TheBus (Prince George's County)

TheBus
Route 14 at College Park UM Station
FoundedJanuary 1990; 34 years ago (1990-01) [1]
Service areaPrince George's County, Maryland, U.S.
Service typeBus service
Routes22
FleetGillig, ElDorado National
Daily ridership7,300 (2022)
Annual ridership1,300,000
Fuel typeDiesel
OperatorRATP Dev
WebsiteTheBus

TheBus (stylized as THE BUS) is a bus transportation system serving Prince George's County, Maryland, providing Monday-Saturday service. There are 29 bus routes, with most operating between Washington Metro stations in the county, with two routes running to Upper Marlboro. The fare is $1.25, but seniors (age 60+), the disabled, one child under five years old, and students (between 2:00PM and 7:00PM) ride free.[2][3] On October 13, 2008, TheBus began accepting payment using SmarTrip regional farecards.[4] The County has contracted operations and maintenance of THE BUS system to RATP Dev.[5] In 2023, the system had a ridership of 2,129,000 or about 9,600 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

History

[edit]
A new version of The Bus Route 21X: Prince George's Community College
Gillig LF Diesel in Route U.S. 1 Ride Wrap on The Bus Route 17: Mount Rainier

The idea for Prince George's County establishing its own transit system was initially brought up by Prince George's County in 1986, as a way of providing better transportation access to the Upper Marlboro Courthouse and other important government offices, that were isolated from many of the other areas of Prince George's County that were served by WMATA's Metrorail and Metrobus System. While WMATA itself could have easily have provided these areas of Prince George's County, it was not very cost effective for Prince George's County to allow WMATA to do so as WMATA would have charged Prince George's County for the costs of operating those particular bus routes. WMATA charges counties the costs of operating some routes, because as regional routes they were not profitable due to lower ridership. Therefore, Prince George's County decided it would be much cheaper for the county to operate their own transit system instead. Prince George's County learned watching Montgomery County's success of developing its own "Ride On" transit system in March 1975, which also was being asked by WMATA to pay for their buses on routes in Montgomery County. Thus, Prince George's County's "The Bus" system was created in January 1990.

The first two "The Bus" routes that Prince George's County started off operating were routes 20 and 21. Route 20 would operate between the Addison Road Metro Station (WMATA's Blue Line's northern terminus in Prince George's County at the time, prior to the Largo Town Center extension in December 2004) and the Upper Marlboro Courthouse. Route 21, on the other hand, would operate between the New Carrollton Metro Station (WMATA's Orange Line's northern terminus in Prince George's County) and the Equestrian Center, also serving the Upper Marlboro Courthouse as well. After observing the success of these two Prince George's County bus routes, Prince George's County decided to expand its routes in April 1996 from two routes to six. The Bus system was able to increase the number of routes it operated around this time as WMATA's northern Green Line stations in Prince George's County, which notably were the West Hyattsville, Prince George's Plaza, College Park U of MD, and Greenbelt opened about three years earlier in December, 1993. Thus, there were even more residential areas around these stations to serve. These additional routes would serve areas somewhat already served by WMATA's Metrobus and Metrorail system but instead provide additional transportation service to residents and business living in those areas. Even more routes were added as several Metro Green Line stations opened in January, 2001, which notably were the Southern Avenue, Naylor Road, Suitland, and Branch Avenue Metro Stations. Then, eventually, in December, 2004, PG County's The Bus expanded once again when WMATA's new Blue Line stations, Morgan Boulevard and the Largo Town Center Metro Stations, opened.

Beginning on November 7, 2020, TheBus launched new Saturday service on routes 13, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 26, 30, 32, 33, 35, and 36. All routes operate every 30–45 minutes between 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM.[6][7]

Fleet

[edit]

As of August 2023, TheBus operates an all-diesel fleet consisting of the following vehicles:

