The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority provides bus, commuter rail, ferry and subway transportation service throughout the Greater Boston area. Locals regularly call MBTA "The T." It provides five light-rail lines in the city and 12 commuter rails; the southernmost area of the city's subway system is Braintree -- on the Red Line -- while the northernmost point is Oak Grove, which is on the Orange Line. The system's commuter rails take passengers to Worcester, Rockport and Plymouth.
Also known as the Metro Transit Authority (MTA), the New York City Transit Authority is the largest subway system in North America. The system has 24 subway lines and 210 bus routes throughout New York City's five boroughs, Long Island and New Jersey. The MTA is also one of the oldest subway systems in North America, founded in 1930. The primary hub for MTA activity is Grand Central Station, located in mid-Manhattan.
The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) serves Northern California's Bay Area, including San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland. Operated by the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, BART also provides bus lines for towns in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. San Francisco features the San Francisco Municipal Railway; this transit system features 54 bus lines and seven light-rail lines.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Agency (WMATA), also known as the "Metro," serves the greater Washington, D.C., area. The system has five railway lines, known as the Metrorail, and 300 bus routes, referred to as Metrobus. WMATA rail and bus lines extend into northern Virginia and suburban Maryland.
The greater Chicago area receives mass transit service from the Northeast Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation. Founded in 1984, Chicago locals refer to this system as "Metra." Metra provides 11 railway lines and 239 railway stations in six Northeast Illinois counties, including Cook, DuPage and Kane. Many of the city's rail lines date back to the 19th century, making them among the first commuter lines in the U.S.. Metra also has three electric-powered trains in its fleet.