Charm City Circulator
Encyclopedia
The Charm City Circulator is a privately funded, public transit shuttle bus service giving riders free connection to historic sites, parking, and businesses throughout downtown Baltimore for free. The newest system in Maryland was established in 2008, but did not begin inaugural service until January 11, 2010 because of funding issues. The system currently operates three routes on major streets throughout downtown. The system also connect to water taxi and MTA Maryland.
/Lombard Street
, Central Avenue
, and Baltimore Street. As soon as three months after service of the first line begin, the "CCC" reached the 100,000 riders milestone. Nearly six months later on June 4th, the Purple Route began service travelling north-south via Charles Street
& St. Paul/Light Streets. The much anticipated Green Route recently began service just outside downtown connecting City Hall to Johns Hopkins Medical Center via Broadway, Fleet Street, and President Street. On August 15, 2011, the city of Baltimore received $1.6 million in federal funds to expand service to Fort McHenry
sometime in early 2012. The new route branded the "Star Spangle Route" will relieve congestion and make it easier for visitors to get to/from the famous landmark as well just in time for the War of 1812 bicentennial celebration
.
Legend = (L): Light Rail
, (M): Metro Subway
All current and future buses in fleet are hybrid
or clean-diesel vehicles under the Cleaner, Greener Baltimore Initiative's plan.
Charm City Circulator (operated by Veolia) bus yard located at 1400 Cherry Hill Road. Two blocks from Cherry Hill light rail stop and connection to MTA bus routes 27, 29, and 51.
History
The Charm City Circulator (a.k.a.) CCC or Downtown Circulator, started as a plan by former mayor Sheila Dixon to make Baltimore an eco-friendly city and utilize transport throughout Downtown without the patron spending a dime. The plan was to launch three routes connecting across the inner-city, but delays in funds caused routes to be planned separately. Service is seven days-a-week, with ten minute intervals between buses. On January 11, 2010; the Orange Route became the pilot service for the Charm City Circulator travelling east-west via Pratt StreetPratt Street
Pratt Street is a major street in Baltimore. It forms a one-way pair of streets with Lombard Street that run west-east through downtown Baltimore. For most of their route, Pratt Street is one-way in an eastbound direction, and Lombard Street is one way westbound. Both streets begin in west...
/Lombard Street
Lombard Street
There are several famous Lombard Streets:* Lombard Street , famed for its twists and turns* Lombard Street, London, leading from the Bank of England to Gracechurch Street...
, Central Avenue
Central Avenue
Central Avenue is an often used road name. Major thoroughfares with this name include:Canada* Central Avenue India* Chittaranjan Avenue, in Kolkata, IndiaUnited States* Central Avenue Corridor in Phoenix, Arizona...
, and Baltimore Street. As soon as three months after service of the first line begin, the "CCC" reached the 100,000 riders milestone. Nearly six months later on June 4th, the Purple Route began service travelling north-south via Charles Street
Charles Street
Charles Street is the name of a north-south street in the city center of Boston, Massachusetts. It begins in the north at Leverett Circle, where it intersects Cambridge Street and Storrow Drive, and gives its name to the Charles/MGH station of the MBTA. It then heads south and forms the primary...
& St. Paul/Light Streets. The much anticipated Green Route recently began service just outside downtown connecting City Hall to Johns Hopkins Medical Center via Broadway, Fleet Street, and President Street. On August 15, 2011, the city of Baltimore received $1.6 million in federal funds to expand service to Fort McHenry
Fort McHenry
Fort McHenry, in Baltimore, Maryland, is a star-shaped fort best known for its role in the War of 1812, when it successfully defended Baltimore Harbor from an attack by the British navy in Chesapeake Bay...
sometime in early 2012. The new route branded the "Star Spangle Route" will relieve congestion and make it easier for visitors to get to/from the famous landmark as well just in time for the War of 1812 bicentennial celebration
War of 1812 Bicentennial
The War of 1812 Bicentennial is a series of planned events to commemorate the War of 1812 in the United States and Canada during the war's bicentenary, 2012-2015. Included here is a list of planned commemorations and organizations.-Canada:...
