QuickBus
Encyclopedia
Route 40 is a limited stop bus route
, identified as a "QuickBus", operated by the Maryland Transit Administration
in Baltimore
and its suburbs. The line currently runs from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
in Woodlawn
to Middle River
, both in Baltimore County, Maryland
(on opposite sides), passing through the west and east sides and the downtown area
of Baltimore City. Service operates every 12 minutes during rush hour, and every 15 minutes at most other times during its hours of operation. The line serves the corridors of Edmondson Avenue in West Baltimore, including the communities of Edmondson Village
, Allendale, and Rosemont
, and Fayette Street and Eastern Avenue
in East Baltimore, serving Patterson Park
, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
and Essex
.
Unlike a local bus, the 40 does not stop at every bus stop along its route. Rather, its stops are limited to certain locations of importance, including transfer points to other bus lines, major landmarks, and other busy intersections selected by MTA. In all, there are 32 stops along the route in each direction, which are all identified in printed timetables.
, a plan of then-governor Robert L. Ehrlich for streamlining and simplifying the Baltimore transit system. Unlike a rail line, this addition did not require any construction. The bus route was intended to resemble the proposed Red Line
that is currently being studied for the Baltimore region.
When it started operating, Route 40 ran from Security Square Mall to the Essex Park-and-Ride lot on Eastern Avenue
. Weekday service operated every 10 minutes during rush hour and midday. On February 5 the following year, it was extended to Middle River and reduced to one bus every 12–15 minutes..
On June 10, 2007, the eastern layover
was moved to a safer location at Old Eastern and Vincent Avenues. The western layover was moved to CMS on February 8, 2009 and the stop at Security Square Mall was moved from the parking lot of the mall to a point along Security Boulevard
adjacent to the mall lot.
The service, which was projected to have a daily ridership level of 27,000, fell far short of that goal. Many riders waiting for other buses at common stops complained about seeing a lot of empty Route 40 buses. This resulted in its weekday frequency being reduced.
Low ridership and unrealistic time allocation initially being built into the schedule resulted in poor on-time performance
and buses clumping together. As one bus fell behind schedule while busy picking up passengers, the one behind it got ahead after stops had been cleared of waiting passengers, and ultimately caught up to the earlier bus. This left larger gaps between buses.
Financial resources needed in order to operate this service were obtained by cutting back on the amount of local bus service along common streets of operation, mostly on Route 23, which had its level of service cut by nearly 50% when Route 40 was introduced. This brought the number of local buses on these busy streets below the demand.
The service's original route had an eastern terminus at Essex Park-and-Ride lot, which was more than a mile short of the transfer point for some other lines, including Routes 24
and 55
. An extension in February 2006 to Middle River allowed riders to transfer directly to those routes.
On the west side of the route, there is no designated Park-and-Ride lot allowing motorists to park their vehicles and catch the bus. Security Square Mall has not allocated any spaces for riders of Route 40, and an existing park-and-ride lot at the end of I-70 is not within a practical or pedestrian friendly walk of a bus stop.
While rapid transit lines are generally modeled for commuter purposes, QuickBus is marketed only to those who do not own vehicles and depend on a neighborhood bus stop.
This system has been highly criticized. It is expensive, and money spent on it has not been spent on improving bus service around the Baltimore area. Even when fully in place, these signs will only be found at a small percentage of bus stops, and will not be useful to everyone.
The name "QuickBus" was synonymous with Bus Route 40 until August 30, 2009, when another QuickBus line, known as Route 48
, started operation along the Greenmount Ave/York Rd corridor
. The MTA had added two more QuickBus lines: Route 46
and Route 47
on August 29, 2010.
Limited-stop
In public transport, a limited-stop bus, tram or train service is a service that operates along the same route as a local bus service, but omits certain stops in order to offer a faster trip between the places served. The term is normally used on routes with a mixture of fast and slow services...
, identified as a "QuickBus", operated by the Maryland Transit Administration
Maryland Transit Administration
The Maryland Transit Administration is a state-operated mass transit administration in Maryland, and is part of the Maryland Department of Transportation. It is better known as MTA Maryland to avoid confusion with other cities' transit agencies who share the initials MTA. The MTA operates a...
in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and its suburbs. The line currently runs from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services , previously known as the Health Care Financing Administration , is a federal agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services that administers the Medicare program and works in partnership with state governments to administer...
in Woodlawn
Woodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland
Woodlawn is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 36,079 at the 2000 census. It is home to both the headquarters of the Social Security Administration as well as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services...
to Middle River
Middle River, Maryland
Middle River is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 23,958 at the 2000 census...
