Bus division of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Boston metropolitan area
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Bus Division| Company type | Public transit agency 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 region |
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| Products | Bus services including local, express, Silver Line BRT, and crosstown routes |
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| Owner | 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 metropolitan region, seamlessly connecting with MBTA subway lines, Commuter Rail services, and other bus operations. Of these routes, 147 are directly managed by the MBTA, while four are operated by private contractors; additionally, four suburban services receive partial funding from the MBTA.
As of 2024, the fare for local bus rides is set at $1.70 per trip, whereas the Silver Line waterfront routes (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW) charge the standard subway fare of $2.40. Express bus routes apply a dual fare system: passengers pay the local fare for trips within local zones and $4.25 for the express portion heading into downtown Boston.
Service interruptions occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic but were mostly resolved by 2021. Beginning in 2018, the MBTA initiated an extensive redesign of its bus network, targeting completion by 2028; initial modifications were introduced in December 2024.
Silver Line
The Silver Line comprises six bus rapid transit routes promoted as rapid transit services. It consists of two main branches: the Waterfront segment (SL1, SL2, SL3, SLW), which operates through the South Boston Transitway tunnel with subway-level fares, and the Washington Street segment (SL4, SL5), which runs on surface streets charging standard bus fares. All Silver Line buses are articulated vehicles measuring 60 feet in length; Waterfront routes utilize hybrid buses capable of electric operation within tunnels.
The SL5 route commenced in 2002 as a replacement for the Washington Street Elevated line. The Shuttle began service in 2004, followed by SL2 and the original SL3 later that year. The SL1 launched in 2005 using dual-mode buses. In 2009, SL4 was introduced to replace a canceled tunnel project. A new SL3 route extending to Chelsea started operating in 2018.
Crosstown
The two crosstown (CT) lines provide limited-stop service linking key subway stations and major bus transfer hubs. Initially consisting of three routes launched in 1994, route CT1 was merged into route 1 in 2019.
1–121
These routes cover virtually all local transit within Boston’s metropolitan core, many tracing their origins back to Boston Elevated Railway streetcar lines. Numbered approximately in a clockwise sequence from southeast to northeast, this network has largely stayed consistent since its absorption into the Metropolitan Transit Authority in 1947 and subsequently into the MBTA in 1964, with some consolidations and route extensions over time.
Seven routes—, , , , , , and —serve western suburban communities such as Bedford, Waltham, Lexington, and Needham. These lines originated from acquisitions of Middlesex and Boston Street Railway routes in 1972.
In 2004, fourteen routes—, , , , , , , , , , , , , and —were identified as key bus corridors due to their high ridership levels. These key routes deliver frequent service within Boston’s most densely populated neighborhoods and complement the subway system. Starting with the Bus Network Redesign initiative in 2024, this designation is being phased out in favor of an expanded network of frequent routes. Notably, Routes 28 and 39 operate with 60-foot articulated buses.
Additionally, four early morning round-trip services run between outlying stations and over several local routes primarily for station staff but accessible to all riders. These trips are internally numbered 191–194 but appear as variants of local routes on schedules.
131–137
Routes numbered 131 through 137 primarily cover the Melrose region, tracing their origins back to former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that became part of the MBTA network in 1968. Routes 136 and 137, now discontinued, once extended service to Lowell and Lawrence, which were their initial endpoints. Route 132 was originally operated by Service Bus Lines before being incorporated into the MBTA system in 1975.
171
Route 171 functions as a limited early morning substitute for the CT3 service, which was shortened from Logan Airport in 2002. Earlier iterations of route 170 primarily served industrial zones on a temporary basis.
201–202
The belt route formerly known as the 20, established by the M.T.A. in 1962 from the remnants of BERy’s routes 20 and 21, was rebranded in 2005 as routes 201 and 202 to distinguish the loop directions more clearly.
210–245
Serving the Quincy area, routes numbered from 210 to 245 are based on former Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway lines that were integrated into the MBTA in 1968. Following the gradual launch of the Red Line’s Braintree Branch during the 1970s and 1980s, these routes were adjusted to end at rapid transit stations, predominantly .
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Description
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MBTA link
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350–354
These routes operate in the Burlington and Woburn regions, originally part of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway's Lowell–Boston line. The MBTA took over this service in 1968, subsequently shortening it to terminate in Burlington.
411–465
Serving Lynn and the North Shore area, these lines include former Service Bus Lines routes (411, 430) acquired in 1975 and Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway routes obtained in 1968. On weekends, certain short-turn services marked with a W suffix operate to Wonderland station instead of Haymarket.
501–558
These express buses provide direct connections between Newton and downtown Boston via the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). Established during the 1960s to utilize the newly extended turnpike, the 500 series includes former Middlesex and Boston Street Railway routes (notably the 550 series) that were extended into downtown Boston during that decade and incorporated into the MBTA system in 1972. In 2020, some routes were shortened back to Newton Corner.
Privately operated routes
The MBTA provides partial funding for suburban bus routes beyond its primary service zone that link with MBTA transit lines. Radial commuter services numbered 712 through 716 were originally run by private companies and later acquired by the MBTA—specifically, Rapid Transit Inc. operated routes 712 and 713, Nantasket Transportation managed 714, and Hudson Bus Lines ran 716.
Municipally established local circulator routes, which do not display numbers on MBTA maps, receive some MBTA subsidies but are run by private contractors. The sole exception is the Beverly Shuttle, which is overseen by the Cape Ann Transportation Authority.
