Attachment_2025 Title VI Update_FINAL — Santa Monica City Council, September 30, 2025

BIG BLUE BUS

TITLE VI REPORT
OCTOBER 2025
1 Table of Contents
1 Overview.............................................................................................................................................................3

1.1 Background ..............................................................................................................................................4

1.2 Mission Statement and Goals ...............................................................................................................5

1.3 Notice of Rights Under Title VI...............................................................................................................5

1.4 Title VI Rights Claims & Complaints.....................................................................................................6

1.5 FTA Certification and Assurances.......................................................................................................7

1.6 Racial Breakdown of Non-Elected Advisory Councils ....................................................................7

1.7 Subrecipient Monitoring.........................................................................................................................7

1.8 Limited English Proficiency Plan...........................................................................................................7

1.9 Title VI Analysis of New Facilities..........................................................................................................8 2 Transit Service Guidelines...............................................................................................................................8 3 Analysis of service area and routes..............................................................................................................8

3.1 Service Availability and Demographics............................................................................................10

3.2 Service Frequency ................................................................................................................................10

3.3 Span of Service.......................................................................................................................................13

3.4 On-time Performance .........................................................................................................................14 4 Service Policies ................................................................................................................................................16

4.1 Transit Amenities...................................................................................................................................16

4.2 Vehicle Fleet ...........................................................................................................................................17

4.3 Vehicle Assignment ..............................................................................................................................17

4.4 Vehicle Amenities ..................................................................................................................................18

4.5 Vehicle Load ...........................................................................................................................................19

4.6 Information Dissemination ..................................................................................................................20 5 Current Activities ............................................................................................................................................21

5.1 Community Outreach ..........................................................................................................................21

5.2 Service Changes....................................................................................................................................22

5.3 Fares.........................................................................................................................................................24

5.4 Federally Assisted Projects .................................................................................................................25 6 Appendix...........................................................................................................................................................26

6.1 Attachment A .........................................................................................................................................27 Title VI Notice to the Public............................................................................................................................27

6.2 Attachment B .........................................................................................................................................28 2 Title VI Complaint Form and Internal Procedures ...................................................................................28

6.3 Attachment C.........................................................................................................................................29 Limited English Proficiency Plan ..................................................................................................................29

6.4 Attachment D .........................................................................................................................................30 Demographic Maps........................................................................................................................................30

6.5 Attachment E..........................................................................................................................................34 Big Blue Bus Transit Service, Design, Performance, and Evaluation Guidelines ...............................34

6.6 Attachment F..........................................................................................................................................35 Public Participation Plan and Hearing Procedures for Major Service or Fare Changes.................35

6.7 Attachment G ........................................................................................................................................38 Community Outreach....................................................................................................................................38

6.8 Attachment H.........................................................................................................................................39 Service Equity Analysis...................................................................................................................................39

6.9 Attachment I...........................................................................................................................................40 Fare Equity Analysis........................................................................................................................................40 3 1 Overview
The City of Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus (BBB) has issued this update to its Title VI Report in accordance with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Title VI Circular 4702.1B, as adopted on October 1, 2012.

Big Blue Bus is subject to the requirements set forth in the FTA Circular as it operates more than 50 vehicles in peak service in an urbanized area of more than 200,000 people.

In accordance with the FTA requirements, grantees must report every three years on compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Grantees shall uphold the stipulation that:
“No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal assistance.”
This report also addresses:
• Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations (February 11, 1994) that reemphasizes the intent of the Civil Rights Act and expands the protections to low-income populations.
• USDOT Order 5610.2a “Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations,” (May 10, 2012). • The FTA’s Master Agreement, 49 U.S.C. Section 5332.

The contents of this Title VI Report include the following required components:
• Transit Service Guidelines and Policies that detail how Big Blue Bus designs, monitors, and evaluates new and existing fixed route service. • A demographic analysis of Big Blue Bus’s service area that includes demographic information and service profiles displayed in maps and charts. • Passenger Survey data that details customer demographics and travel patterns.
• Results of the performance monitoring program of service standards and guidelines and any actions taken, including documentation. • A description of the public engagement process for setting the “major service change policy” and “disparate impact policy.”
4 • A copy of the City Council meeting resolution demonstrating the City Council's consideration and approval of the major service change policy and disparate impact policy.
• A copy of Big Blue Bus’s Title VI notice to the public that indicates Big Blue Bus complies with Title VI and informs members of the public of the protections against discrimination afforded to them by Title VI.
• A copy of Big Blue Bus’s instructions to the public regarding how to file a Title VI discrimination complaint, including a copy of the complaint form. • A list of Big Blue Bus related Title VI investigations, complaints, and, or lawsuits filed with Big Blue Bus since the time of the last submission. * • A copy of Big Blue Bus’s Limited English Proficiency Plan. • Results of all Service Equity Analyses and/or Fare changes implemented since the last Title VI Program Submission.
• A copy of council meeting minutes demonstrating the City Council’s consideration and approval of the equity analysis for any service or fare changes.
*Note: No Title VI investigations, complaints, and, or lawsuits have been filed with Big Blue Bus since the last Title VI Program update in October 2022.