.
Routes
| Route | Numbered Stops | Major Streets | Tourist Connection | MTA Connection | Began Service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green | 101-125 |
|
Baltimore City Hall Baltimore City Hall is the official seat of government of the City of Baltimore. City Hall houses the offices of the mayor and those of the Baltimore City Council. The building also hosts the city comptroller, some city departments and chambers of the Baltimore City Council... Port Discovery Port Discovery Children's Museum is a children's museum located in Baltimore, Maryland's Inner Harbor. Port Discovery offers three floors of interactive exhibitions and programs for children ages 2-10... Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History & Culture The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History & Culture is an African-American museum located at 830 E. Pratt Street in Baltimore, Maryland. Opened in 2005, the museum is dedicated to showing the struggles for self-determination made by African American Marylanders. The... Broadway Market Broadway Market is a street running from London Fieldsto the Regent's Canal in Haggerston in the London Borough of Hackney, east London.Before the late 20th century it was the site of a busy fruit and vegetable market, but this slowly dwindled over time - in the early 2000s, market activity was... Johns Hopkins Hospital The Johns Hopkins Hospital is the teaching hospital and biomedical research facility of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, located in Baltimore, Maryland . It was founded using money from a bequest by philanthropist Johns Hopkins... |
|
November 1, 2011 |
| Orange | 201-228 |
|
Hollins Market Hollins Market is the name of the oldest existing public market building in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. It is a contributing property to the Union Square-Hollins Market Historic District.... B&O Railroad Museum The B&O Railroad Museum is a museum exhibiting historic railroad equipment in Baltimore, Maryland, originally named the Baltimore & Ohio Transportation Museum when it opened on July 4, 1953. It has been called one of the most significant collections of railroad treasures in the world and has the... University of Maryland, Baltimore University of Maryland, Baltimore, was founded in 1807. It comprises some of the oldest professional schools in the nation and world. It is the original campus of the University System of Maryland. Located on 60 acres in downtown Baltimore, Maryland, it is part of the University System of Maryland... Baltimore Convention Center The Baltimore Convention Center is a convention and exhibition hall located in downtown Baltimore, Maryland. The Center is a municiple building owned and operated by the City of Baltimore... Harborplace Harborplace is a festival marketplace in Baltimore, Maryland, that opened in 1980 as a centerpiece of the revival of downtown Baltimore. As its name suggests, it is located on the Inner Harbor.... National Aquarium in Baltimore The National Aquarium, Baltimore is a public aquarium located at 501 E Pratt St. in the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore, Maryland, USA. It was constructed during Baltimore's urban renewal period and opened on August 8, 1981. The aquarium has an annual attendance of 1.5 million and a collection of... Little Italy Little Italy is a general name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an urban neighborhood.-Canada:*Little Italy, Edmonton, in Alberta*Little Italy, Montreal, in Quebec... 1st Mariner Arena 1st Mariner Arena is an arena located in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2003, it was renamed by 1st Mariner Bank, which purchased naming rights to the arena for 10 years. It was reported that 1st Mariner Bank will need to pay the city $75,000 for the next ten years to keep the naming rights to the complex... |
|
January 11, 2010 |
| Purple | 301-327 |
|
