Bus system operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in the Boston metro area
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) bus system| Company type | Public transit agency |
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| Industry | Public transportation |
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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, express, Silver Line bus rapid transit |
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The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) bus system manages 151 routes throughout the Boston metro area, coordinating seamlessly with MBTA subway lines, Commuter Rail services, and other bus operations. Of these, the MBTA directly runs 147 routes, while four are operated by private contractors. Additionally, the MBTA partially subsidizes four suburban bus services.
Fare structures differ depending on the type of service: local buses charge a one-way fare of $1.70 as of 2024; Silver Line routes serving the waterfront (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW) require the subway fare of $2.40; express buses employ a dual fare system — $1.70 for local segments and $4.25 for express portions.
Bus operations experienced interruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic but had resumed pre-pandemic service levels by 2021, although some lines remain inactive. Since 2018, the MBTA has been undertaking an extensive redesign of its bus network, anticipated to be completed by 2028, with initial modifications rolling out in December 2024.
Silver Line
The Silver Line comprises six bus rapid transit routes promoted as rapid transit services. It features two main branches: the Waterfront service (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW), which operates through the South Boston Transitway tunnel and charges subway fares; and the Washington Street service (SL4, SL5), which runs on surface streets and charges standard bus fares. All Silver Line vehicles are articulated buses measuring 60 feet in length; Waterfront routes utilize hybrid buses capable of electric operation within tunnels.
The SL5 was inaugurated in 2002 as a replacement for the Washington Street Elevated rail line. The Shuttle service began in 2004 alongside the launch of SL2 and SL3 that same year. The SL1 route commenced in 2005 using dual-mode buses. The SL4 was introduced in 2009 following cancellation of a planned Phase III tunnel project. A new SL3 route serving Chelsea started operations in 2018.
Crosstown
The two crosstown (CT) routes provide limited-stop connections between major subway stations and bus transfer points. Initially, three such routes were established in 1994; however, CT1 was merged into route 1 in 2019.
1–121
These routes mainly serve local transit needs within Boston’s core metropolitan area and trace their origins to former Boston Elevated Railway streetcar lines. Arranged approximately clockwise from the southeast to northeast sectors, this network has largely remained consistent since the BERy period despite minor adjustments and additions under both the Metropolitan Transit Authority and MBTA administrations.
Seven routes— , , , , , , and —extend service into western suburbs such as Bedford, Waltham, Lexington, and Needham. These originated from lines acquired from the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway in 1972 and were renumbered using previously retired route numbers.
Fourteen routes—including , , , , , , , , , , , , , and —were designated key bus routes in 2004 due to their high ridership levels. These frequent-service lines supplement subway operations by serving Boston’s most densely populated neighborhoods. The MBTA’s ongoing 2024 Bus Network Redesign is phasing out the "key route" label while expanding frequent service coverage. Routes 28 and 39 are operated with articulated buses measuring 60 feet.
Early morning trips numbered 191 through 194 provide four round trips connecting outlying stations with over segments shared by multiple local routes; these primarily serve station agents but are open to all riders.
131–137
Routes numbered 131 through 137 operate within the Melrose vicinity, tracing their origins back to former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that were incorporated into the MBTA system in 1968. The now-defunct routes 136 and 137 once extended service to their initial endpoints in Lowell and Lawrence, respectively. Route 132 originally belonged to Service Bus Lines before being absorbed by the MBTA in 1975.
171
Route 171 offers limited early morning connections between the terminals at Logan Airport and , serving as a replacement for the discontinued CT3 route from Logan in 2002. Historically, other routes within the 170 series catered to industrial districts but were generally short-lived.
201–202
Formed in 1962 by the M.T.A. through the combination of BERy routes, the "20 belt" loop was renamed in 2005 as routes 201 and 202 to better indicate travel direction around Fields Corner.
210–245
Operating mainly in the Quincy region, routes numbered 210 to 245 stem from former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that became part of the MBTA in 1968. With the gradual introduction of the Red Line's Braintree Branch during the 1970s and 1980s, these services were adjusted to terminate predominantly at rapid transit stations, chiefly .
350–354
These routes operate within the Burlington and Woburn regions, originally part of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway's Lowell–Boston corridor. The MBTA took control of this line in 1968, subsequently shortening the route to terminate in Burlington.
411–465
Serving Lynn and the North Shore, these routes consist of former Service Bus Lines (such as 411 and 430), which were incorporated into the MBTA in 1975, along with primarily Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines acquired in 1968. Certain weekend short-turn services, indicated by a W suffix on two Haymarket routes, conclude at Wonderland station.
501–558
These express services link Newton with downtown Boston via the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). Established during the 1960s to utilize the new turnpike extension, the 500 series encompasses routes initially operated by the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway, which the MBTA absorbed in 1972. In 2020, routes in the 550 series were shortened to terminate at Newton Corner.
Privately operated routes
The MBTA provides partial subsidies for certain suburban routes beyond its primary service area that connect to MBTA transit options. The radial commuter lines numbered 712 through 716 were originally operated by private companies such as Rapid Transit Inc. (712/713), Nantasket Transportation (714), and Hudson Bus Lines (716) before being integrated into the MBTA system.
Local circulator routes, identified by their MBTA designations without numbers, are municipal initiatives supported in part by MBTA funding. These services are mostly managed by private contractors, with the exception of the Beverly Shuttle, which is overseen by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority.
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