Big Blue Bus is committed to the enforcement of USDOT’s Title VI regulations which state that no person or group of persons shall be discriminated against with regard to the routing, scheduling, or quality of service of transportation provided on the basis of race, color, or national origin.

1.1 Background
Operated by the City of Santa Monica and governed by its seven-member elected City Council, the Big Blue Bus service area encompasses 58 square miles primarily serving Santa Monica and West LA, but also regionally important destinations such as Koreatown, Downtown LA, Westwood, Culver City, and the Los Angeles International Airport. The City of Santa Monica has provided transit service in the area since the launch of Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines in 1928.

Presently, Big Blue Bus operates 17 fixed routes with a fleet of 193 buses. It serves over 930 bus stops. Service types are divided into three categories: Local, Rapid, and Commuter/Express service. Average daily weekday ridership is approximately 32,000 boardings per day.

Big Blue Bus also provides demand response for seniors and people with disabilities through MODE (Mobility on Demand Everyday), in partnership with the City's 5 Housing and Human Services Department. MODE serves over 1,400 enrolled members, providing over 2,500 trips each month.

Compliance with Title VI regulations is overseen by the Director of the Department of Transportation, who reports to the City Manager. Additional City departments, including the City Attorney’s Office and Human Resources Department, assist the Department of Transportation with Civil Rights compliance.

1.2 Mission Statement and Goals
The Big Blue Bus Strategic Plan, mission statement, goals, values, and standards serve as guiding principles for daily administrative functions and transit operations.

Mission Statement
Big Blue Bus is dedicated to contributing to the region’s mobility, economic vitality, sustainability, and enhanced quality of life through the delivery of safe, reliable, economical, accessible and customer-focused mass transportation services.

Vision
Big Blue Bus is a leading resource for innovative and environmentally friendly transportation options with a team of employees committed to continuous improvement and excellent service.

Core Values

1.3 Notice of Rights Under Title VI
Big Blue Bus is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of services on basis of race, color, and national origin as protected by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.

Service
• Safe
• Reliable
• Sustainable
• Accessible
• Customer-focused
• Responsive
People
• Diverse
• Ethical
• Honest
• Responsible
• Creative
• Learning
• Resourceful
Culture
• Collaborative
• Constructive
• Engaging
• Inclusive
• Respectful
• Reflective
6 No person or group of persons will be discriminated against with regards to fares, routing, scheduling or quality of transportation service that Big Blue Bus furnishes, on the basis of race, color, or national origin.

In addition, the frequency of service, age and quality of Big Blue Bus vehicles assigned to routes, and location of routes will not be determined on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.

This information can be accessed via the Big Blue Bus website at:
https://www.bigbluebus.com/titlevi. Additionally, this information is posted in the Transit Store and on all Big Blue Bus buses. See Attachment A in the Appendix for a copy of the public notice.

1.4 Title VI Rights Claims & Complaints
The City Attorney’s Office tracks and monitors any Title VI allegations of discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin with respect to service or other transit benefits. The City will continue to provide FTA information upon request. There are no active formal complaints or lawsuits alleging discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin with respect to service or other transit benefits.

The Big Blue Bus Customer Service Division is responsible for receiving, filing, monitoring, and reporting informal customer complaints, including discriminatory complaints. Monthly reports are generated to evaluate trends and address issue areas.

Procedure for Filing a Title VI Complaint
If any person feels he or she has been discriminated against on the basis of race, color or national origin by the City of Santa Monica Big Blue Bus, he or she may file a Title VI complaint by completing and submitting the Title VI Complaint Form. Big Blue Bus investigates complaints received no more than one hundred and eighty (180) days after the alleged incident. The complaint may be submitted by mail, email, or in person, or it could be submitted directly with the Federal Transit Administration Region IX or Federal Transit Administration Office of Civil Rights.

The complaint may be filed in writing, in person, or by telephone. The complaint should include the following information:
• Name, address and how to contact complainant (e.g. telephone number, email address, etc.) 7 • How, when, where and why complainants believe they were discriminated against. Include the location, names and contact information of any witnesses.

Complaint Assistance: A Big Blue Bus Customer Service Representative will assist with writing a complaint if the complainant is unable to do so.

See Attachment B for complete complaint procedure and complaint form.

