Route 97 (MTA Maryland)

Mondawmin Shuttle

City	Baltimore
Operating Agency	Maryland Transit Administration
Route No.	97
North End	Ashburton community
South End	Walbrook
Major Streets	Gwynns Falls Parkway North Avenue Liberty Heights Avenue Hilton Street Coldspring Lane Reisterstown Road Park Heights Avenue
Rush Hour Frequency	25
Midday Frequency	25
Night Frequency	25
Saturday Frequency	25
Sunday Frequency	25
Garage	Northwest
First Operated	2002
Predecessors	local bus routes
Connections	Metro Subway Bus Routes 1, 5, 7, 13, 15, 16, 21, 22, 33, 38, 51, 52, 53, 54, 91
Communities Served	Arlington Park Heights
Notable Landmarks Served	Baltimore City Community College Coppin State College Druid Hill Park

Route 97, also known as the Mondawmin Shuttle Bug or Mondawmin Shuttle, is one of two neighborhood shuttle routes operated by the Maryland Transit Administration in Baltimore. It was the second and is so far the final in the series of shuttle bugs to be introduced in the 2000s. The route serves Baltimore City Community College, Coppin State College, and various nearby streets, some served by regular bus routes, and some not. But the full route is within a close walk of one or more other MTA bus routes. The route operates at 25-minute intervals.

Unlike most MTA bus routes, the Mondawmin shuttle, having the "shuttle" status, operates via a circuitous route, and allows boarding for $1.00 as opposed to the regular $1.60 fare.^[1]

History

Route 97 started operating in 2002.^[2]

In 2005, as part of the Greater Baltimore Bus Initiative, it was initially proposed that the shuttle's frequency would be reduced to one bus an hour, and riders were encouraged to use other regular bus routes that shared common routing. However, after community meetings, it was ultimately decided that the schedule would remain the same.^[3]

In 2006, MTA proposed that the route would be modified to serve Reservoir Hill in order to replace a portion of Route 5 that was at the time proposed for modification away from this area. But it was later decided that Route 5 would continue to serve Reservoir Hill.

June 2011

Revise route to operate via Elgin Avenue on the southern loop with existing frequency.

References

1. ^ Davar, Rustom. (2006-06-18) No car, no problem – South Florida. Sun-sentinel.com. Retrieved on 2011-03-11.
2. ^ Routes of Baltimore Transit – 1900 to Today. Btco.net. Retrieved on 2011-03-11.
3. ^ State unveils bus route changes less sweeping than prior proposal. latimes.com (2005-07-29). Retrieved on 2011-03-11.