Bus system operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Boston, Massachusetts
MBTA Bus| Company type | Public transit agency |
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| Industry | Public transportation |
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| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts , United States |
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Area served | Boston metropolitan area |
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| Owner | Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority |
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| Website | mbta.com/bus |
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The MBTA bus system, managed by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, runs 151 routes throughout the Boston, Massachusetts metropolitan region. These routes provide connections to the MBTA subway, commuter rail, and various other bus lines. Many of the current routes have evolved from former streetcar lines or suburban transit companies such as the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway. Of these, 147 routes are operated directly by the MBTA, while four are managed by private contractors under MBTA agreements. Additionally, the MBTA partially subsidizes four suburban bus services.
As of 2024, local bus rides cost $1.70 per trip. The Silver Line waterfront routes (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW) require payment of subway fares at $2.40. Express buses feature a two-tier fare system: a local fare for initial segments and an elevated express fare of $4.25 for highway travel into downtown Boston.
Service levels were scaled back during the COVID-19 crisis but were largely restored to near pre-pandemic capacity by 2021, although some routes were permanently eliminated. Since 2018, the MBTA has been developing a comprehensive redesign of its bus network aimed at enhancing both service frequency and operational efficiency. The full redesign is expected to be completed by 2028, with Phase 1 having commenced in December 2024.
Silver Line
The Silver Line comprises six bus rapid transit routes promoted as a rapid transit option. It is divided into two main segments: the Waterfront service (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW), which travels through the South Boston Transitway tunnel, and the Washington Street service (SL4, SL5), which operates along surface streets. Fares on Waterfront routes align with subway pricing, whereas Washington Street routes charge standard bus fares. All Silver Line vehicles are articulated buses measuring 60 feet in length; those on Waterfront routes are hybrid models capable of electric operation within tunnels.
The SL5 route was introduced in 2002 as a replacement for the Washington Street Elevated line. The SLW shuttle began operating in 2004, followed by the launch of SL2 and the original SL3 also in 2004. The SL1 started service in 2005 using dual-mode buses. In 2009, the SL4 route was established to compensate for a canceled tunnel project. A new SL3 extension serving Chelsea was introduced in 2018.
Crosstown
The MBTA operates two crosstown (CT) routes that provide limited-stop service linking key subway stations and major bus transfer hubs. Originally introduced in 1994 with three routes, the CT1 was merged into route 1 in 2019.
1–121
These routes represent the fundamental local transit services throughout the metropolitan region, many tracing their origins to Boston Elevated Railway streetcar lines. Arranged approximately in a clockwise sequence from the southeast to northeast, this network has largely remained stable since the BERy period, undergoing transformations through the Metropolitan Transit Authority and MBTA restructurings. Additional routes were introduced during the M.T.A. and MBTA eras.
Seven routes – , , , , , , and – cater to western suburban communities such as Bedford, Waltham, Lexington, and Needham, inherited following the 1972 acquisition of the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway.
Among these, fourteen routes – including , , , , , , , , , , , , , and – were identified as key bus lines in 2004 because of their substantial ridership and their role in supplementing subway service within densely populated zones. These key routes operate with increased frequency but are being phased out beginning in 2024 as part of the MBTA's Bus Network Redesign initiative, which will replace them with a wider network of frequent service lines. Notably, routes 28 and 39 deploy 60-foot articulated buses.
Four early morning round-trip services (routes 191–194) link outlying stations with via several local lines. Primarily intended for station personnel but accessible to all riders, these trips are listed as variations of local routes in schedules.
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131–137
Routes numbered 131 through 137 serve the Melrose vicinity, originally part of former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines absorbed into the MBTA system in 1968. The now-defunct routes 136 and 137 briefly extended service to Lowell and Lawrence while under MBTA management. Route 132 was initially operated by Service Bus Lines before MBTA assumed control in 1975.
171
Route 171 offers limited early morning service connecting Logan Airport terminals with , taking over from former CT3 route reductions. Other routes in the 170 series historically served industrial districts but were discontinued after brief operation.
201–202
The original 20 belt route was created in 1962 through combining the previous BERy-inherited routes 20 and 21. In 2005, to improve clarity of travel direction, the MBTA divided this loop into two separate routes designated as 201 and 202.
210–245
Routes numbered 210 through 245 operate within the Quincy region and trace their origins to the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that were integrated into the MBTA system in 1968. Following the gradual launch of the Red Line's Braintree Branch during the 1970s and 1980s, these services were adjusted to primarily conclude at rapid transit hubs such as .
350–354
Serving the Burlington and Woburn locales, these routes stem from the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway's Lowell–Boston line, which was acquired by the MBTA in 1968 and subsequently shortened to terminate at Burlington.
411–465
Operating across Lynn and the North Shore area, these routes include former Service Bus Lines routes (411 and 430), which were integrated in 1975, alongside Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway routes acquired in 1968. Several services to Haymarket feature weekend short-turn options that end at Wonderland station.
501–558
These express bus services provide a direct connection between Newton and downtown Boston, utilizing the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). The MBTA launched the 500 series during the 1960s to capitalize on the turnpike's extension into Boston. The 550 series traces its origins to Middlesex and Boston Street Railway lines serving Newton Corner, which were extended to downtown Boston in the 1960s and later integrated into the MBTA system in 1972. In 2020, these routes were shortened to terminate once again at Newton Corner.
Privately operated routes
The MBTA supports suburban routes located beyond its primary service area that link with its transit network through partial subsidies. The radial commuter lines numbered 712 through 716 were obtained from private companies: Rapid Transit Inc. operates routes 712 and 713; Nantasket Transportation runs route 714; and Hudson Bus Lines manages route 716.
Local circulator services without assigned numbers are typically initiated by local governments and receive some MBTA funding. Most of these are run by private contractors, with the exception of the Beverly Shuttle, which is operated by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority.
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