Howard Transit was the primary public transit system in Howard County, Maryland, which grew from the former ColumBus bus system in Columbia, Maryland. First Transit replaced Veolia Transport as the operating company in July 2007.
Howard Transit was replaced by the Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland in 2014.
History In 1975, the Howard County Council announced plans to create a subsidized bus system for Columbia. Councilmembers Ruth Keeton and Virginia Thomas introduced legislation for Howard County to manage public transportation with a nine-member board.
Routes Howard Transit operated eight routes designated by colors to various parts of Howard County and surrounding areas:
RouteTerminusMajor Corridor (s)ConnectionsTransfersBrown RouteMall in Columbia King's ContrivanceLittle Patuxent Parkway Oakland Mills Road Homespun Drive Guilford RoadColumbia Medical Plan Oakland Mills Owen Brown Snowden River Park & RideHT: Gold, Green, Orange, Red, Silver, Yellow CRT: E MTA: 150, 310, 320, 915, 929, 995Green RouteMall in Columbia Howard Community CollegeTwin Rivers Road Cedar LaneWilde Lake Shopping Center Hickory Ridge Harper's ChoiceHT: Brown, Gold, Green, Orange, Red, Silver, Yellow CRT: E MTA: 150, 310, 320, 915, 929, 995Gold RouteMall in Columbia Maryland Wholesale Food CenterLittle Patuxent Parkway Kilimanjaro Road Tamar Drive Waterloo RoadColumbia Medical Plan Oakland Mills Longwood Apartments Long Reach Columbia Crossing Snowden River Park & Ride Sherwood CrossingHT: Brown, Green, Orange, Purple, Red, Silver, Yellow CRT: E MTA: 150, 310, 320, 915, 929, 995Orange RouteMall in Columbia King's ContrivanceLittle Patuxent Parkway Sunny Springs Lane Cedar Lane Shaker Drive Guilford RoadOld Columbia Road Atholton Shopping Center Hickory Ridge Place Howard Community College Howard County General HospitalHT: Brown, Gold, Green, Red, Silver, Yellow CRT: E MTA: 150, 310, 320, 915, 929Purple RouteTowne Centre at Laurel ElkridgeWashington BoulevardSavage Maryland Wholesale Food Center Meadowridge Road DorseyHT: Gold, Silver CRT: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J MTA: 202, 320 Metrobus: 87, 88, 89, 89M, Z9, Z29 MARC: Camden LineRed RouteMall in Columbia Columbia GatewayLittle Patuxent Parkway Maryland Route 175 Tamar Drive Dobbin Road Robin Fulton DriveLongwood Apartments Long Reach Columbia Crossing Dobbin Shopping Center Snowden SquareHT: Brown, Gold, Green, Orange, Silver, Yellow CRT: E MTA: 150, 310, 320, 915, 929, 995Silver RouteMall in Columbia BWI Thurgood Marshall AirportBroken Land Parkway Snowden River Parkway*Waterloo Road Washington Boulevard Maryland Route 100 Aviation BoulevardOwen Brown Broken Land Park & Ride Snowden Square Maryland Wholesale Food Center Meadowridge Road Dorsey BWI Rail Station Arundel Mills MallHT: Brown, Gold, Green, Orange, Purple, Red, Yellow CRT: E, J, K MTA: 17, 99, 150, 201, 310, 320, 915, 929, 995 Blue Line Metrobus B30 MARC Camden Line Penn LineYellow RouteMall in Columbia Ellicott CityLittle Patuxent Parkway Columbia Road Clarksville Pike/Old Annapolis Road Maryland Route 100 Montgomery Road Rogers Avenue U.S. Route 40Dorsey's Search/Selbourne House Executive Park Long Gate Park & Ride Long Gate Main Street & Ellicott Mills Howard County Government Center U.S. Route 40 & Rogers Avenue HeartlandsHT: Brown, Gold, Green, Orange, Red, Silver CRT: E MTA: 150, 310, 320, 915, 929, 995
Notes: Transfers: Blue Line = Baltimore Light Rail (operated by MTA Maryland) CRT = Connect-a-Ride HT = Howard Transit MARC = Maryland Area Regional Commuter (operated by MTA Maryland) Metrobus = Metrobus (operated by WMATA) MTA = Maryland Transit Administration or MTA Maryland All routes except Purple Route have connection to the Mall in Columbia. The Purple Route meets the Gold and Silver Routes at the Maryland Food Center. The Red, Silver, and Brown Routes all meet at Snowden Square shopping center in east Columbia.
Defunct routes
Blue Route -- traveled from Clarksville to the Mall in Columbia. Service eliminated as of July 9, 2010.
References
External links Howard Transit website Video of Howard Transit Bus activity