, both in Baltimore County, Maryland
Baltimore County, Maryland
Baltimore County is a county located in the northern part of the US state of Maryland. In 2010, its population was 805,029. It is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Towson. The name of the county was derived from the barony of the Proprietor of the Maryland...
(on opposite sides), passing through the west and east sides and the downtown area
Downtown Baltimore
Downtown Baltimore is the section of Baltimore traditionally bounded by Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to the west, Mt. Royal Avenue to the north, President Street to the east and the Inner Harbor area to the south. It consists of four neighborhoods: Westside, City Centre, Inner Harbor, and...
of Baltimore City. Service operates every 12 minutes during rush hour, and every 15 minutes at most other times during its hours of operation. The line serves the corridors of Edmondson Avenue in West Baltimore, including the communities of Edmondson Village
Edmondson Village, Baltimore
Edmondson is a region in the western section of Baltimore, Maryland encompassing the Edmondson Avenue corridor. Neighborhoods of Edmondson include Allendale, Edmondson Village, Rognel Heights, Uplands, and West Mulberry. It is located north of Frederick Avenue, and south of the Gwynns Falls...
, Allendale, and Rosemont
Rosemont, Baltimore
Rosemont is a neighborhood in the western part of Baltimore, Maryland. Located below North Avenue, above Franklintown Road, East of Hilton Parkway, and West of Bloomingdale Avenue it is a working class African American neighborhood. It is immediately adjacent to Walbrook Junction and Leakin Park...
, and Fayette Street and Eastern Avenue
Maryland Route 150
Maryland Route 150 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as either Eastern Avenue or Eastern Boulevard, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 40 in Baltimore east to Graces Quarters Road in Chase in eastern Baltimore County. MD 150 connects Baltimore...
in East Baltimore, serving Patterson Park
Patterson Park
Patterson Park is a public park in Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States. The park is bordered by East Baltimore Street on the north, Eastern Avenue on the south, South Patterson Park Avenue on the west, and South Linwood Avenue on the east...
, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, formerly known as Francis Scott Key Medical Center, is a hospital and medical office center in East Baltimore.It is located along Eastern Avenue near Bayview Boulevard...
and Essex
Essex, Maryland
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 39,078 people, 15,952 households, and 10,336 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4,104.1 people per square mile . There were 16,997 housing units at an average density of 1,785.1 per square mile...
.
Unlike a local bus, the 40 does not stop at every bus stop along its route. Rather, its stops are limited to certain locations of importance, including transfer points to other bus lines, major landmarks, and other busy intersections selected by MTA. In all, there are 32 stops along the route in each direction, which are all identified in printed timetables.
History
The Route 40 started operating on October 23, 2005 as part of the Greater Baltimore Bus InitiativeGreater Baltimore Bus Initiative
GBBI redirects here. For the broadband index, see Government Broadband Index The Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative was a sweeping overhaul planned by the Maryland Transit Administration under the administration of then-Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich and his transportation secretary Robert...
, a plan of then-governor Robert L. Ehrlich for streamlining and simplifying the Baltimore transit system. Unlike a rail line, this addition did not require any construction. The bus route was intended to resemble the proposed Red Line
Red Line (Baltimore)
The Red Line is a proposed east-west mass transit light rail line for Baltimore, Maryland. It is still in the planning stages and has been granted federal approval to enter the preliminary engineering phase...
that is currently being studied for the Baltimore region.
When it started operating, Route 40 ran from Security Square Mall to the Essex Park-and-Ride lot on Eastern Avenue
Maryland Route 150
Maryland Route 150 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as either Eastern Avenue or Eastern Boulevard, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 40 in Baltimore east to Graces Quarters Road in Chase in eastern Baltimore County. MD 150 connects Baltimore...
. Weekday service operated every 10 minutes during rush hour and midday. On February 5 the following year, it was extended to Middle River and reduced to one bus every 12–15 minutes..
On June 10, 2007, the eastern layover
Layover
In transportation, a layover, also known as lays over or stopover, is some form of a break between parts of a single trip.-In mass transit:...
was moved to a safer location at Old Eastern and Vincent Avenues. The western layover was moved to CMS on February 8, 2009 and the stop at Security Square Mall was moved from the parking lot of the mall to a point along Security Boulevard
Maryland Route 122
Maryland Route 122 , better known locally as Security Boulevard, is a six-lane highway that runs near the Social Security Administration complex located in Woodlawn in western Baltimore County, Maryland...
adjacent to the mall lot.