Photo Builder and
model name 		Model year Length Numbers
(Total) 		Vehicles in service Notes
Gillig
Low Floor 		2009-2012 35 ft (10.67 m) 63188-63217, 62616, 62623-62628, 62633-62652
(68 buses) 		57
  • 62616 was previously operated by Charm City Circulator and Huskie Line as 0903
2011-2012 29 ft (8.839 m) 62617-62622, 62629-62632
(10 buses) 		10
ElDorado National
Axess BRT 		2019 35 ft (10.67 m) 63011-63016
(6 buses) 		6
  • Entered service on July 5, 2019
ElDorado National
E-Z Rider II BRT 		2020 63032-63036
(5 buses) 		5
  • Entered service in August 2020
Gillig
Low Floor BRT 		29 ft (8.839 m) 63017-63031, 63037-63045
(23 buses) 		23
Proterra
Catalyst 		2021 35 ft (10.67 m) 63052-63055
(4 buses)[8] 		4
  • Unveiled on April 29, 2021
Proterra
ZX5 		2022 63056-63063
(8 buses) 		8
ElDorado National
Axess BRT 		30 ft (9.144 m) 63064-63069
(6 buses) 		6

Retired Fleet

[edit]
Year Builder and model name Numbers
(preserved numbers) 		Year Retired Picture Notes
1990 Flxible
Metro B 		9485, 9493, 9497
1996 Gillig
Phantom 35' 		62895-62899
1996-97 Champion
Contender 		62922-62935
1997 Orion Bus Industries
Orion V (05.501) 		8033–8036
1999 Thomas Built Buses
TL960 30' 		62992-62994
2000-01 Thomas Dennis
SLF230 		63004-63008, 63017-63031, 63076-63078
Goshen
Presidential 		63009-63016, 63039-63056, 63100
  • 63100 is a 2004 model.
2001-02 Thomas Dennis
SLF230 		53012, 53015-53016, ?
Thomas Dennis
SLF 		63128-63130
2005-06 Thomas
Saf-T-Liner HDX 		63086-63099, 63101-63108 2015-16
2006 Gillig
Phantom 35' 		63139-63151 2020
  • Replaced by ElDorado buses and Gillig BRTs
2008 Gillig
Low Floor 		63159-63170
(12 buses) 		2021

Routes

[edit]

All routes operate on Weekdays with select routes operating on Saturday. Service usually ends around 6:30 pm on most routes with some routes ending at 8:00 pm.

