Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland
 | |
| Founded | July 1, 2014 |
|---|---|
| Commenced operation | July 1, 2014 |
| Locale | 8510 Corridor Road, Suite 110, Savage, Maryland 20763 |
| Service area | Anne Arundel, Howard County, City of Laurel and Northern Prince George's County |
| Service type | Transit bus |
| Routes | 15 total routes |
| Fleet | 51 Fixed route buses, 28 Paratransit vehicles |
| Annual ridership | 1.8 million (fixed route) |
| Fuel type | diesel, gas and electric |
| Operator | First Transit |
| General Manager | Mark Pritchard[1] |
| Website | http://www.transitRTA.com |
Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland, locally referred to as the RTA, is a transit organization developed to establish a more effective and efficient public transportation system across Central Maryland. The RTA is made up of multiple jurisdictions including Anne Arundel County, Howard County, City of Laurel and Northern Prince George's County. The RTA combined the management and administrative functions of multiple transit operations, reducing operating costs by over 10%, and provided a better customer service experience by improving connections across Central Maryland . The Commission allows all of the participating jurisdictions the ability to oversee transit management operations.
In 2014, Howard County initiated the Regional Transit Agency of Central Maryland, recruiting Anne Arundel County to join ares served by Central Maryland Regional Transit claiming the centralized authority initiated, managed and funded through Howard County would save money in contract expenses. CMRT bid on providing services to these regions after July 1, but lost to First Transit.[2]
In 2014, Howard County broke ground on a $7.2 million bus terminal at Savage, Maryland designed to house 120 buses.[3]
System
As of 2015 the system includes 15 bus routes traveling through Howard County, Anne Arundel County, Prince George's County, and the city of Laurel.[4]
| Key | Description |
|---|---|
| 501 | Official RTA route number. 100s City of Annapolis 200s Anne Arundel County 300s Prince George's County 400s Howard County 500s Regional |
| Silver | Old name for the route (i.e. Howard Transit, Connect-a-Ride). |
Hubs
RTA has a number of transit hubs where numerous bus lines meet. They include:
- Arundel Mills
- Baltimore–Washington International Airport
- Columbia Mall Transit Center
- Town Centre at Laurel
Fares
Bus fare can be purchased on the bus, at certain library branches, senior centers, and online.[4]
| Type | Fare (USD) |
|---|---|
| Regular Fare/per trip | $2.00 |
| One Way Reduced | $1.00 |
| Daily Pass *sold on bus | $5.00 |
| Reduced Daily Pass *sold on bus | $2.50 |
| Transfer *MTA Charm Card and WMATA Smart Trip Cards accepted at designated stops | $1.00 |
| Children Under 5-years-old | Free |
References
- ↑ "RTA Appoints New General Manager to Oversee Operations And Administration" (Press release). Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland. September 29, 2015. Retrieved December 3, 2016.
- ↑ Amanda Yeager (March 27, 2014). "Howard, Anne Arundel join to form new Regional Transportation Agency". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
- ↑ Candy Thomson (22 April 2013). "Howard, Anne Arundel officials lobby for regional bus system Transit lines would link communities to major employment centers". The Baltimore Sun.
- 1 2 "Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland".