Please review the proposal and attend the following public hearing:
Thursday, February 10, 2022 | 5:30pm-7:30pm
Santa Monica Main Library
Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium
601 Santa Monica Blvd.
Lea en español sobre los cambios que se proponen.
Can't attend the public hearing?
We still want to hear from you! Take our online survey before February 17, 2022.
Take our survey
Your feedback is valuable and we look forward to reviewing your comments.
Proposed Fare Changes
The fare changes Big Blue Bus is proposing are summarized in the table below:
Fare Product
|
Proposed Change
|
Single Ride
|
Regular: Reduce price from $1.10 to $1.00
|
Senior/Disabled/Medicare (S/D/M): Maintain existing price of $0.50
|
Day Pass
|
Discontinue fare product for all rider types
|
7-Day Pass
|
Discontinue fare product
|
13 Rides Pass
|
Regular: Replace with 10 Rides Pass for $9.00
|
Senior/Disabled/Medicare (S/D/M): Replace with 10 Rides Pass for $4.50
|
30-Day Pass
|
Regular: Reduce price from $50.00 to $30.00
|
Senior/Disabled/Medicare (S/D/M): Reduce price from $24.00 to $20.00
|
Youth: Permanently reduce price from $38.00 to $19.00
|
Annual Pass
|
Discontinue fare product
|
Other Proposed Changes
- Introduce free Big Blue Bus to Big Blue Bus transfers within 2 hours for one-way trips.
- Raise the age that children ride free on Big Blue Bus from 4-years-old to 5-years-old.
- Limit fare payments to contactless only (i.e., TAP card and mobile ticket), and discontinue acceptance of cash, tokens, and paper tickets on-board.
- Provide a courtesy ride to customers who need to obtain a TAP card or mobile ticket.
Background
Introducing Contactless Fare Payments
In 2015, Big Blue Bus adopted TAP, the regional contactless fare payment system for transit operators. Unlike cash, TAP eliminates the need to carry exact change, by offering a single, reusable card that works as a transit pass. A TAP card can be loaded with Stored Value (i.e., monetary value that can be used on most transit agencies in LA County), and up to eight (8) passes. Stored Value and passes can be loaded onto a TAP card online, by phone, at more than 400 TAP vendor locations in LA County, and at ticketing vending machines near LA Metro Rail Stations.
In 2017, Big Blue Bus introduced mobile ticketing as another contactless fare payment option. A mobile ticket is a digital transit pass that can be purchased and activated using an app on your smartphone. Big Blue Bus customers can download the Transit app to purchase passes with an iPhone or Android smartphone; both a credit/debit card and Wi-Fi or cellular data connection are required to purchase and activate a pass.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly half of Big Blue Bus customers migrated away from using cash and/or magnetic stripe paper cards to pay their fare, and instead began using a TAP card or mobile ticket. However, to mitigate health risks associated with the pandemic, Big Blue Bus sought to encourage more customers to adopt contactless fare payments.
Fare Payments During the Pandemic
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Big Blue Bus suspended fare collection on March 20, 2020, and required customers to board and exit through the rear-door only. When fare collection and front-door boarding resumed on February 14, 2021, Big Blue Bus piloted several fare changes. First, Big Blue Bus discontinued paper pass sales, and introduced a promotional Single Ride fare ($1 - Regular; $0.40 - Senior/Disabled/Medicare) for TAP and mobile ticket payments. Big Blue Bus also discontinued acceptance of paper passes on April 18, 2021.
On July 12, 2021, Big Blue Bus transitioned to contactless fare payments only, as part of the pilot to help staff assess the customer and operational impacts of a cashless system.
Reimaging Your Big Blue Bus Fare
Big Blue Bus is proposing a new fare structure to enhance the customer experience and ease system access, by lowering fares, maintaining health and safety improvements, reducing boarding and travel times, and re-aligning fare products with customer preference.
Following the public hearing on February 10, 2022, it is anticipated that the fare changes will be implemented in June 2022.
Attending the Public Hearing
Getting to the Hearing
BBB Routes 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 18, Rapid 3, Rapid 7, or Rapid 10 serve the Santa Monica Main Library. If you must drive, parking is available in the library garage (enter on 7th St. just north of Santa Monica Blvd.).
Health & Safety Requirements
Please refrain from attending the public hearing if you are demonstrating recognized signs of COVID-19 or other similar illness. Except for children aged 2 and under, attendees must wear a face covering at all times over the nose and mouth, while inside the Library. All attendees will be required to complete a health screening before entering the Auditorium. Once inside the Auditorium, please maintain a 6-foot physical distance from others that are not in your same household.
Accommodations
This venue is ADA-accessible. Disability and translation accommodation requests should be made at least three (3) days prior to the meeting by calling 310.458.1975, ext. 2386. All written materials are available in alternate formats upon request.