Route Name Terminals Major streets Service Notes History
11 Greenbelt Greenbelt station
  • Hanover Parkway
  • Crescent Road
  • Cherrywood Lane
  • Weekday service only
  • Began service in July 1999
  • Operates as a loop
13A West Hyattsville Hyattsville Crossing station West Hyattsville station
  • East-West Hwy.
  • Queens Chapel Rd.
  • Hamilton St.
  • Ager Road
  • Weekday service only
  • Saturday service was discontinued on December 4, 2023.
14 Hyattsville Crossing Metro/College Park Metro
via Riverdale Park 		Hyattsville Crossing station College Park station
  • River Road
  • Good Luck Road
  • East-West Hwy.
  • Queensbury Road
  • Weekday service only
  • Began service in 2002
  • Extended to Hyattsville Crossing station on December 30, 2002
  • Service along Baltimore Avenue was discontinued on December 4, 2023.
  • Route was rerouted to serve Riverdale station on December 4, 2023, which was previously discontinued in 2019.
15X New Carrollton/Greenbelt Greenbelt station New Carrollton station
  • Greenbelt Road
  • Cipriano Road
  • Annapolis Road
  • Weekday Peak hours service only
  • Express Route
  • Began service in September 2000
16 New Carrollton/Greenbelt New Carrollton station Greenbelt station
  • 85th Avenue
  • Good Luck Road
  • Hanover Parkway
  • Greenbelt Road
  • Cherrywood Lane
  • Began service in July 2001
  • Service was extended to 8:00 pm on December 4, 2023.
17 College Park IKEA (College Park, MD) Mt. Rainier Terminal
  • Rhode Island Ave.
  • Baltimore Ave.
  • via College Park station
  • Began service in 2002
  • Extended to College Park IKEA and Langley Park on July 28, 2003
  • Extended to Mt. Rainier in November 2009
18 Langley Park/Addison Road Takoma Langley Transit Center Addison Road station
  • University Blvd.
  • East-West Hwy.
  • Queens Chapel Rd.
  • Annapolis Rd.
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Hwy.
  • via Hyattsville Crossing station
  • Began service in September 2002
  • Service was extended to 8:00 pm on December 4, 2023.
  • Service now directly serves Hyattsville Crossing station effective December 4, 2023; buses previously stopped outside the station.
19 West Hyattsville/Chillum Hyattsville Crossing station West Hyattsville station
  • East-West Hwy.
  • Queens Chapel Rd.
  • Hamilton St.
  • Ager Road
  • Chillum Road
  • Service began on June 1, 2021.
  • Combination of Routes 12 and 13B inner loop.
20 Addison Road/Upper Marlboro Addison Road station County Courthouse
  • Addison Road
  • Marlboro Pike
  • Old Marlboro Pike
  • Main Street
21 New Carrollton/Upper Marlboro New Carrollton station County Courthouse
  • Garden City Dr.
  • Ardwick-Ardmore Rd.
  • Landover Road
  • Lottsford Road
  • Largo Road
  • Rerouted to serve Downtown Largo station in December 2004.
  • Service now operates via Lansdowne Village Apartments and Jericho City Drive effective December 4, 2023, replacing the discontinued Route 22.
21X New Carrollton/MVA New Carrollton station Motor Vehicle Administration Largo
  • Garden City Dr.
  • Ardwick-Ardmore Rd.
  • Landover Rd.
  • Campus Way
  • Weekday service only
  • Express Route
  • Rerouted to serve Downtown Largo station in December 2004
23 Seat Pleasant Cheverly station Addison Road station
  • Columbia Park Rd.
  • Cabin Branch Dr.
  • Sheriff Road
  • Nalley Road
  • Central Avenue
24 Capitol Heights/Morgan Boulevard Morgan Boulevard station Capitol Heights station
  • Ritchie Road
  • Pennsylvania Ave.
  • East Capitol St.
  • Extended to Downtown Largo station in December 2004
  • Route 24 now serves Central Avenue, Hampton Park Boulevard, and Edgeworth Drive, swapping the original routing with Route 26.
26 Largo/Morgan Boulevard Morgan Boulevard station Downtown Largo station
  • Morgan Blvd.
  • Hampton Park Blvd.
  • Ritchie-Marlboro Rd.
  • Truman Dr.
  • Campus Way South
  • Largo Road
  • Extended to Downtown Largo station in December 2004
  • Route 26 now serves Campus Way North and Lake Arbor Way, swapping the original routing with Route 24.
28 Woodmore/Jericho Downtown Largo station
  • Largo Drive West
  • Lottsford Road
  • Arena Drive
  • McCormick Drive
  • Campus Way North
  • Weekday service only
  • Operates as a loop
  • Extended to Downtown Largo station in December 2004
30 Branch Avenue/Medstar Southern Maryland Hospital Branch Avenue station Southern Maryland Hospital
  • Auth Road
  • Allentown Road
  • Temple Hill Road
  • Piscataway Road
  • Hospital Drive
  • Service was extended to 8:00 pm on December 4, 2023.
32 Naylor Road/Clinton Clinton Fringe Parking Lot Naylor Road station
  • 28th Parkway
  • Temple Hill Road
  • Brinkley Road
  • Coventry Way
  • Woodyard Road
  • Service was extended to 8:00 pm on December 4, 2023.
33 Southern Avenue/Camp Springs Southern Avenue station Old Branch Avenue @ Allentown Way
  • Southern Avenue
  • Owens Road
  • Brinkley Road
  • Allentown Road
34 Suitland Metro Suitland station Capital Crossing Apartments
  • Suitland Road
  • Weekday service only
35 Southern Avenue/National Harbor/Camp Springs Southern Avenue station Camp Springs (Old Branch Ave & Allentown Way)
  • Southern Avenue
  • Indian Head Hwy.
  • Oxon Hill Road
  • Brinkley Road
  • via National Harbor
  • Service was extended to Camp Springs (Old Branch Ave & Allentown Way) on December 4, 2023.
36 Clinton/Brandywine MTA Park & Ride Lot Clinton Fringe Parking Lot
  • Brandywine Road
  • U.S. Route 301
  • Now circulates through Brandywine Crossing Shopping Center effective December 4, 2023.
37 Camp Springs/Southern Avenue Camp Springs Southern Avenue station
  • Allentown Road
  • Indian Head Hwy.
  • Southern Avenue
  • Weekday service only (AM to Southern Ave, PM to Camp Springs)
51X Equestrian Center/Courthouse Equestrian Center
  • Water Street
  • Weekday service only
53 Villages of Marlborough -
Marlboro Meadows 		Village Drive West
at Clairfield Lane 		Clairfield Lane - Arrival
  • Village Drive West
  • Marlboro Pike
  • Old Marlboro Pike
  • Weekday service only
  • Service to Equestrian Center was discontinued on December 4, 2023.

