QuickLink 40 (BaltimoreLink)

QuickLink 40 starts at the North Bend Loop in Westgate, running on Edmondson Avenue until reaching West Baltimore station. It then runs on the Franklin-Mulberry Expressway into Downtown, using the Baltimore and Fayette couplet to travel through Downtown before eastbound buses use Central Avenue to shift onto Fayette Street. It then turns south on Highland Avenue, east on Lombard Street, and south on Bayview Avenue through the Bayview Medical Center campus before turning onto Eastern Avenue and continuing until finally terminating at Selig Avenue. QuickLink 40, unlike LocalLink or CityLink bus routes, does not stop at every bus stop along its route. Rather, its stops are limited to certain locations of importance, including transfer points to other bus lines, major landmarks, and other busy intersections selected by MTA. It ironically serves as a limited-stop version of the CityLink Blue and CityLink Orange, which were the two routes that replaced its predecessor, QuickBus 40. ==History (2005-2017)==

The Route 40 started operating on October 23, 2005 When it started operating, Route 40 ran from Security Square Mall to the Essex Park-and-Ride lot on Eastern Avenue. Weekday service operated every 10 minutes during rush hour and midday. On February 5 the following year, it was extended to Middle River and reduced to one bus every 12–15 minutes. On June 10, 2007, the eastern layover was moved to a safer location at Old Eastern and Vincent Avenues. The western layover was moved to CMS on February 8, 2009 and the stop at Security Square Mall was moved from the parking lot of the mall to a point along Security Boulevard adjacent to the mall lot. Quickbus 40 PLUS Service Enhanced service for West Baltimore residents on the QuickBus 40 will begin October 25, 2015. The enhanced service will increase frequency and reliability on the line between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid in Baltimore County and City Hall in Baltimore City. Customer will find additional bus trips added on west side between CMS and City Hall to enhance off-peak and weekend access to jobs. Criticism Route 40 received a lot of criticism following its inauguration from riders, politicians, and the media. This criticism resulted in some changes being made to the route, schedule, and other details. The service, which was projected to have a daily ridership level of 27,000, fell far short of that goal. Many riders waiting for other buses at common stops complained about seeing a lot of empty Route 40 buses. Special pylons were added at selected stops to mark the locations. The name "QuickBus" was synonymous with Bus Route 40 until August 30, 2009, when another QuickBus line, known as Route 48, started operation along the Greenmount Ave/York Rd corridor. The MTA had added two more QuickBus lines: Route 46 and Route 47 on August 29, 2010. ==History (2017-present)==

As part of the BaltimoreLink system overhaul, on June 18, 2017, QuickBus 40 was replaced by CityLink Blue on its western portion and CityLink Orange on its eastern portion. In April 2022, the MTA announced a proposal to revive the route before the end of the same year as the QuickLink 40. On August 27, 2023, the QuickLink 40 was brought back, however, it only runs on weekdays and runs to North Bend Loop in Westgate instead of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Woodlawn. In April 2025, as part of its Fall 2025 Service Change Proposal, the MTA release plans to extend the QuickLink 40 services to include a further reach and increased level of service.The service will operate every 15 from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and new weekend service every 20 minutes. These changes went into effect on August 24, 2025. ==References==