Big Blue Bus hosted the following Public Hearings in September, on proposed service and fare adjustments for March 2019:
| Route Number |
Proposed Service Changes |
| Route 1 |
- Improve Saturday frequency to every 12 minutes from 1:00pm to 5:00pm due to high customer demand.
|
| Route 2 |
- Improve weekday frequency of UCLA-bound service to every 15 minutes from 6:30am to 7:00am.
- Improve weekday frequency of Santa Monica and UCLA-bound service to every 12 minutes from 7:00am to 9:00am and 3:00pm to 6:00pm, every 15 minutes from 9:00am to 3:00pm and 6:00pm to 7:00pm, and every 20 minutes from 7:00pm to 10:00pm.
|
| Route 3 |
- On all days, shorten service and end route at Aviation Blvd. and Century Blvd., and facilitate connections to the new Metro Rail Crenshaw Line at Aviation/Century Station.
- Aviation Station Green Line would no longer be served by Route 3.
- Improve frequency to offset the discontinuation of Rapid 3 midday weekday and all weekend service:
- Improve weekday frequency to every 12 minutes from 9:00am to 2:00pm, every 15 minutes from 2:00pm to 8:00pm, and every 20 minutes from 8:00pm to 11:45pm for both directions.
- Improve weekend frequency to every 15 minutes until 8:00pm, every 20 minutes for Santa Monica-bound trips until 11:15pm, and every 20 minutes for Aviation Station-bound trips until 11:45pm.
|
| Rapid 3 |
- On all days, shorten service and end route at Aviation Blvd. and Century Blvd., and facilitate connections to the new Metro Rail Crenshaw Line at Aviation/Century Station.
- Aviation Station Green Line would no longer be served by Rapid 3.
- Discontinue Rapid 3 midday weekday and all weekend service in both directions due to low customer demand:
- Change weekday frequency to every 12 minutes until 9:00am and from 2:00pm to 6:00pm; and every 15 minutes from 6:00pm to 6:30pm.
- Discontinue weekday service between 9:00am and 2:00pm, and after 6:30pm (use Route 3 instead).
- Discontinue weekend service (use Route 3 instead).
|
| Route 5 |
- Discontinue weekday Palms Station-bound trips at 5:55am, 6:20am, 6:40am, 7:00am, 6:50pm, 7:20pm, and 7:50pm.
- Discontinue weekday Santa Monica-bound trips at 6:30pm, 6:55pm, and 7:25pm.
- Discontinue weekend service due to low customer demand and introduce new weekend on-demand service. See below for more details.
|
| Route 7 |
- Extend the route to the Wilshire/Western Purple Line Station on all days.
- Improve weekday frequency to every 14 minutes from 5:00am to 10:00pm, and every 20 minutes until 11:45pm.
- Improve Saturday frequency to every 15 minutes from 5:30am to 7:00pm, and every 20 minutes until 11:45pm.
- Improve Sunday frequency to every 15 minutes from 6:00am to 7:00pm, every 20 minutes for Wilshire/Western Station-bound trips until 11:45pm, and every 20 minutes for Santa Monica-bound trips until 10:45pm.
|
| Rapid 7 |
- Change weekday frequency to every 14 minutes for Santa Monica-bound trips from 5:00am until 6:00pm, then every 20 minutes for Santa Monica-bound trips until 7:00pm.
- Change weekday frequency to every 14 minutes for Wilshire/Western Station-bound trips from 6:40am until 6:00pm, then every 20 minutes for Wilshire/Western Station-bound trips until 9:00pm.
- Discontinue weekend service (use Route 7 instead).
- When combined with Route 7 trips, the proposed changes increase service to the Wilshire/Western Station to every 7 minutes during the day and every 10 minutes at night.
|
| Route 9 |
- Improve weekday frequency for Pacific Palisades-bound trips to every 16 minutes from 7:14am until 9:06am.
- Improve weekday frequency for Santa Monica-bound trips to every 20 minutes from 2:00pm until 5:05pm.
- Discontinue weekday Pacific Palisades-bound trips at 8:01pm, 8:42pm, and 9:47pm.
- Discontinue weekday Santa Monica-bound trips at 8:10pm, 9:15pm, and 10:20pm.
- Improve weekend frequency to every 30 minutes.
- End weekend service at 7:00pm.
|
| Rapid 10 |
- Discontinue all weekday trips with the exception of three (3) downtown LA-bound morning trips at 6:17am, 6:37am, and 6:57am.
- And, three (3) Santa Monica-bound evening trips at 4:55pm, 5:25pm, and 5:55pm.
