Big Blue Bus

Big Blue Bus is a municipal bus service serving the city of Santa Monica and the greater Westside region of Los Angeles County. 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. 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 independent from Metro.

For other bus operators known as Blue Bus, see Blue Bus (disambiguation).
Big Blue Bus
Big Blue Bus at UCLA Hilgard Terminal
ParentCity of Santa Monica
Founded1928
HeadquartersSanta Monica, California
LocaleSanta Monica, Westwood, and Venice, California
Service areaUnited States
Service typeTransit Bus
Routes20[1]
Fleet195
Daily ridership65,600 (weekdays, Q1 2016)[2]
Fuel typeCNG, LNG
OperatorCity of Santa Monica
Chief executiveEdward F. King
Websitewww.bigbluebus.com

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.[3] 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.[4]

Santa Monica established the bus line in response to a fare increase on the Pacific Electric interurban trains between Santa Monica and Los Angeles.[5]

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.[5]

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 the 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.[6]

Routes

Big Blue Bus operates 14 local routes and 4 Rapid routes.

Route Terminals Via Days of Operation# Notes
1
 UCLA‡ Venice
Windward Circle		 Santa Monica Bl, Main St Daily service
2
 UCLA‡ Santa Monica
Civic Auditorium		 Wilshire Bl Daily service
3
 Santa Monica
Arizona Av & 5th St		 Westchester
Aviation/LAX station		 Lincoln Bl Daily service
  • Operates alongside the Rapid 3
  • Serves LAX City Bus Center
Rapid 3
 Santa Monica
Arizona Av & 5th St		 Westchester
Aviation/LAX station		 Lincoln Bl Weekday only during peak hours
  • Operates alongside Line 3
  • Serves LAX City Bus Center
  • See also: Metro Rapid
5
 Santa Monica
Civic Auditorium		 Palms
Palms station		 Colorado Av, Olympic Bl, Motor Av Weekdays only
7
 Santa Monica
7th St & Olympic Bl		 Mid-Wilshire
Wilshire/Western station		 Pico Bl Daily service
  • Operates alongside the Rapid 7
  • Three trips westbound in the morning and three trips eastbound in the afternoon deviate from Pico Bl to serve Beverlywood.
Rapid 7
 Santa Monica
7th St & Olympic Bl		 Mid-Wilshire
Wilshire/Western station		 Pico Bl Weekdays only
8
 Santa Monica
7th St & Olympic Bl		 UCLA‡ Ocean Park Bl, National Bl, Westwood Bl Daily service
9
 Pacific Palisades
Sunset Bl & Marquez Av		 Santa Monica
Civic Auditorium		 Sunset Bl, Chatauqua Bl, 4th St Daily service
Rapid 10
 Santa Monica
2nd St & Colorado Av		 Downtown Los Angeles
Main St & Alameda St		 In Santa Monica: Santa Monica Bl, Bundy Dr
Express Portion: Santa Monica Freeway
In Downtown LA: Grand Av/Olive St, Figueroa St/Flower St, Temple St		 Weekday rush hours only
  • See also: Metro Rapid
  • Operates into Downtown LA in the AM rush and into Downtown Santa Monica in the PM rush
Rapid 12
 UCLA
Gateway Plaza		 Culver City
Overland Av & Venice Bl		 Westwood Bl, Overland Av Daily service
14
 Brentwood
Bringham Av & Gorham Av		 Playa Vista
Artisans Wy & Centinela Av		 Bundy Dr, Centinela Av Daily service
  • Select trips extend from Brentwood north to Paul Revere Middle School
  • Select trips extend from Playa Vista south to Inglewood (Hindry Av & Florence Av)
15
 Brentwood
Barrington Pl & Chayote St		 West Los Angeles
Expo/Bundy station		 Barrington Av Weekdays only
16
 Marina del Rey
Lincoln Bl & Mindanao Wy		 West Los Angeles
Saltair Ave & Wilshire Bl		 Walgrove Av, 23rd St, 20th St Weekdays only
17
 UCLA
Macgowan Hall Terminal		 Culver City
Culver City station		 Sawtelle Bl, Palms Bl Daily service
18
 UCLA
Gateway Plaza		 Marina Del Rey
Via Marina & Admiralty Wy		 Montana Av, 4th St Daily service
41		 Santa Monica
14th St & Pico Bl		 14th St, 20th St Daily service
  • Service operates in a clockwise loop and terminates at 14th Street and Pico
  • Operates in the opposite direction of Line 42
42
 Santa Monica
Santa Monica College (16th St & Pico Bl)		 20th St, 14th St Weekdays only
  • Service operates in a counterclockwise loop and terminates at Santa Monica College (16th St & Pico Bl)
  • Operates in the opposite direction of Line 41
43
 Santa Monica
Santa Monica College (16th St & Pico Bl)		 Santa Monica
San Vicente Bl & 14th St		 26th St, San Vicente Bl Weekdays only during peak hours
  • Select eastbound trips serve Paul Revere Middle School.
44		 Santa Monica
17th Street/Santa Monica College station

