CityLink Red (BaltimoreLink)

File:Historic no.8 streetcar, Baltimore Streetcar Museum.jpg, the predecessor to bus Route 8, at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum. This vehicle is currently used to give rides to visitors.]]

Route 8 was electrified in 1895 as a streetcar running from Towson to Catonsville. Back then, it served the corridors of York Road, Greenmount Avenue, and Frederick Road through downtown Baltimore. Another streetcar, known as "no. 7," operated a short-turn version of this route from Govanstown to Irvington before being absorbed into no. 8 in 1931. In 1963, the line was converted into a bus operation, retaining this route. The no. 8 streetcar was the final streetcar line of Baltimore to undergo a conversion into a bus service.

Herbert H. Harwood (2003). Baltimore Streetcars: The Postwar Years. Johns Hopkins University Press. pp 22-29. {{ISBN|0-8018-7190-5}}.

There were also various branches of Route 8 added over the years to communities including Mt. Washington (added in 1972, designated 8A), Cockeysville (operated 1973-1989, designated 8B), Providence/Springlake (operated 1973-1989, designated 8D and 8E), Eudowood, the Towson State University campus, and Stella Maris nursing home, which opened in 1980.[http://www.stellamarisinc.com/quality_care/our_history.html Our History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090706171922/http://www.stellamarisinc.com/quality_care/our_history.html |date=2009-07-06 }}. Stella Maris. Retrieved 2010-08-25 All these services have since been absorbed by other lines or otherwise abolished.

In 1982, Route 8 was split into two separate lines in order to provide improved schedule adherence on each line and varied frequencies of service along each corridor, where demands for service varied. The new Route 8 ran from the center of Towson to the University of Maryland Transit Center, and the new Route 2 from Catonsville to City Hall. Service along Route 2 is currently provided by Route 10.

In 1992, in conjunction with the opening of the Central Light Rail line, Route 8 was extended north of Towson to the Lutherville Light Rail Stop on Ridgely Road except on Sundays.MTA June 1992 schedule changes This extension mostly overlapped with Route 9, and this duplication of service during off-peak hours was criticized as costly. Branches to the Towson State campus and Stella Maris, though originally proposed for elimination, continued to operate at this time.

In 1993, MTA, addressing the cost issue of the extension, eliminated Route 9 service between Towson and Lutherville during off-peak weekday hours, and improved the frequency of that line's service on other parts of the route. The Lutherville extension on Saturdays was also discontinued, and on weekends, improved levels of this service were provided on Route 9.MTA January 1993 schedule changes

In 2000, MTA combined Routes 8 and 9, and extended selected Route 8 trips from Lutherville to Hunt Valley. This constituted about two-thirds of trips at most times. This consolidation saved costs and allowed single-seat service along the York Road corridor at all times, while making Route 8 one of the longest routes operated by MTA.

In 2005, as part of the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative, a comprehensive overhaul of the region's bus service, MTA announced that Routes 8 and 9 would once again be split into two separate lines. This time, all Route 8 trips would operate to/from Lutherville seven days a week, and Route 9 would provide all service on the route north of Ridgely Road. In addition, all other branches on the line would be eliminated. These included those to Loveton, International Circle (both former branches of Route 9), and Stella Maris.{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/bal-te.md.routes09jun09,0,4616042.story|title=Highlights of proposed bus route changes|date=June 9, 2009|work=The Baltimore Sun|author=MTA Maryland press release|accessdate=August 17, 2011}} And in order to reduce overcrowding of buses, MTA stated that articulated buses, which have a higher seating capacity, would be used on all Route 8 trips.

Service is no longer provided to Loveton by MTA, but a private contractor was chartered by employers in the area to provide shuttle service. In February 2006, all Route 9 were rerouted to International Circle due to complaints about the elimination of this branch.[http://mta.maryland.gov/news/press/index.cfm?id=2488&year=2006&month=1 MTA announces winter schedule improvements]. MTA press release (January 7, 2006). In February 2009, York, Pennsylvania's Rabbit Transit started providing service on its new Route 83S which connects to the light rail.