- Reduce Regular Rapid 10 fare from $2.50 cash to match the local fare;$1.25 cash or $1.10 with TAP Stored Value.
- Reduce Senior/Disabled/Medicare (S/D/M) fare from $1 cash to $0.50 cash or $0.50 with TAP Stored Value.
- Eliminate Rapid 10 upgrade fee (Regular $1.25 or S/D/M $0.50) when using Big Blue Bus pre-paid passes.
- Discontinue the use of the Regular 30-Day Express Pass and the S/D/M 30-Day Express Pass.
|
| Route 14 |
- On all days, extend service south from Playa Vista to Inglewood via I-405 to connect with the new Metro Rail Crenshaw Line (opens late 2019) and Metro Line 115.
- Improve weekday frequency to every 15 minutes during peak hours and every 20 minutes off-peak hours to encourage additional ridership.
|
| Route 15 |
- Discontinue weekend service due to low customer demand and introduce new weekend on-demand service. See below for more details.
|
| Route 17 |
- Extend weekend service from the VA Medical Center and end the route at UCLA while providing additional access to Westwood.
- Improve weekend frequency to every 30 minutes to provide more frequency and make the service more attractive to Palms residents.
|
| Route 18 |
- Change the terminus to UCLA's Gateway Plaza on all days to reduce bus crowding at Hilgard Terminal and provide Santa Monica-bound service from the center of the UCLA campus, and to provide service on the Gayley Ave. corridor for northwest campus residents.
- Extend Sunday service from Brentwood to Gateway Plaza.
- Discontinue weekday service after 7:00pm.
- Discontinue Saturday service after 8:00pm.
- Discontinue Sunday Santa Monica-bound trips after 7:00pm.
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| Routes 41 & 42 |
- Discontinue weekend service due to low customer demand and introduce new weekend on-demand service. See below for more details.
|
New On-Demand Service Pilot
BBB proposes a on-demand service pilot to complement its fixed route service. Under the pilot, BBB would utilize smaller vehicles and a more flexible service design, to bring rides to passengers when and where they need them.
Instead of waiting for an infrequent and often empty weekend bus, passengers on routes 5, 15, and 41/42 will be able to call a car or wheelchair accessible van to take them along the route corridor on weekends.
This type of service design has a lower cost per passenger than running a bus with few people on board, enabling BBB to provide more service to more people at a lower cost.
Integrating with BBB fixed route service, as well as MODE, Blue at Night, and the On-Demand Service Pilot are part of a larger shift at BBB towards a more diverse and sustainable model for mobility.
Service Days & Locations
Saturday & Sunday on-demand service along the route corridors of routes 5, 15, and 41-42.
Service Hours
All trips must begin and end between 7am and 7pm.
Service Area
Zones
On-Demand zone are linear, reflecting the shape of each route as it runs on weekdays. The zone extends 100 feet into driveways and parking lots from the curb edge along each route. Customers must begin and end their trip within a single route zone.
Provider
Service will be provided by Lyft shared ride. Additional service for people with disabilities will be provided using a wheelchair accessible van.
Fares
- Passenger pays $2.00 regular fare or $1.00 Senior/Disabled/Medicare fare for rides costing up to $10.00 on Lyft.
- Passenger pays all costs of Lyft rides over $10.00
- S/D/M passengers must be registered with BBB to received the reduced $1 fare on Lyft, or they have the option to pay the regular $2 fare if not registered.
- Wheelchair accessible van riders may pay with cash on board, or may prepay and keep an account balance with BBB.
Booking a Ride
- Customers can book a ride on Lyft using a published coupon code on the Lyft app.
- Customers needing the wheelchair accessible van (WAV) can call BBB to reserve a ride. Reservations for the WAV ride must be made in advance during regular customer service hours. WAV reservations can be made up to 7-days before your trip.
New Downtown Santa Monica Shuttle
BBB proposes as a one-season summer pilot aimed at capturing new customers seeking a shuttle that will connect them from the Downtown Santa Monica Station to popular destinations, such as the Santa Monica Beach and Pier, Third Street Promenade, etc.
Service Days & Hours
- Pilot operates seven days a week from July 1, 2019, to September 2, 2019 (Labor Day).
- Runs every 15 minutes between 10:00am and 8:00pm.
Fare
- Interagency transfer from Metro Rail to Big Blue Bus and vice versa is $0.50 Regular and $0.25 Senior/Disabled/Medicare.
- Regular fare is $1.25 cash or $1.10 with TAP Stored Value.
- Senior/Disabled/Medicare fare is $0.50 cash or with TAP Stored Value.
Service Area