Federal Hill Federal Hill may refer to:in Malaysia* Federal Hill, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysiain the United States :** Federal Hill, a mansion featured on Kentucky's State Quarter and the centerpiece of My Old Kentucky Home State Park in Bardstown, Kentucky... Cross Street Market The Cross Street Market is a historic marketplace built in the 19th century in Federal Hill, Baltimore, United States. It runs the full length of Cross Street in between Light Street and Charles Street. The market continues to serve residents as a reliable source of fresh meats, produce, flowers,... Maryland Science Center The Maryland Science Center, located in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, opened to the public in 1976. It includes three levels of exhibits, a planetarium, and an observatory. It was one of the original structures that drove the revitalization of the Baltimore Inner Harbor from its industrial roots to a... Harborplace Harborplace is a festival marketplace in Baltimore, Maryland, that opened in 1980 as a centerpiece of the revival of downtown Baltimore. As its name suggests, it is located on the Inner Harbor.... Mercy Medical Center (Baltimore, Maryland) Mercy Medical Center is a hospital located in Baltimore, Maryland. The Tower Building of the hospital opened in 1963 and is located at 301 St. Paul Place.... Washington Monument The Washington Monument is an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington... Mount Vernon The name Mount Vernon is a dedication to the English Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon. It was first applied to Mount Vernon, the Virginia estate of George Washington, the first President of the United States... Peabody Institute The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University is a renowned conservatory and preparatory school located in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland at the corner of Charles and Monument Streets at Mount Vernon Place.-History:... Charles Center Charles Center is a highrise apartment building located in Baltimore, Maryland. The building stands 385 feet/117 meters tall and contains 30 floors. The building was constructed in 1969 by developers Conklin + Rossant.... |
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June 4, 2010 |
Baltimore Light Rail
The Maryland Transit Administration Light Rail is a light rail system serving Baltimore, Maryland, United States, and the surrounding suburbs.In downtown Baltimore it uses city streets...
, (M): Metro Subway
Baltimore Metro Subway
The Baltimore Metro Subway, known locally as the Metro Subway, The Subway, or Baltimore Metro is a rapid transit line serving the greater Baltimore, Maryland, United States area and operated by the Maryland Transit Administration...
Fleet Roster
| Year | Picture | Manufacturer | Model | Length (ft.) | Propulsion | Engine/Transmission | Fleet/(Qty.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | DCo Designline DesignLine Corporation is a bus, coach, and trolleybus manufacturer founded in Ashburton, New Zealand in 1985. Initially it was a manufacturer of tour coaches, later it diversified into city buses in the early 1990s, and then to hybrid city buses in the late 1990s... |
EcoSaver IV | 30 | Hybrid Electric motor An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force... |
|
0901-0913 (13) |
|
|
| 2011 | ABC Van Hool Van Hool Van Hool NV is a Belgian coachbuilder and manufacturer of buses, coaches, trolleybuses, and trailers.The company was founded in 1947 by Bernard van Hool in Koningshooikt, nearby Lier, Belgium. In the early years, the company introduced serial production and exported their products all over Europe... |
A300L | 40 | Clean Diesel Biodiesel Biodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids with an alcohol.... |
|
1101-1105 (5) |
|
|
| OBI Orion Bus Industries Orion International, previously Orion Bus Industries and Ontario Bus Industries in Canada and Bus Industries of America in the United States, is a bus manufacturer based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and established by the Government of Ontario in 1975... |
07.501 3G BRT HEV |
40 | Hybrid Diesel-electric Diesel-electric transmission or diesel-electric powertrain is used by a number of vehicle and ship types for providing locomotion.A diesel-electric transmission system includes a diesel engine connected to an electrical generator, creating electricity that powers electric traction motors... |
|
1201-1208 (8) |
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| <<< Future Order >>> | ||||||||
| 2012 | OBI | 07.501 3G BRT |
40 | Clean Diesel |
Cummins Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems...
|
1209-1221 (13) |
|
|
Hybrid electric bus
A hybrid electric bus combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. These type of buses normally use a diesel-electric powertrain and are also known as hybrid diesel-electric buses....
or clean-diesel vehicles under the Cleaner, Greener Baltimore Initiative's plan.
External links
- http://www.charmcitycirculator.com/
- http://godowntownbaltimore.com/
- http://baltimorecity.gov/