A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
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 Big Blue Bus at UCLA Hilgard Terminal | |
| Parent | City of Santa Monica, Department of Transportation |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1928 (as Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines) |
| Headquarters | Santa Monica, California |
| Locale | Santa Monica, Westwood, and Venice, California |
| Service area | United States |
| Service type | Transit Bus |
| Routes | 20[1] |
| Fleet | 195 |
| Daily ridership | 28,600 (weekdays, Q1 2024)[2] |
| Annual ridership | 8,289,600 (2023)[3] |
| Fuel type | CNG, Electric |
| Operator | City of Santa Monica |
| Chief executive | Anuj Gupta (Interim) |
| Website | bigbluebus.com |
Big Blue Bus (stylized in lowercase) is a public transit agency that provides public bus services for the city of Santa Monica and the greater Westside region of Los Angeles County, California. The service, operated by the city of Santa Monica, was founded on April 14, 1928 and throughout its existence has used a blue color scheme for its buses, leading to the Big Blue Bus nickname that would later become the official name of the agency. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 8,289,600, or about 28,600 per weekday as of the first quarter of 2024. Big Blue Bus receives funding from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) and offers connections to its Metro Bus and Metro Rail systems, but is operated independently from Metro.
History
The agency was founded on April 14, 1928 as the Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines and the agency picked a unique blue color scheme for its buses, later leading to the Big Blue Bus nickname.[4] It holds the distinction of being the second oldest public transit bus system still operating in Los Angeles County; only the neighboring Culver CityBus (founded March 4, 1928) is older.[5]
Santa Monica established the bus line in response to a fare increase on the Pacific Electric interurban trains between Santa Monica and Los Angeles.[6]
While independent from other agencies in the Los Angeles area, the Big Blue Bus has always offered connections to the other systems, most notably near the intersections of Pico and Rimpau Boulevards in the Mid-City section of Los Angeles. The historic transfer point was established by Santa Monica, the Los Angeles Railway and Pacific Electric Railway and is known today as the Pico/Rimpau Transit Center and is used the Big Blue Bus and Metro Bus.[6]
In 1978, Santa Monica became the first transit operator in California to operate a bus with a wheelchair lift, the Grumman-Flxible Model 870. It was the third agency to order the bus after Atlanta's MARTA, and Connecticut's CT Transit. The Big Blue Bus was one of the last transit agencies using the iconic GMC New Look "fishbowl" bus, the last of which was retired in 2005.
The Big Blue Bus has been honored with the American Public Transportation Association’s Outstanding Transportation System award in 1987, 1992, 1997, 2000 and 2011.[7]
Routes
Big Blue Bus operates 18 bus lines: 12 regular routes, 4 rapid routes, and 2 circulator routes. On weekends and holidays with weekend service, the agency operates 10 bus lines: 9 regular routes and 1 rapid route.[8]
The agency is currently undergoing a COA (Comprehensive Operational Analysis) which will inform service and route changes over the next five years. These aim to help the agency better connect with future Metro Rail extensions, most notably the D and K lines, adjust to new travel patterns, increase service frequency, and make service blocks compatible with a zero emissions bus fleet. [9]
Local routes
Sunday schedules are operated on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
| Route | Terminals | Via | Days of Operation# | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Westwood | Venice
Grand Bl & Riviera Av |
Santa Monica Bl, Main St | Daily |
|
| 2 | Westwood
UCLA |
Santa Monica
Main St & Olympic Dr |
Wilshire Bl | Daily |
|
| 3 | Santa Monica Arizona Av & 5th St |
Los Angeles | Lincoln Bl | Daily |
|
| 5 | Santa Monica
Main St & Olympic Dr |
Palms Palms station |
Colorado Av, Olympic Bl, Motor Av | Weekdays |
|
| 7 | Santa Monica 7th St & Olympic Bl |
Mid-Wilshire Wilshire/Western station |
Pico Bl | Daily |
|
| 8 | Santa Monica 7th St & Olympic Bl |
Palms
Overland Av & Venice Bl |
Ocean Park Bl, National Bl, Overland Av | Daily | |
| 9 | Pacific Palisades Sunset Bl & Marquez Av |
Santa Monica
Main St & Olympic Dr |
Sunset Bl, Chatauqua Bl, 4th St | Daily | |
| 14 | Brentwood
Bringham Av & Gorham Av |
Inglewood | Bundy Dr, Centinela Av | Daily |
|
| 15 | Brentwood
Barrington Pl & Chayote St |
West LA
Expo/Bundy station (Pico Bl & Bundy Dr) |