Suspended Routes

[edit]

These routes have been temporarily suspended since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Route Name Terminals Major streets Notes
12 West Hyattsville/Chillum/Mt. Rainier West Hyattsville station Gwen Britt Senior Center
  • Hamilton Street
  • 38th Street
  • Rhode Island Ave.
  • 34th Street
  • Chillum Road
  • Partially replaced by Route 19
22 Morgan Boulevard Morgan Boulevard station Brightseat Road @ Evarts Street
  • Brightseat Road
  • Sheriff Road
  • Central Avenue
  • Morgan Blvd.
  • Extended to Morgan Boulevard station in December 2004
25 Capitol Heights Capitol Heights station
  • East Capitol St.
  • Central Avenue
  • Capitol Heights Blvd.
  • Marlboro Pike
  • Southern Ave.
  • Operates as a loop
27 Landover Landover station
  • Pennsy Drive
  • Landover Road
  • Dodge Park Road
  • 75th Avenue
  • Operates as a loop
35S Ft. Washington/National Harbor Oxon Hill Park & Ride Ft. Washington Senior Residences
  • National Harbor Blvd.
  • Oxon Hill Road
  • Livingston Road
  • Ft. Washington Rd.

Former Routes

[edit]

These routes have been served by TheBus at one point but have since been discontinued due to either low ridership, simplification to other routes, or combined into another route.

Route Name Terminals Major streets Notes and History
15 Greenbelt –
Goddard Corporate Park 		Greenbelt station Goddard Corporate Park
  • Greenbelt Rd.
  • Crescent Rd.
  • Cherrywood Ln.
  • Hanover Pkwy.
  • Discontinued on December 19, 2010.
  • Replaced by routes 11 and 16.[10][11]
51A Upper Marlboro/Marlboro Meadows Equestrian Center Marlboro Meadows
  • Marlboro Pike
  • Introduced on August 24, 2020 to replace the suspended Route 53.[12][13]
  • Discontinued on May 30, 2022 after Route 53 resumed service.[14]
51B Upper Marlboro/Marlboro Village Equestrian Center Correctional Center
  • Old Marlboro Pike
52 Equestrian Center –
Courthouse Shuttle

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Rowlands, DW; Loh, Tracy Hadden (April 16, 2018), TheBetterBus: Prince George’s County is working on a plan to improve “TheBus” service, Greater Greater Washington
  2. ^ "TheBus: Routes and Schedules". Prince George's County government. Archived from the original on 2008-12-05. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
  3. ^ "Public Notice" (PDF). Prince George's County government. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-24. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
  4. ^ "Public Notice: Prince George's County TheBus will begin using new fareboxes..." (PDF). Prince George's County government. 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2008-12-06.
  5. ^ "RATP Dev USA Begins Operations as New Contract Provider for TheBus". 1 July 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  6. ^ @PGCountyDPWT (6 November 2020). "Traveling throughout Prince George's County just got easier! Tomorrow, Saturday, November 7, 2020 "The Bus" will la…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. ^ @PGCountyDPWT (7 November 2020). "Saturdays are for "The Bus"! Prince Georges County and DPW&T are proud to launch Saturday service today for all our…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  8. ^ "Prince George's County is Awarded Funding to Purchase New Electric Buses". 2020-10-13. Retrieved 2021-08-03.
  9. ^ "Metrobus Service Changes Beginning June 21". June 21, 2015. Archived from the original on June 13, 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  10. ^ "PGCT Existing Bus Service". 10 October 2010.
  11. ^ "PGCT Proposed Bus Service". 10 October 2010.
  12. ^ https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/ImageRepository/Document?documentId=31662 [bare URL PDF] [dead link‍]
  13. ^ https://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29223/PGC-The-Bus-COVID-19-Public-Notices--overall-service-reduction-plan-v3 [bare URL PDF]
  14. ^ [1]
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