Route 3 is being restructured into two routes and 15 other routes
are changing.
SANTA
MONICA, CA – It’s that time again: students start classes, commuters head back
to the office after summer vacations and Big Blue Bus (BBB) adjusts its schedules
and routes for these annual changes in ridership demand. This year, the fall service
change will begin Sunday, August 24. BBB
is making many changes, including a major service modification on Route 3 and other
smaller changes on 15 different routes that include new schedules on Route 1
and increased service on Rapid 3 (serving Lincoln Blvd.) and Rapid 7 (serving
Pico Blvd.) to accommodate heavy demand when Santa Monica College students return
to class.
BBB’s
Route 3, currently traveling all the way from the Metro Green Line Aviation
Station to UCLA, through downtown Santa Monica, will be split into two separate
routes. The southern portion, from the Green Line Station to Downtown Santa
Monica will remain “Route 3” and the portion from Santa Monica to UCLA is named
“Route 3M” to designate the service along Montana Ave.
“Changes
to Route 3 stem from significant on-time challenges with this long route that
travels through five major traffic bottlenecks. The 95-minute service time is
twice the average of BBB’s other routes,” says Edward F. King, Director of
Transit Services. “This simply is not acceptable from a customer service and
service quality standpoint,” continued Mr. King. “By splitting the routes into
two separate services, BBB is able to make operational changes to increase
driver recovery time and reliefs that will significantly improve the service
performance for customers. However, there are always trade-offs. Eighty percent
of customers will only experience positive changes, but customers currently
traveling through downtown Santa Monica will have to connect to a second bus and
cash paying customers will have to pay a second fare.” Big Blue Bus is
encouraging these customers to buy pre-paid day-passes or monthly passes which will
work out to cost less than the $1 per ride fare.
There
are many additional changes and the following routes have schedule and stop
adjustments: Route 1, Rapid 3, Route 4, Route 5, return of Route 6 after Summer
Break, Route 7, Rapid 7, Route 8, Route 9, Rapid 10, Route 12, Route 14, Rapid
20, and Route 41. Please see “Fall Service Change” information and details
online at www.BigBlueBus.com/ServiceChanges.
In
addition to service changes happening now, Santa Monica residents and all Big
Blue Bus customers are encouraged to learn about BBB’s proposed Expo Service
plan for redesigned transit service integration with the Expo light rail coming
to Santa Monica in early 2016. Customers can review the plan and give feedback
at: http://expo.bigbluebus.com/survey/.
About the Big Blue Bus
The
Big Blue Bus operates a fleet of over 200 vehicles transporting more than 61,000
passengers daily across a 51-square mile service area. Nationally recognized
for its long-standing commitment to a cleaner environment, the entire fleet
operates on alternative fuels, including liquefied and compressed natural gas
(LNG/CNG), which helps to cut emissions by over 80 percent. Serving Santa Monica
and the Los Angeles area since 1928, the Big Blue Bus has won numerous awards
for its customer service, safety and efficiency.