Buses in Boston

​The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority operates 177 bus routes (list of routes) in the Greater Boston area, many of which were formerly part of a large streetcar system. Some routes are for local transport within the city; others bring passengers from surrounding areas to stops on the MBTA Commuter Rail or subway lines. The MBTA has a policy objective to provide transit service within walking distance (defined as 0.25 mi) for all residents living in areas with population densities greater than 5000 PD/sqmi within the MBTA's service district. Much of this service is provided by bus.

The MBTA operates a four-route bus rapid transit service branded as the Silver Line, as well as three crosstown routes that were intended to become the first part of the now-suspended Urban Ring project. Fifteen routes designed as key routes run with higher frequency at all times, including extended service hours on Friday and Saturday nights over some of these routes.

Most MBTA Bus service is served by diesel, compressed natural gas, and diesel-electric hybrid buses. Silver Line routes running in the Waterfront Tunnel use dual-mode buses that operate as trolleybuses in the tunnel and as diesel-electric hybrid buses on the surface. Four routes based out of the Harvard Bus Tunnel run with trolleybuses in Cambridge, Massachusetts and several surrounding suburbs.

All buses and routes are wheelchair-accessible (see MBTA accessibility); most of the MBTA's bus fleet consists of low-floor buses with wheelchair ramps, while older high-floor buses have lifts. All buses have LED exterior headsigns displaying route and destination, with automated audio/visual stop announcements for passengers.

After taking over operations in August 1964 from the former Metropolitan Transit Authority, the MBTA began rebranding many elements of Boston's public transportation network. After being found unsuitable for what is now the Orange Line because it did not show up well on maps, yellow was chosen for the color of bus operations.

Fleet
The last Leyland Olympian, 920 was withdrawn on 2014 and was sold to Ensignbus, before selling to San Francisco. The last Volvo Olympian was withdrawn in 2015.

Double-Decker
3 of them were open-top 2 of them were open-top
 * Dennis Trident 2/Alexander ALX400
 * Volvo B7TL/Plaxton President
 * Volvo B7TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini
 * Alexander Dennis Enviro400
 * Volvo B9TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 2
 * Volvo B5TL/Wright Eclipse Gemini 3
 * VDL Citea (Demonstrator)

Single-Decker

 * Neoplan AN440LF
 * MAN NL262
 * MAN NL323F
 * Scania K230UB
 * Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro
 * VDL Citea SD