Bus network operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Boston area
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Bus Division| Company type | Public agency division |
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| Industry | Public transportation |
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| Predecessor | Boston Elevated Railway, Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway, Middlesex and Boston Street Railway, Service Bus Lines |
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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, Massachusetts, United States |
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| Products | Bus services, Silver Line bus rapid transit |
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| Owner | Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| Parent | Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) |
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| Website | www.mbta.com/bus |
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The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) bus division manages 151 routes throughout the Boston, Massachusetts metropolitan region, seamlessly connecting with the MBTA subway, MBTA Commuter Rail, and various other bus networks. The majority of these routes have their origins in former streetcar lines operated by the Boston Elevated Railway and suburban operators such as the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway. The MBTA directly oversees 147 routes, while four are run under contract by private operators; additionally, four suburban routes receive partial funding from the MBTA.
As of 2024, local bus fares are set at $1.70 per one-way trip, whereas the Silver Line waterfront services (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW) charge the subway fare of $2.40. Express buses require payment of a local fare plus an express surcharge of $4.25 for travel on highways into downtown Boston.
Service levels were impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic but were restored to pre-pandemic standards by 2021, although some routes remain temporarily suspended. Since 2018, the MBTA has been developing a major bus network redesign with a goal to complete it by 2028. The first phase commenced in December 2024 to enhance route frequency and operational efficiency.
Silver Line
The Silver Line operates as a six-route bus rapid transit system marketed as rapid transit service. It consists of two main segments: the Waterfront branch (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW), which runs through the South Boston Transitway tunnel, and the Washington Street branch (SL4, SL5), which travels along surface streets. Waterfront routes apply subway fare pricing; Washington Street routes charge standard bus fares. All Silver Line vehicles are articulated 60-foot buses; those on Waterfront routes utilize hybrid models equipped with extended battery systems to enable electric operation within tunnels.
The SL5 route replaced the Washington Street Elevated in 2002. The Shuttle service began in 2004, followed later that year by the introduction of SL2 and SL3. SL1 started operating in 2005 using dual-mode buses. SL4 was launched in 2009 after plans for a tunnel extension were cancelled. A new SL3 extension to Chelsea was inaugurated in 2018.
Crosstown
The MBTA operates two crosstown (CT) routes that provide limited-stop connections between key subway and bus transfer hubs. Initially established with three routes in 1994, route CT1 was merged into route 1 in 2019.
1–121
These routes cover almost all local transit within Boston’s central metropolitan region, with many tracing their lineage back to the streetcar lines of the Boston Elevated Railway. The BERy was incorporated into the Metropolitan Transit Authority in 1947, which later evolved into the MBTA in 1964. Although some consolidations and expansions have occurred, the fundamental network has largely persisted.
Seven routes – , , , , , , and – extend service to western suburbs such as Bedford, Waltham, Lexington, and Needham. These lines originate from former Middlesex and Boston Street Railway routes that were absorbed in 1972.
In 2004, fourteen routes – including , , , , , , , and – were identified as key bus routes due to their substantial ridership. These routes provide frequent service that complements the subway system in the most densely populated urban zones. Starting in 2024, the MBTA is transitioning from this classification toward a more comprehensive frequent route network. Routes 28 and 39 utilize 60-foot articulated buses.
Early morning trips numbered 191–194 operate round trips between outlying stations and primarily for station agents but are accessible to all passengers.
131–137
Serving the Melrose vicinity, routes 131 through 137 are derived from former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines incorporated into the MBTA network in 1968. Routes 136 (now discontinued) and 137 briefly extended service to Lowell and Lawrence under MBTA oversight. Route 132 was initially operated by Service Bus Lines before being transferred to MBTA control in 1975.
171
Route 171 functions as a limited-service substitute for early morning CT3 trips that were discontinued from Logan Airport in 2002. Other routes in the 170 series were short-term industrial shuttles.
201–202
The number 20 belt route was established by the M.T.A. in 1962 by combining BERy’s former routes 20 and 21. In 2005, it was split into routes 201 and 202 to better indicate loop directions.
210–245
Routes numbered 210 through 245 operate within the Quincy region, tracing their origins to the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that were integrated into the MBTA system in 1968. Following the gradual introduction of the Red Line's Braintree Branch during the 1970s and 1980s, these routes were adjusted to primarily conclude at rapid transit hubs such as Quincy Center.
350–354
Serving the Burlington and Woburn locales, routes 350 through 354 stem from the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway’s Lowell–Boston line, which was acquired by the MBTA in 1968 and subsequently shortened to end in Burlington.
411–465
Operating throughout Lynn and the North Shore area, this group includes former Service Bus Lines routes (411, 430) acquired in 1975 alongside primarily Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway routes incorporated in 1968. Weekend short-turn versions, indicated by a W suffix, terminate at Wonderland station.
501–558
These express bus routes provide a direct connection between Newton and downtown Boston via the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). Originating in the 1960s to utilize the newly extended turnpike, the 500 series includes services that were initially part of the Middlesex and Boston Street Railway before being absorbed by the MBTA in 1972. In 2020, the 550 series routes were truncated to terminate at Newton Corner.
Privately operated routes
The MBTA offers partial funding for suburban routes beyond its primary service area that link with MBTA transit lines. Routes numbered 712 through 716 are radial commuter services acquired from private operators—Rapid Transit Inc. operates 712 and 713, Nantasket Transportation runs 714, and Hudson Bus Lines manages 716. Local circulator services without route numbers are established by municipalities with some MBTA financial support. Except for the Beverly Shuttle, which is operated by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority, all these routes are run by private contractors.
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