BALTIMORE — With lower ridership due to the COVID-19 health emergency, the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) will begin implementing further reductions of service on local bus routes.
Effective Tuesday, to further protect employees from potential exposure, local bus service will operate on a base Saturday schedule with enhanced service on select routes to maintain access for essential workers and healthcare personnel to facilities including hospitals, food distribution sites and designated supply chain employers such as Amazon, FedEx and UPS.
“MDOT MTA is committed to providing critical transit service to essential workers across the Baltimore region,” said MDOT MTA Administrator Kevin Quinn. “We urge everyone to travel for essential trips only to help limit the spread of COVID-19 and keep others safe, including our transit colleagues who are making essential trips possible.”
The changes represent a 29 percent reduction in local bus service.
With a growing number of people working from home and heeding the call for social distancing and essential travel only, local bus service has experienced a 54 percent decline in ridership compared to the same time last year.
In recent weeks, MDOT MTA has reduced service across all modes in reaction to lower ridership during the COVID-19 outbreak.
For a complete list of service modifications as well as details of measures being taken to protect riders and operators, go to mta.maryland.gov/coronavirus.
MDOT MTA reminds riders to travel for essential purposes only – trips to essential work sites, hospitals, healthcare providers, pharmacies, grocery stores, banks, food distribution centers, the homes of family members who need care, and similar destinations.
Riders are encouraged to review Governor Larry Hogan’s Stay-at-Home order to answer questions about what is essential travel.
