Jump to content

MBTA bus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 73.219.91.35 (talk) at 18:03, 28 February 2016 (→Fleet). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

MBTA Bus
A NABI 40LFW bus leaving Ruggles station on Route 47
ParentMassachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Founded1964 (predecessors date to 1856)
LocaleGreater Boston
Service areaBoston and immediate suburbs
Service typeLocal, limited stop, express, and Silver Line BRT
Routes178[1]
Fleet1,052[1]
Daily ridership387,815 (2013)[2]
Fuel typeDiesel, CNG, Electric-Trolleybus, Diesel-Electric Hybrid
OperatorMBTA; private operators
Websitembta.com

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority operates 178 bus routes (list of routes) in the Greater Boston area, many of which are were formerly part of a large streetcar system. Some routes are for local transport within the city; others bring passengers from surrounding areas to stops on the MBTA Commuter Rail or subway lines. The MBTA has a policy objective to provide transit service within walking distance (defined as 0.25 miles (0.40 km)) for all residents living in areas with population densities greater than 5,000 inhabitants per square mile (1,900/km2) within the MBTA service. Much of this service is provided by bus.

The MBTA operates a four-route bus rapid transit service branded as the Silver Line, as well as three crosstown routes that were intended to become the first part of the now-suspended Urban Ring project. Fifteen routes designed as key routes run with higher frequency at all times, including extended service hours on Friday and Saturday nights over some of these routes.

Most MBTA Bus service is served by diesel, compressed natural gas, and diesel-electric hybrid buses. Silver Line routes running in the Waterfront Tunnel use dual-mode buses that operate as trolleybuses in the tunnel and diesel-electric hybrid buses on the surface. Four routes based out of the Harvard Bus Tunnel run with trolleybuses in Cambridge, Massachusetts and also serve several surrounding suburbs.

All buses and routes are wheelchair-accessible (see MBTA accessibility); most of the MBTA's bus fleet consists of low-floor buses with wheelchair ramps, while older high-floor buses have lifts. All buses have amber (orange) colored LED exterior headsigns displaying route and destination, with automated audio/visual stop announcements for passengers.

Fleet

Active fleet

This is the current bus roster for the MBTA as of January 26, 2016. All buses are 102 inches (260 cm) wide; most are standard-length 40-foot (12 m) length while some are 60-foot (18 m) articulated buses.[1][3]


Order Year Manufacturer Model Picture Fleet Qty. Active Powertrain (Engine/Transmission) Propulsion Length (ft.) Notes
1994 TMC RTS T80206 0001-0138 138 18 Series 50/Allison VR731 Diesel 40
1995 NovaBus RTS T80206 0139-0400 262 46 Series 50/Allison VR731 Diesel 40
2001 NFI C40LF 6002-6016 15 5 Series 50G/Allison WB-400R CNG 40

Currently being retired

2003-2004 NABI 40-LFW 2001-2299 299 297 Cummins C Gas Plus/Allison WB-400R CNG 40
2003-2004 Neoplan USA AN460LF 1001-1044 44 38 Series 60G/Allison WB-500R CNG 60
  • #1001-1020 & #1030 wrapped for Silver Line
2004 Neoplan USA AN440LF 4101-4128 28 28 Skoda Electric trolleybus 40
2004-2005 Neoplan USA AN440LF 0401-0593 193 192 Caterpillar C9/Allison WB-400R Diesel 40
  • #0488 was repowered with a Cummins ISL engine as a test
2004-2005 Neoplan USA AN460LF 1101-1132 32 32 Series 60/Skoda Dual mode 60
  • In Silver Line service
  • #1125-1132 owned by Massport
2006-2007 NFI D40LF 0600-0754 155 155 Cummins ISL\Allison WB-400R Diesel 40
2008 NFI D40LF 0755-0909 155 155 Cummins ISL\Allison WB-400R Diesel 40
2010 NFI DE60LFR 1200-1224 25 25 Cummins ISL9\Allison EP-50 HybriDrive Hybrid 60
  • #1222-1224 wrapped for Silver Line routes SL4 & SL5
2014-2015 NFI XDE40 1400-1459 60 60 Cummins ISB6.7/BAE HybriDrive Series-E Hybrid 40
2016-2017 NFI XDE60 1250-1293 44 0 Cummins ISL9/BAE HybriDrive Series-E Hybrid 60
  • Delivery beginning in mid-2016, lasting until early 2017
2016-2017 NFI XN40 1600-1774 175 0 Cummins Westport ISL G/Allison B400R CNG 40
  • Delivery beginning in July 2016, lasting until June 2017
2016-2017 NFI XDE40 1775-1924 150 0 Cummins ISB6.7/BAE HybriDrive Series-E Hybrid 40
  • Delivery beginning in July 2016, lasting until June 2017

Future

On June 29, 2015, the MassDOT board approved the purchase of 325 new 40-foot buses (175 CNG-powered and 150 hybrid) from New Flyer, with options for an additional 200 hybrid buses and 200 diesel buses. The 325 buses, costing a total of $222.2 million, will be delivered in 2016 and 2017 following the acceptance of a production test model. They will replace the remaining C40LF and 40-LFW fleets.[1][4]

