TheBus (Prince George's County)

TheBus (Prince George's County)
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Name	TheBus (Prince George's County)
Locale	Prince George's County, Maryland
Service type	Bus service
Founded	1975
Parent organization	Prince George's County Department of Public Works and Transportation
Routes	31 (varies)
Fleet	100+ buses (approx.)
Annual ridership	2–3 million (varies)

TheBus (Prince George's County) is a county-operated local bus system serving Prince George's County, Maryland, providing transit connections among municipal centers, transit hubs, and neighborhoods across the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. It operates alongside regional carriers such as Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, MARC Train, and Amtrak services to link communities including Hyattsville, Bowie, College Park, Largo, and Greenbelt. The system integrates with major corridors such as US Route 1, Baltimore–Washington Parkway, and Interstate 495, serving destinations proximate to institutions like University of Maryland, College Park, Joint Base Andrews, and Prince George's Community College.

Overview

TheBus is administered by the Prince George's County Department of Public Works and Transportation and functions as a complement to Metrobus, Metrorail, and commuter rail networks including MARC Train and VRE. Services emphasize local circulator routes, peak commuter links to Washington, D.C., and connections to federal employment centers such as National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense locations, and installations near Joint Base Andrews. The network serves civic nodes like Upper Marlboro County Center, retail complexes such as Mall at Prince George's, and cultural venues including Riversdale House Museum.

History

TheBus originated in the 1970s following transit initiatives influenced by urban planning efforts in Montgomery County, Maryland and models like MTA Maryland operations. Early expansions paralleled regional projects including the development of Washington Metro lines to Greenbelt station and Addison Road station, and responded to commuter patterns shaped by federal growth at Pentagon and downtown Washington, D.C.. Over decades service adjusted to demographic shifts in places such as Landover and Capitol Heights, and to policy changes tied to Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 accessibility requirements and federal transit funding under programs administered by the Federal Transit Administration. TheBus has coordinated service changes during major events like Presidential inaugurations and emergencies such as responses following storms associated with Hurricane Isabel and Hurricane Sandy impacts on regional transit.

Operations and Routes

Routes are organized as local circulators, express links, and connector services to rail hubs such as New Carrollton station, Wheaton station, and College Park–University of Maryland station. Operations frequently coordinate with schedule matrices used by transit agencies including WMATA and commuter services like Calvert County Transit for work-trip synchronization. Seasonal and event-based shuttles serve venues such as FedExField for Washington Commanders games and special services to National Harbor developments linked to Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. Intermodal connections include park-and-ride lots near I-95 and staging at municipal centers like Bowie Town Center. Service planning intersects with regional goals from entities such as the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board and Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

Fleet and Equipment

TheBus operates a diverse fleet including diesel, hybrid diesel-electric, and low-floor accessible buses comparable to models used by King County Metro and fleets in systems like SEPTA and Chicago Transit Authority. Vehicles feature accessibility equipment to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and rider amenities aligned with standards from the Federal Transit Administration state of good repair programs. Maintenance and procurement occur through county contracts with manufacturers and are coordinated with parts suppliers used by fleets such as Greyhound Lines and municipal operators like Baltimore Metro SubwayLink for component standardization. The fleet includes smaller shuttles for neighborhood circulators and larger 40-foot coaches for high-demand corridors.

Fares and Ridership

Fare policy integrates with regional fare instruments offered by Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority; discounts are available to groups including students at University of Maryland, College Park and seniors represented by programs similar to Senior Citizens Act proposals. Ridership levels vary seasonally and are tracked in coordination with county budgeting cycles and reports submitted to the Maryland Transit Administration. Fare collection methods have evolved toward electronic payment technologies used by agencies such as SmarTrip-compatible systems and account-based fare media initiatives promoted by the Federal Transit Administration.

Governance and Funding

Governance involves elected officials from bodies like the Prince George's County Council and executive oversight by the Prince George's County Executive. Funding streams include local appropriations, state grants from Maryland Department of Transportation, and federal grants administered by the Federal Transit Administration and influenced by legislation such as the FAST Act. Partnerships with development agencies and employers—comparable to collaborations seen with Anacostia Waterfront Corporation projects—support targeted services and transit-oriented development efforts adjacent to stations like College Park–University of Maryland station.

Future Plans and Developments

Planned improvements align with regional initiatives from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and state strategies under Maryland Department of Transportation. Projects include fleet modernization, electrification pilots similar to those undertaken by Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, expanded first-mile/last-mile connections paralleling programs in Portland, and enhanced integration with proposals for bus rapid transit corridors akin to Metro expansion discussions. Local land use coordination with entities such as Prince George's County Planning Department and development efforts near M Square Research Park anticipate adjustments to routing, service frequency, and capital investments to meet projected growth driven by federal employment centers and research institutions.

Category:Bus transportation in Maryland Category:Transportation in Prince George's County, Maryland