local circulator services, which appear on MBTA maps without route numbers, receive some MBTA financial support. Except for the Beverly Shuttle, managed by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority, these services are operated under private contracts.
| Route
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Description
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Connection
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Operator
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| Link | Town of Bedford |
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| Link | CATA |
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| Link | Town of Lexington |
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| Link | Volunteers |
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External links
