Bus division of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority bus division| Company type | Public transit agency division |
|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
|---|
| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
|---|
Area served | Boston metropolitan area, Massachusetts |
|---|
| Products | Bus transit services, including local routes, express routes, Silver Line BRT |
|---|
| Owner | Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) |
|---|
| Website | www.mbta.com/bus |
|---|
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority bus division manages 151 routes throughout the Boston, Massachusetts metropolitan region, offering connections to the MBTA subway, MBTA Commuter Rail, and other bus lines. The majority of these routes trace their origins to former streetcar lines once operated by the Boston Elevated Railway and suburban transit companies such as the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway and Middlesex and Boston Street Railway. Out of the total, 147 routes are directly managed by the MBTA, while four are operated by private contractors under MBTA contracts. Furthermore, four suburban routes benefit from partial MBTA funding.
As of 2024, local bus rides cost $1.70 for a single trip, whereas Silver Line waterfront services (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW) follow the standard subway fare of $2.40. Express buses require a two-tier fare: a $1.70 local segment fee plus a $4.25 express segment fee for travel into downtown Boston.
Although service was interrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic, operations returned to their previous levels by 2021, with some routes still not in service. Since 2018, the MBTA has been undertaking an extensive bus network redesign scheduled for completion by 2028. The initial phase, launched in December 2024, aims to enhance frequency and streamline route efficiency.
Silver Line
The Silver Line is a rapid transit-branded bus rapid transit system consisting of six routes. It includes two main branches: the Waterfront service (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW shuttle), which operates through the South Boston Transitway tunnel, and the Washington Street service (SL4, SL5), which runs on surface streets. Waterfront routes charge fares equivalent to the subway, while Washington Street routes maintain standard bus fares. All vehicles are articulated 60-foot buses; Waterfront buses are hybrid models equipped with extended battery capacity for electric operation within tunnels.
The SL5 began service in 2002 as a replacement for the Washington Street Elevated. The Shuttle started operating in 2004, followed by SL2 and the original SL3 also in 2004, with SL1 launching in 2005 utilizing dual-mode buses. The SL4 route commenced in 2009 after a Phase III tunnel project was cancelled. In 2018, a new SL3 line connecting to Chelsea was introduced.
Crosstown
The MBTA operates two crosstown (CT) routes offering limited-stop service that links key subway and bus transfer hubs. Initially, three crosstown routes were introduced in 1994; however, route CT1 was merged into route 1 in 2019.
1–121
These lines cover nearly all local transit within the metropolitan center, with the majority tracing their origins to Boston Elevated Railway streetcar services. In 1947, the BERy was absorbed into the Metropolitan Transit Authority, which later evolved into the MBTA in 1964. Although some routes have been altered or consolidated over time, the foundational network has stayed mostly consistent since the BERy period, with additional routes introduced under both M.T.A. and MBTA oversight.
Seven routes— , , , , , , and —serve western suburban areas such as Bedford, Waltham, Lexington, and Needham. These routes descend from those acquired from the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway in 1972 and were assigned numbers that had previously been retired.
In 2004, fourteen routes—including , , , , , and —were classified as key bus routes. These high-ridership lines complement the subway system by delivering frequent service to Boston’s most densely populated neighborhoods. The MBTA is currently transitioning away from the key bus route designation as part of its 2024 Bus Network Redesign, replacing it with a more extensive frequent route network. Notably, routes 28 and 39 utilize 60-foot articulated buses for their operations.
There are four early morning round trips running between outlying stations and , primarily intended for station staff but available to all passengers. Internally labeled as routes 191–194, these trips are shown as variants of local routes in published schedules.
...
(remainder of route list omitted for brevity)
...
131–137
Serving the Melrose vicinity, routes numbered 131 through 137 originated from former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that were incorporated into the MBTA in 1968. Routes 136 (now discontinued) and 137 once extended briefly to Lowell and Lawrence during MBTA operation. Route 132 was initially run by Service Bus Lines until it was taken over by the MBTA in 1975.
171
Route 171 functions as a limited-service substitute for early morning CT3 trips that were truncated from Logan Airport in 2002. Other routes in the 170 series historically served industrial districts but had relatively brief service lives.
201–202
Originally part of BERy's network, the 20 belt route was adopted by the M.T.A. in 1962 and later restructured in 2005 into routes 201 and 202 to distinctly indicate the loop directions around Fields Corner.
210–245
Operating mainly within Quincy, routes numbered 210 through 245 have their origins in the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines, which the MBTA acquired in 1968. Following the gradual introduction of the Red Line’s Braintree Branch during the 1970s and 1980s, these bus services were adjusted to connect with newly established rapid transit stations, predominantly .
350–354
Serving the Burlington and Woburn regions, these routes evolved from the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway’s Lowell–Boston line, which the MBTA took over in 1968 before shortening service to Burlington.
411–465
Serving Lynn and the North Shore region, these routes encompass former Service Bus Lines routes (411, 430) obtained in 1975, along with primarily Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway routes acquired in 1968. Additionally, two Haymarket routes feature weekend short-turn versions that conclude at Wonderland, indicated by the W suffix.
501–558
These express bus routes provide service between Newton and downtown Boston utilizing the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). The MBTA introduced the 500-series routes during the 1960s to take advantage of the newly extended turnpike. Originating from Middlesex and Boston Street Railway lines that ran to Newton Corner, the 550-series routes were expanded into downtown Boston in the 1960s and subsequently integrated into the MBTA system in 1972. In 2020, these routes were shortened to terminate at Newton Corner.
Privately operated routes
Several suburban bus lines outside the MBTA’s primary service zone receive partial funding from the MBTA and link with its transit network. The radial commuter routes numbered 712 through 716 were originally operated by private companies: Rapid Transit Inc. (routes 712 and 713), Nantasket Transportation (714), and Hudson Bus Lines (716), before being incorporated into the MBTA system.
Local circulator services without route numbers are generally initiated by local governments with some financial support from the MBTA. Except for the Beverly Shuttle, which is overseen by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority, these services are run under contract by private operators.
