Maryland Transit Administration

The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is a state-operated mass transit system in Maryland. It is part of the Maryland Department of Transportation and serves the busy Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area. The MTA has many bus lines and different types of trains to help people get around.

There are 80 bus lines in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area. The MTA also runs trains such as the Baltimore Light RailLink, Baltimore Metro Subway, and MARC Train. In 2025, many people used these services—about 223,400 people every weekday.

Because many families in Baltimore do not have cars, the MTA is very important for getting people to work, school, and other places. The MTA connects with many other transit services in nearby areas, including Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, and parts of Pennsylvania like Hanover, Harrisburg, and York. It works with agencies such as WMATA, Charm City Circulator, and Ride-On, making travel easier for everyone in the region.

History

Main article: History of Maryland Transit Administration

The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) began running public transportation in Baltimore on April 30, 1970, taking over from the old Baltimore Transit Company. It was first called the Baltimore Metropolitan Transit Authority, then the Mass Transit Administration, before getting its current name in October 2001.

Many of today’s bus routes started as old streetcars run by the Baltimore Transit Company from the 1890s to the 1960s. Over time, these streetcars were replaced by buses. As cities grew, new bus routes were added to serve new neighborhoods and connect to train stations built later.

During the 20th century, many people started preferring cars over buses, which made fewer people use public transportation. Because of this, the government began to manage public transit instead of private companies. Some areas that once had frequent streetcars now have only a few bus routes. Streetcars stopped running in Baltimore between 1947 and 1963 because buses were easier to maintain and cheaper. Later, rail service returned with the Metro Subway in 1983 and the Light Rail in 1992. The trains used a special track width of 5 ft 4+1⁄2 in (1,638 mm).

Bus routes

Main article: List of Maryland Transit Administration bus routes

The MTA runs many bus services mainly in the Baltimore metropolitan area, with some buses connecting to Washington, D.C., Kent Island, southern Maryland, and western Maryland. Most buses start or end in Baltimore and go to nearby areas like Anne Arundel County or other towns.

Since 2017, MTA buses have special names. Some buses, called CityLink, have color names and run often and for long hours. Other buses, called LocalLink, have numbers and also run at different times depending on the day. Some of these bus numbers used to be part of older routes that changed in 2017. In April 2022, MTA planned to add a new bus called LocalLink 32 to help students and people going to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

There used to be special fast buses called Quickbus, and MTA plans to bring back one of them, called QuickLink 40, which will start in Fall 2022. There were also two special neighborhood buses called Shuttle Bug, but they stopped in 2017.

MTA also runs express buses that go faster between Baltimore and nearby places. There are nine of these express bus lines.

Independent companies also run buses between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. These buses have numbers like 310 to 995, and some have special numbers if they travel on MD 200.

Rail services

Interactive map of the Maryland Transit Administration's rail services

Rapid transit

Main article: Baltimore Metro SubwayLink

This subway system runs above and below ground from a business area in Owings Mills in Baltimore County to the center of Downtown Baltimore. It goes to important places like the Johns Hopkins Medical Center Complex. The line is about 15.5 miles long and has 14 stops. Part of the route is underground, and part is above ground.

Plans existed to extend the line further, but some projects were stopped in 2017. More work might happen in the future.

Light rail

Main article: Baltimore Light RailLink

This train service starts in Hunt Valley and goes through many places before reaching BWI Marshall Airport and other stops. It has 33 stations along its 30-mile route. The tracks were improved in 2006 to make the service better.

Commuter rail

Main article: MARC Train

This service has three lines that take people to and from Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Frederick, Perryville, and Martinsburg, WV, as well as other spots along the way.

Mobility services

The MTA started helping people with disabilities get around in 1978. They use special vans to take people where they need to go. Some of these services are done by other companies, but the MTA owns all the vehicles.

There is also a Taxi Access program. People who need the special van service can also use this program. With a special card, they can take a taxi anywhere the vans go, which is within a short distance from public transit stops. After the trip, the person only pays $3, and the MTA covers the rest of the cost.

Future service

The MTA is building the Purple Line, a light rail system. It will go between Bethesda and New Carrollton and connect to the Washington Metro. In early 2026, the MTA expects the line to start carrying passengers in late 2027.

Proposed services

The MTA looked at new ways to help people travel. One idea was the Red Line, a train that would go east to west from Woodlawn to Johns Hopkins Bayview Med. Ctr. Another idea was the Green Line, a train that would go north to south from Johns Hopkins Hospital into northeast Baltimore. However, these plans were stopped in 2015.