West Los Angeles
Santa Monica College Bundy Campus

 Bundy Dr, Ocean Park Bl, 14th St, 17th St School Days Only
  • Service connects the 17th Street/Santa Monica College station, the Santa Monica College Main Campus, and the Santa Monica College Bundy Campus.
  • Limited service when Santa Monica College is not in session.
Notes:
‡ Routes 1, 2, and 8 terminate at the UCLA Hilgard Terminal (Hilgard Av at Strathmore Dr) weekdays between 7am and 8pm, all other trips terminate at the UCLA CEY/P2 Hub (Charles E Young Dr at Parking Structure 2).[7]

Fleet

Current
Manufacturer Model Length Image Order Year Fleet Series (Quantity) Fuel Notes
New Flyer L40LF 40-foot 2004–05 4048, 4051, 4053, 4059, 4063, 4070, 4086–4089 (10) LNG
  • As of June 2019 only 10 remain in service
40-foot 2006 4090–4099 (10)
  • Last New Flyer L40LF buses ever built
NABI 60-BRT 60-foot 2010/2012 5300–5320 (21) CNG
  • Used primarily on Rapid services
  • 5300–5315 are 2010 models
  • 5316–5320 are 2012 models
40-LFW 40-foot 2011 3868–3876 (9)
ElDorado National E-Z Rider II BRT 32-foot 2010/2012 2900–2914 (15)
  • 2900–2904 are 2010 models delivered as gasoline-electric hybrids and later converted to CNG
  • 2905–2915 are 2012 models
New Flyer XN60 60-foot 2015 1560–1566 (7)[8][9]
  • Used primarily on Rapid services
Gillig BRT 40-foot 2012–2014 1300–1357 (58)
2015 1500–1510 (11)[10]
2017 1701–1725 (25)
2018 1808–1826 (19)
29-foot 2016 1600–1603 (4)
2018 1801–1807 (7)

Incidents

On November 20, 2012, a Big Blue Bus turned left in front of an oncoming motorcyclist, which resulted in the 25-year-old man's death. The accident occurred at approximately 10:33 a.m. at the triangular intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Marquez in the Pacific Palisades. Only buses are allowed to make the left turn, a maneuver that has been determined to be too dangerous for other vehicles.

On June 7, 2013, Bus 4057 of Big Blue Bus was among several vehicles fired at during a thirteen-minute killing spree that left six people dead, including the gunman, and four others wounded. Three women suffered minor injuries aboard the bus, one from shrapnel-type injuries and the other two from injuries unrelated to the gunfire.[11] Approximately two dozen people were inside the bus at the time of the shooting. The attack on Bus 4057 marked the first time a Big Blue Bus came under attack by a gunman in its 85-year service.[12]

Speed
Main article: Speed (1994 film)

The most famous Big Blue Bus is the one rigged with a bomb in 1994's hit movie Speed. Driving through Los Angeles at rush hour, the bus has to keep its speed over 50 mph (80 km/h) or the bomb on the bus will detonate.