Criticism
Route 40 received a lot of criticism following its inauguration from riders, politicians, and the media. This criticism resulted in some changes being made to the route, schedule, and other details.The service, which was projected to have a daily ridership level of 27,000, fell far short of that goal. Many riders waiting for other buses at common stops complained about seeing a lot of empty Route 40 buses. This resulted in its weekday frequency being reduced.
Low ridership and unrealistic time allocation initially being built into the schedule resulted in poor on-time performance
On-time performance
In transportation , schedule adherence or on-time performance refers to the level of success of the service remaining on the published schedule....
and buses clumping together. As one bus fell behind schedule while busy picking up passengers, the one behind it got ahead after stops had been cleared of waiting passengers, and ultimately caught up to the earlier bus. This left larger gaps between buses.
Financial resources needed in order to operate this service were obtained by cutting back on the amount of local bus service along common streets of operation, mostly on Route 23, which had its level of service cut by nearly 50% when Route 40 was introduced. This brought the number of local buses on these busy streets below the demand.
The service's original route had an eastern terminus at Essex Park-and-Ride lot, which was more than a mile short of the transfer point for some other lines, including Routes 24
Route 24 (MTA Maryland)
Route 24 is a bus route operated by the Maryland Transit Administration in Baltimore and its suburbs. The line operates hourly between the Moravia loop in Northeast Baltimore and Whispering Woods, just east of Bowleys Quarters.-History:...
and 55
Route 55 (MTA Maryland)
Route 55 is a bus route operated by the Maryland Transit Administration in Baltimore and its suburbs. The line currently runs from Towson to Fox Ridge, serving Parkville, Overlea, Rosedale, and Essex, and the Essex campus of the Community College of Baltimore County .-History:Route 55 started...
. An extension in February 2006 to Middle River allowed riders to transfer directly to those routes.
On the west side of the route, there is no designated Park-and-Ride lot allowing motorists to park their vehicles and catch the bus. Security Square Mall has not allocated any spaces for riders of Route 40, and an existing park-and-ride lot at the end of I-70 is not within a practical or pedestrian friendly walk of a bus stop.
While rapid transit lines are generally modeled for commuter purposes, QuickBus is marketed only to those who do not own vehicles and depend on a neighborhood bus stop.
Tracking of buses
At 11 stops along the route, a new experimental system was installed late in 2006. Electronic signs at these stops, tied into a GPS system, indicate the expected time of arrival for the next bus, so riders do not have to rely on a less reliable printed schedule. MTA is considering implementing this system at many more bus stops along other routes in the future.This system has been highly criticized. It is expensive, and money spent on it has not been spent on improving bus service around the Baltimore area. Even when fully in place, these signs will only be found at a small percentage of bus stops, and will not be useful to everyone.
QuickBus Structuring
On December 21, 2006, Bus Route 40 was rebranded as "QuickBus" in order to better promote the service . Special pylons were added at selected stops to mark the locations.The name "QuickBus" was synonymous with Bus Route 40 until August 30, 2009, when another QuickBus line, known as Route 48
Route 48 (MTA Maryland)
Route 48 is a limited stop bus, identified as a "Quickbus", operated by the Maryland Transit Administration in Baltimore and its suburbs. The line currently runs from the University of Maryland Transit Center to Towson along the York Road/Greenmount Avenue corridor. Service operates Monday...
, started operation along the Greenmount Ave/York Rd corridor
Maryland Route 45
Maryland Route 45 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as York Road, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 1 in Baltimore north to the Pennsylvania state line in Maryland Line, where the highway continues as SR 3001...
. The MTA had added two more QuickBus lines: Route 46
Route 46 (MTA Maryland)
Route 46 is a limited stop bus route, identified as a "Quickbus", operated by the Maryland Transit Administration in Baltimore. The line currently runs from the Cedonia Loop in Northeast Baltimore to the Paradise Loop, in Catonsville. Service operates every 15 minutes during rush hour only...
and Route 47
Route 47 (MTA Maryland)
Route 47 is a limited stop bus route, identified as a "Quickbus", operated by the Maryland Transit Administration in Baltimore. The line currently runs from the Overlea Loop in Northeast Baltimore to Walbrook Junction, in West Baltimore. Service operates every 15 minutes during rush hour only...
on August 29, 2010.