There was also a plan called the Corridor Cities Transitway, a fast bus line between Gaithersburg and Clarksburg. Some money was given for this plan, but it was taken off the list of important projects later.

BaltimoreLink

BaltimoreLink was a big change to the main bus services in and around Baltimore. The plan was shared by Governor Larry Hogan in 2015. It was part of a $135 million effort to make travel better for everyone in the Baltimore area. Governor Hogan had earlier decided not to build the Red Line and Green Line light-rail projects.

Fare collection

Before the summer of 2005, the MTA used an older way to collect fares. Day passes bought on buses were printed by a separate machine, and it was possible to change these passes to use them on other days or sell them for less than the real price.

Now, the MTA has new fareboxes on all buses that give out daily passes with magnetic strips. New ticket machines at Light Rail and Metro Subway stations also sell the same passes, including weekly and monthly passes. These newer passes can only be used on the correct day because the machine records the date and time on the magnetic strip. This helps stop people from using fake passes.

The MTA still has trouble with people who buy day passes and then sell them for less money. State employees with a Maryland State Employee ID card can ride MTA buses, Light Rail, and Metro Subway for free. They just need to show their ID card to the driver or during a fare check. MTA employees can also ride for free if they show their MTA employee ID card.

Electronic fare collection

Main article: SmarTrip

In 2011, the MTA started using an electronic way to collect fares with a smart card called CharmCard. This card works like the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's smart card, SmarTrip. CharmCard can also be used to pay for Metrobus, Metrorail, and local bus services in the DC area. SmarTrip is also accepted for MTA services except MARC and commuter buses.

In 2017, MTA introduced a new mobile app called CharmPass that lets passengers pay fares using their phones.

As of February 2023^[update], the MTA is getting new replacements for CharmCard and CharmPass because they are getting old.

Special programs

Baltimore City Public School System

Main article: Baltimore City Public School System

The Baltimore City Public School System and the Maryland Transit Administration made an agreement to help students get to school. Students who live far from their school could get special tickets each month to ride MTA buses, light rail, and subways for free to and from school. These tickets let students travel for 90 minutes after their first ride. In 2011, the program changed. Instead of monthly tickets, students got a special monthly pass called an S-Pass. This pass works from 6 am until 8 pm and lets students ride as many times as they need through the subway gates.

MTA college pass

The Maryland Transit Administration offers a special program for students at 24 colleges and universities in the Baltimore area. If a student is taking at least 6 hours of classes each week, they can get a monthly pass for $52.90 to use on public transportation.

Participating colleges

• Anne Arundel Community College
• Baltimore City Community College
• Baltimore International College
• Catonsville Community College
• Notre Dame of Maryland University
• Coppin State University
• Dundalk Community College
• Essex Community College
• Harrison Career Institute
• Johns Hopkins University
  • Homewood Campus
  • School of Medicine
  • School of Nursing
  • School of Public Health
  • School of Radiology
• Morgan State University
• Stevenson University (formerly Villa Julie College)
• Towson University
• University of Baltimore
• University of Maryland, Baltimore
• University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Police force

The MTA has its own team of 150 police officers to keep the transit system and passengers safe. This team started on October 1, 1971, and its officers are fully trained and certified. In 2015 and 2016, they received a special safety award for doing great work.

Administrators

Many people have led the Maryland Transit Administration and its earlier agencies over the years. Here are some of the leaders and the years they served:

• Walter J. Addison: 1969–1979
• L.A. Kimball: 1979–1984
• Ronald J. Hartman: 1984–1993
• John Agro: 1993–1997
• Ronald Freeman: 1997–2001
• Virginia White: 2001–2002 (acting)
• Robert L. Smith: 2002–2004
• Lisa Dickerson: 2004–2007
• Paul J. Wiedefeld: 2007–2009
• Ralign T. Wells: 2009–2013
• Robert L. Smith: 2013–2015
• Ronald Barnes: 2015 (acting)
• Paul W. Comfort: 2015–2017
• Kevin B. Quinn: 2017–2021
• Holly Arnold 2021

Public transit laws

Some activities are not allowed on public transportation vehicles in Maryland. These rules are listed in a state law and can lead to fines of up to $1,000 or even time in jail. The Maryland Transit Administration can also enforce other local laws while people are using buses, trains, or other public transport. Many of these important rules are displayed right on the vehicles, at bus stops, and on train platforms for everyone to see.

Annotated Code of Maryland