Barrington Av | Weekdays | |
| 16 | Playa del Rey
Culver Bl & Vista Del Mar |
West LA
Saltair Av & Wilshire Bl |
Walgrove Av, 23rd St, 20th St | Weekdays |
|
| 17 | Westwood
UCLA (At Macgowan Hall) |
Culver City | Sawtelle Bl, Palms Bl | Daily |
|
| 18 | Westwood UCLA (At Gateway Plaza) |
Marina Del Rey Via Marina & Admiralty Wy |
Montana Av, 4th St | Daily |
|
| 41 | Santa Monica
Santa Monica College |
14th St, 20th St | Weekdays |
| |
| 42 | Santa Monica
Santa Monica College |
20th St, 14th St | Weekdays |
| |
| 43 | Santa Monica
Santa Monica College |
Santa Monica San Vicente Bl & 14th St |
26th St, San Vicente Bl | Weekdays, peak hours |
|
| 44 | Santa Monica 17th Street/SMC station |
West LA Santa Monica College Bundy Campus |
Bundy Dr, Ocean Park Bl, 17th St | School days |
|
Rapid & Express routes
| Route | Terminals | Via | Days of Operation | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid 3 | Santa Monica
Arizona Av & 5th St |
Los Angeles
Aviation/LAX station |
Lincoln Bl | Weekdays, peak hours |
|
| Rapid 7 | Santa Monica
7th St & Olympic Bl |
Mid-Wilshire
Wilshire/Western station |
Pico Bl | Weekdays |
|
| Express 7 | Santa Monica 7th St & Olympic Bl |
Mid-Wilshire Wilshire/Western station |
Pico Bl | Weekdays |
|
| Express 9 | Pacific Palisades
Sunset Bl & Marquez Av |
Santa Monica
4th & Colorado |
Pacific Coast Highway | School days |
|
| Rapid 10 | Santa Monica
Broadway & 5th St |
Downtown LA
Main St & Alameda St |
In Santa Monica: Santa Monica Bl, Bundy Dr
Express Portion: I-10 In Downtown LA: Grand Av/Olive St, Figueroa St/Flower St, Temple St |
Weekday, peak hours |
|
| Rapid 12 | Westwood
UCLA (At Gateway Plaza) |
Culver City
Overland Av & Venice Bl |
Westwood Bl, Overland Av | Daily |
|
Bus fleet
Big Blue Bus currently maintains a fleet of 195 buses of various lengths including 29', 40', and 60' articulated, with 35-footers set to be delivered in 2025.[10] In 2018, Big Blue Bus received its last ever internal combustion vehicle. 19 buses out of its total fleet are currently battery-electric.[11] All buses feature destination signs. Newer buses (units 1801 and later) feature white LED destination signs, while older units feature a variety of other colors. The fleet is currently being equipped with passenger information displays[12] in place of the older dot-light signs. These are part of a fleet-wide communications system replacement with Clever Devices systems. The new passenger displays currently feature a three-day weather forecast, upcoming stops with time to arrival, and the line's final destination. As part of this upgrade, electric buses also gain access to Clever's EV fleet integration software during the agency's transition to a zero-emissions fleet. This also enables [12] vehicles to generate more frequent and accurate GPS data for tracking purposes, such as the Transit app. Buses 1808 and newer currently offer complementary onboard Wi-Fi.[13] However, as part of the system upgrade program, older buses are also being equipped with Wi-Fi.
Big Blue Bus has evaluated two main options for zero-emissions propulsion of its buses in an effort to decarbonize its fleet by 2030. Both hydrogen fuel cell and battery-electric buses have been considered.[14] The agency has determined that battery-electric buses can replace their CNG buses at current service levels with a 1:1 replacement ratio.[10] Big Blue Bus is installing charging for 100+ buses at its depot using a canopy with overhead reel dispensers, a project set to be complete by the end of 2024.[11] 2010 and 2011 El Dorado EZR II- BRT 32' CNG models are in need of replacement and are set to be replaced with 15 35-foot Gillig Low Floor Plus EV models.[10] Moreover, Big Blue Bus' 2011 NABI LFW 40' and NABI BRT 60' units are nearing the end of their life expectancy and have already passed federal minimums by age.[15]
Active fleet
| Manufacturer | Model | Length (ft) | Fleet Numbers | Thumbnail | Year | Fuel | Engine | Transmission | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gillig | BRT | 40 | 1300 | 2012 | CNG | Cummins Westport ISL G | Voith D864.5 | ||
| 1301-1344 | 2013 | Cummins Westport ISL G | Voith D864.5 | ||||||
| 1345-1357 | 2014 | Cummins Westport ISL G | Voith D864.5 | ||||||
| 1500-1510 |  |
2015 | Cummins Westport ISL G | Allison B400R | |||||
| New Flyer | XN60 | 60 | 1560-1566 |  |
2015 | Cummins Westport ISL G | Allison B500R |
| |
| Gillig | BRT | 29 | 1600-1603 |  |
2015 | Cummins Westport ISL G | Allison B400R | ||
| 40 | 1701-1725 | 2016-2017 | Cummins Westport ISL G NZ | Allison B400R | |||||
| 29 | 1801-1807 | 2018 | Cummins Westport L9N | Allison B400R | |||||
| 40 | 1808-1826 | 2018 | Cummins Westport L9N | Allison B400R | |||||
| Low Floor Plus | 1827 | 2018 | Electric | Cummins BES | Direct drive |
|