# Howard Transit

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:
| Route | Terminus | Major Corridor (s) | Connections | Transfers |
| Brown Route | Mall in Columbia King's Contrivance | Little Patuxent Parkway Oakland Mills Road Homespun Drive Guilford Road | Columbia Medical Plan Oakland Mills Owen Brown Snowden River Park & Ride | HT: Gold, Green, Orange, Red, Silver, Yellow CRT: E MTA: 150, 310, 320, 915, 929, 995 |
| Green Route | Mall in Columbia Howard Community College | Twin Rivers Road Cedar Lane | Wilde Lake Shopping Center Hickory Ridge Harper's Choice | HT: Brown, Gold, Green, Orange, Red, Silver, Yellow CRT: E MTA: 150, 310, 320, 915, 929, 995 |
| Gold Route | Mall in Columbia Maryland Wholesale Food Center | Little Patuxent Parkway Kilimanjaro Road Tamar Drive Waterloo Road | Columbia Medical Plan Oakland Mills Longwood Apartments Long Reach Columbia Crossing Snowden River Park & Ride Sherwood Crossing | HT: Brown, Green, Orange, Purple, Red, Silver, Yellow CRT: E MTA: 150, 310, 320, 915, 929, 995 |
| Orange Route | Mall in Columbia King's Contrivance | Little Patuxent Parkway Sunny Springs Lane Cedar Lane Shaker Drive Guilford Road | Old Columbia Road Atholton Shopping Center Hickory Ridge Place Howard Community College Howard County General Hospital | HT: Brown, Gold, Green, Red, Silver, Yellow CRT: E MTA: 150, 310, 320, 915, 929 |
| Purple Route | Towne Centre at Laurel Elkridge | Washington Boulevard | Savage Maryland Wholesale Food Center Meadowridge Road Dorsey | HT: Gold, Silver CRT: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J MTA: 202, 320 Metrobus: 87, 88, 89, 89M, Z9, Z29 MARC: Camden Line |
| Red Route | Mall in Columbia Columbia Gateway | Little Patuxent Parkway Maryland Route 175 Tamar Drive Dobbin Road Robin Fulton Drive | Longwood Apartments Long Reach Columbia Crossing Dobbin Shopping Center Snowden Square | HT: Brown, Gold, Green, Orange, Silver, Yellow CRT: E MTA: 150, 310, 320, 915, 929, 995 |
| Silver Route | Mall in Columbia BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport | Broken Land Parkway Snowden River Parkway*Waterloo Road Washington Boulevard Maryland Route 100 Aviation Boulevard | Owen Brown Broken Land Park & Ride Snowden Square Maryland Wholesale Food Center Meadowridge Road Dorsey BWI Rail Station Arundel Mills Mall | HT: 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 Line |
| Yellow Route | Mall in Columbia Ellicott City | Little Patuxent Parkway Columbia Road Clarksville Pike/Old Annapolis Road Maryland Route 100 Montgomery Road Rogers Avenue U.S. Route 40 | Dorsey'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 Heartlands | HT: 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.