{{main|Route 12 (MTA Maryland)}}

The Stella Maris branch of Route 8 was also discontinued as a part of GBBI. But due to public outcry, service to Stella Maris is still provided on a new Route 12.{{cite news|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/bal-te.md.buses09jun09,0,2129332,full.story?coll=bal-news-columnists|title=Sweeping revisions of bus routes proposed|author=Michael Dresser|date=June 9, 2005|publisher=Baltimore Sun|accessdate=2010-08-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604135102/http://www.baltimoresun.com/bal-te.md.buses09jun09,0,2129332,full.story?coll=bal-news-columnists|archive-date=June 4, 2011|url-status=dead}}

As part of the BaltimoreLink transit overhaul to take place on June 18, 2017, Route 8 will be replaced in its entirety by CityLink Red.{{cite web|title=Route 8|url=https://mta.maryland.gov/baltimorelink/routes/route-8|website=BaltimoreLink}}

The Route 48 Quickbus began service on August 30, 2009, replacing the Route 8 Express Bus.{{cite web | url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2009/08/19/mta-to-add-downtown-express/ | title=Mta to Add Downtown Express | date=19 August 2009 }}[http://mtamaryland.com/services/bus/routes/bus/schedule_changes/ Summary of Bus Service Modifications Effective Sunday, August 30, 2009] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090813140736/http://mtamaryland.com/services/bus/routes/bus/schedule_changes/ |date=August 13, 2009 }} MTA Maryland website, retrieved 2009-12-15 It was the second of Quickbus route initiated by MTA; Route 40 was rebranded as the MTA's first Quickbus on January 30, 2007.[http://www.gbc.org/bta/Pages/updates_013007.html MTA Announces "QuickBus" Service on 40 Line; Bus Restructuring Put on Hold] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927105018/http://www.gbc.org/bta/Pages/updates_013007.html |date=2007-09-27 }}BTA Updates (January 30, 2007), Baltimore Transit Alliance, retrieved 2009-12-15 Service operated Monday through Saturday every 15 minutes between 5:30 AM and 6:30 PM.[http://www.mtamaryland.com/services/bus/routes/bus/pdf-48.pdf Quick Bus 48 Schedule] MTA Maryland, effective 2009-8-31, retrieved 2009-12-15 Route 48 was identical to the Route 8 bus, except that it did not operate along the segment between Towson and Lutherville. But, unlike the Route 8 local bus, the 48 did not stop at every bus stop along its route. Rather, its stops were limited to certain locations of importance, including transfer points to other bus lines, major landmarks, and other busy intersections selected by MTA. In total, there were 28 stops along the route.Andy Rosen (May 13, 2009), [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4183/is_20090513/ai_n31668122/ Maryland Transit Authority looking at Quickbuses]Daily Record, retrieved 2009-12-15

The no. 48 designation has previously been used for several streetcar and bus routes, including the No. 48 Streetcar, which operated between Mt. Washington and Belvedere loop in 1949-50 along the present route of Route 27,{{cite web|url=http://www.btco.net/Routes/25Falls.html|title=A History of the Falls Road Streetcar Line|access-date=16 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020601191558/http://www.btco.net/Routes/25Falls.html|archive-date=2002-06-01|url-status=dead}} the SEET Shuttle which operated briefly 1988-89, and a series of routes for students of the Baltimore City Public Schools that operated 1997-2004.{{cite web|url=http://www.btco.net/Routes/route3.htm|title=Baltimore Transit Archives|access-date=16 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717084353/http://www.btco.net/Routes/route3.htm|archive-date=2011-07-17|url-status=dead}}

Route 48 was replaced by CityLink Red on June 18, 2017 as part of the BaltimoreLink transit overhaul program.{{cite web|title=Route 48|url=https://mta.maryland.gov/baltimorelink/routes/route-48|website=BaltimoreLink}}

• Author Darrin Keith Bastfield in his book Back in the day describes riding the bus on Greenmount Avenue along with future rapper Tupac ShakurDarrin Keith Bastfield (2003). [https://books.google.com/books?id=FBgBwDxWCD8C&pg=PA52&vq=bus&dq=%22greenmount+avenue%22bus+tupac&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html&source=gbs_search_s&cad=0 Back in the day: My life and times with Tupac Shakur]. Da Capo Press. pp 52-53.
• Actress Jean Hill can be seen hijacking the bus in John Waters' 1981 film, Polyester

• [http://mta.maryland.gov/sites/default/files/8_SCHEDULE_8_10_web.pdf Route 8 map and schedule], effective August 29, 2010

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Category:Maryland Transit Administration bus routes

Category:1963 establishments in Maryland