Two humorous slogans Santa Monica Bank used on Big Blue Buses appeared in the film.[13] The bus operator in the movie is called the Santa Monica Intercity Bus Lines, a barely fictionalized version of the Big Blue Bus's official name, the Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines. Even more tellingly, the bus in the film is a General Motors "New Look" bus, introduced in 1959 but kept in prominent and active service by Santa Monica until early 2005, long after most other American cities had retired the retro-looking bus.

In another effort to differentiate the movie's bus from any real-world bus, the headsigns on the Speed bus display:

33 DOWNTOWN | VIA FREEWAY

However, number 33 buses are operated by Metro, not Big Blue, and run on Venice Boulevard, not the Santa Monica Freeway. The closest thing to the movie bus's routing is Santa Monica's number 10 express route.

The bus number was 2525, not within any equipment number range operated by the real company at that time.

It should also be noted that at the time the movie was released, Santa Monica's GM New Look fleet were the Canadian-built versions with wheelchair lifts; the US-built versions were retired in 1990 to make room for the Classics.

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

In an episode that originally aired on May 15, 2007, the ABC late-night show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, was filmed on a New Flyer L40LF model LNG bus. In this episode, titled Jimmy Kimmel Live on a Bus, Kimmel sat behind the desk, which was rigged to fit in a bus. This particular Santa Monica Big Blue Bus that was used in the episode was driven by veteran bus driver Erskins Robinson, who picked up unsuspecting passengers along his route. The celebrity guests who appeared in the Jimmy Kimmel Live on a Bus episode were Paula Abdul, Flavor Flav, and musical guest Feist.

The Doors

A Blue Bus is referred to twice in The Doors's classic 1967 song "The End", when singer Jim Morrison says "The blue bus is calling us", and "Meet me at the back of the blue bus".

Raymond Chandler

In Raymond Chandler's novel Farewell, My Lovely, first published in 1940, he writes as protagonist Philip Marlowe, describing a scene in Bay City (Chandler's version of the City of Santa Monica):

"Outside the narrow street fumed, the sidewalks swarmed with fat stomachs. Across the street a bingo parlor was going full blast and beside it a couple of sailors with girls were coming out of a photographer's shop where they had probably been having their photos taken riding on camels. The voice of the hot dog merchant split the dusk like an axe. A big blue bus blared down the street to the little circle where the street car used to turn on a turntable. I walked that way."

Curb Your Enthusiasm

In the episode ”Namaste" (season 9, episode 7), Larry David is forced to catch a bus, an activity he is not accustomed to. The eandevor ends with Larry being kicked off the bus. The bus station is the Montana/San-Vincente station in Brentwood which serves lines 14 and 18.[14]

References
  1. "Routes and Schedules - Big Blue Bus". www.bigbluebus.com. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  2. "APTA Public Transportation Ridership Report" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. May 19, 2016. p. 14. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  3. "Our History - Big Blue Bus". www.bigbluebus.com. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  4. "Public Transit Ridership, Los Angeles County, California". www.laalmanac.com. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  5. Hobbs, Charles P. (September 6, 2011). "Big Blue Bus Breakthrough | More Than Red Cars - The Obscure, Offbeat and Half-Forgotten Transportation History of Southern California". Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  6. "2011 APTA Awards Program" (PDF). October 4, 2011. pp. 25–26.
  7. "BruinGo! Transit". UCLA Transportation. Archived from the original on March 1, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 25, 2017. Retrieved August 18, 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. "Purchase Eleven (11) 40-foot Compressed Natural Gas Buses - City of Santa Monica". www.smgov.net. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  11. "Injured victims of Santa Monica shooting". Cbsnews.com. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  12. ""City of Santa Monica: July 7th, 2013 Shooting Incident After-Action Report"" (PDF). Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  13. Pool, Bob (December 1, 1999). "Bus Line's One-Liners to Stop". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  14. Surrey, Miles (November 13, 2017). "Who Won 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' Week 7?". The Ringer. Retrieved October 7, 2019.

Further reading

Ayer, Bob. History of Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus. Santa Monica, CA: City of Santa Monica, 1992.

Media related to Big Blue Bus at Wikimedia Commons

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