On October 5, 2015, the MBTA Fiscal Control Board approved the purchase of 44 new 60-foot articulated hybrid buses from New Flyer to replace the CNG-powered Neoplan AN460LF fleet. The contract will include an option for an additional hybrid bus with extended range electric-only operation for Silver Line Waterfront use. If tested successfully, an additional option for 45 hybrid buses with extended range electric operation would be exercised to replace the dual-mode AN460LF fleet.[1][5]

In February 2015, the MBTA was awarded a $4.14 million FTA grant to purchase five 60-foot articulated battery electric buses from New Flyer.[1][6]

In 2016, the MBTA will place a 40-foot hydrogen fuel cell bus provided by the FTA into service.[1]

Facilities

Geographic map of all MBTA Bus services, including private carrier routes

MBTA buses are operated out of the facilities listed below.[1]

Name Address Routes Operation
Albany Street 421 Albany Street, Boston 4 ,57, 59, 60, 65, 66-(Brighton school trips only),170, 501, 502, 503, 504, 505, 553, 554, 556, 558, CT1, CT2, CT3 Weekday rush hours & middays only
Arborway 3600 Washington Street, Jamaica Plain 14, 21, 24, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 34E, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39†, 40, 41, 42, 50, 51, 52, 195‡ Full-time
Cabot 275 Dorchester Avenue, South Boston 1, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 43, 44, 45, 47, 55, 57*, 59*, 65*, 66, 171, 504*, 553* Full-time
Charlestown 21 Arlington Avenue, Charlestown 62, 64, 67, 68, 69, 70, 70A, 71**, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94*, 95*, 96*, 97*, 99*, 100*, 101, 104, 105*, 106-(some peak trips from Fellsway), 108*, 109, 110, 111, 112, 132*, 134*, 136*, 137*, 325, 326, 350, 351, 352, 411*, 430* Full-time
Fellsway 465 Salem Street, Medford 94, 95, 96, 97, 99, 100, 105, 106-(Melrose peak trips only), 108, 131, 132, 134, 136, 137, 354, 411, 430 Weekday rush hours & middays only
Lynn 985 Western Avenue, Lynn 114, 116, 117, 119, 120, 121, 424, 426, 428, 429, 431, 434, 435, 436, 439, 441, 442, 448, 449, 450, 451, 455, 456, 459, 465 Full-time
North Cambridge 2375 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge 71, 77A-(limited service) Weekdays & Saturdays only
Quincy 954 Hancock Street, Quincy 201, 202, 210, 211, 212, 214, 215, 216, 217, 220, 221, 222, 225, 230, 236, 238, 240, 245 Full-time
Southampton 230 Southampton Street, Boston 16-(most service from Cabot), 28, 39-(evening service from Arborway), Silver Line BRT Full-time

Notes:

  • * = Route during evenings & weekends
  • ** = Route during Sundays
  • † = Route during evenings
  • ‡ = Private route for Long Island
  • Routes 28 and 39 are operated out of Cabot in the event of a winter storm.

Private buses

A Blue Hill Bus Lines vehicle on the Canton - Mattapan route, now the #716 route, in 1967
See also: List of MBTA bus routes § Privately operated routes

Most local bus routes in Massachusetts outside the immediate MBTA operating area are operated by the state's other regional transit authorities (RTAs). However, some routes that connect with MBTA bus or subway service are operated by outside private contractors with partial subsidy by the MBTA. [7]

Five routes – the 710, 712/713, 714, and 716 – are numbered like other MBTA buses; their operators accept MBTA passes on CharlieTickets, but do not have CharlieCard readers. The five routes are primarily commuter routes which connect with other MBTA services at their inbound terminals. They were taken over from various private operators (Hudson Bus Lines for the 710 and 716, Rapid Transit Inc. for the 712/713, and Nantasket Transportation for the 714).[8]

Five suburban municipalities contract with outside operators for local circulator routes, most with partial MBTA subsidy. Bedford, Beverly, and Dedham run single routes; Burlington runs five routes; and Lexington runs six.[8] Most are run by private operators, except for the Beverly Shuttle, which is part of the Cape Ann Transportation Authority system. Additionally, a nonprofit shuttle is run in Boston's Mission Hill neighborhood.[8] Those 15 routes appear on MBTA system maps and connect with MBTA services at designated transfer points, but are numbered separately and do not accept MBTA passes.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "MBTA Vehicle Inventory". NETransit. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  2. ^ "Ridership and Service Statistics" (PDF) (14 ed.). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  3. ^ Capital Investment Program FY2008 — FY2012 (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
  4. ^ Jessen, Klark (29 June 2015). "MassDOT Board Approves Contract for 325 New MBTA Buses" (Press release). Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  5. ^ Jessen, Klark (6 October 2015). "MBTA Purchases Dozens of New, High Capacity Buses". MassDOT Blog (Press release). Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
  6. ^ "Low or No Emission Vehicle Deployment Program Project Selections". Federal Transit Administration. 5 February 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  7. ^ "Private Bus". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  8. ^ a b c Belcher, Jonathan (27 June 2015). "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district 1964-2015" (PDF). NETransit. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to MBTA Bus Operations.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MBTA_bus&oldid=707405284"