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Advocates press Appropriations Committee to fund fifth MTA bus division to deliver BeMore bus plan
Summary
Transit advocates, a bus operator, and regional groups urged support for HB 932 to build a fifth Maryland Transit Administration bus division, arguing existing yards are at capacity and an additional depot is essential to expand frequent service and connect riders to job centers.
Supporters told the Appropriations Committee HB 932 is a critical step for implementing the Bmore Bus frequent‑service plan in the Baltimore region. Delegate Robin Lewis and transportation advocates said the Maryland Transit Administration’s four existing bus divisions are full and that a fifth division is necessary to expand routes, improve reliability and reduce the number of passengers routinely passed by full buses.
A frontline MTA bus operator described frequent overcrowding and safety stressors on the job, telling members that more frequent service would reduce passenger pass‑ups and improve operator conditions. The Central Maryland Transportation Alliance and Sierra Club framed the facility as an essential piece of transit infrastructure that would support equitable mobility, reduce tailpipe pollution and connect workers to large job centers such as TradePoint Atlantic.
Witnesses noted the MTA’s final Consolidated Transportation Program includes about $14.5 million for site acquisition but said that represents only a fraction of total construction costs; advocacy groups urged accelerating the construction timeline from 2032 to 2030. Committee members asked about cost, CTP priorities and project timelines; no formal vote was taken at the hearing.