1.5 FTA Certification and Assurances
Big Blue Bus certifies, through the annual Certifications and Assurances, compliance with Title VI. The City Manager and City Attorney certify annually to the FTA Certifications & Assurances in accordance with the Federal Register and FTA Master Agreement.

1.6 Racial Breakdown of Non-Elected Advisory Councils
Big Blue Bus has a goal of providing customer-driven transit service, and particularly values the views and concerns of the large percentage of minority and low-income populations that utilize our system on a daily basis.

Big Blue Bus reports directly to one governing body:
• Santa Monica City Council – Made up of seven members, elected at-large for staggered four-year terms, the City Council selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another to serve as Mayor Pro Tempore.

As all individuals are elected into office, a racial breakdown of the advisory body is not required.

1.7 Subrecipient Monitoring
Big Blue Bus does not have any subrecipients and in turn, does not perform any subrecipient monitoring.

1.8 Limited English Proficiency Plan
Big Blue Bus is committed to the development of a Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Plan to ensure full dissemination, access, and participation by all persons where English may not be their first language. An LEP Plan has been developed in association with this document.

See Attachment C for the Limited English Proficiency Plan. 8 1.9 Title VI Analysis of New Facilities
Big Blue Bus has not constructed a new facility, such as vehicle storage facility, maintenance facility, operation center, etc., at this time nor are any planned in the near future. Therefore, an equity analysis regarding new facilities was not performed.
2 Transit Service Guidelines
The Big Blue Bus Transit Service Guidelines provides a framework to regularly design, monitor, and evaluate transit service. Figure 1 below shows the three main components of the Transit Service Guidelines.

Figure 1: Service Development components

The Service Design standards outline how Big Blue Bus service should be designed and operated.

The Service Performance Monitoring standards describe the metrics by which Big Blue Bus will be monitored to ensure the highest possible levels of performance in terms of service effectiveness, efficiency, and quality for riders.

The Service Evaluation process analyzes and updates service plans while keeping riders, employees and visitors informed of changes.

The full Transit Service Guidelines are provided as a separate document in Appendix, Attachment E.
3 Analysis of service area and routes
The Big Blue Bus service area includes any Census block group that falls within a 1/2 mile of a fixed-route stop. The block group is the smallest geographical unit for which the Census Bureau publishes sample data and results in a more accurate analysis. The service area encompasses 595 block groups. Within those block groups, 52.3% of all persons identify as a minority race and 24.7% of all persons are Service
Design
Service
Performance
Monitoring
Service
Evaluation
9 considered low-income. In addition, 13.0% of all households within the Big Blue Bus service area have a limited proficiency in English.

For the purposes of Title VI analyses, Big Blue Bus identifies minority and low-income routes. A minority or low-income route is a route that operates within census block groups that have a larger share of minority and low-income persons compared to the systemwide share of those two categories.

For the purposes of this evaluation, the minority population has been defined in accordance with FTA Circular 4702.1B and includes the following persons:
1) American Indian and Alaska Native;
2) Asian;
3) Black or African American;
4) Hispanic or Latino;
5) Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
The low-income population has been defined as any individual with an annual household income of 200% of the Federal Poverty Threshold.

Table 1 below provides a list of each Big Blue Bus route and indicates which route was determined to be a predominately minority serving route and/or a low-income serving route. Remix Planning software was used to determine if a route was minority or low-income serving.

Table 1: Minority or low-income determination by route* Route Route exceeds percent
minority systemwide
Route exceeds percent
low-income systemwide
Systemwide 52.3% 24.7%
Route 1 43.9% 26.4%
Route 2 42.3% 27.6%
Route 3 40.1% 21.9%
Route 5 45.7% 19.7%
Route 7 60.0% 28.6%
Route 8 45.6% 24.2%
Route 9 29.6% 18.9%
Rapid 10 64.1% 33.7%
Rapid 12 53.1% 25.0%
Route 14 46.8% 18.5%
Route 15 43.2% 18.5%
Route 16 43.4% 20.3%
Route 17 54.9% 24.3%
10 Route 18 39.7% 25.3%
Route 41 39.6% 21.0%
Route 43 39.3% 23.2%
Route 44 42.8% 21.8%
*Bold indicates ridership exceeds system average.

Attachment D includes a collection of Big Blue Bus service area maps, identifying Census Block Groups with a population of minority persons, low-income persons, and limited English households that are above the corresponding service area averages.

3.1 Service Availability and Demographics
Big Blue Bus routes are categorized as follows:

Table 2: Service Categories
Category Network Role Bus Routes*
LOCAL Provides fixed route service along major and
secondary corridors and serving larger local
destinations and intermodal connections.
1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16,
17, 18, 41, 43, 44
RAPID Provides limited-stop fixed route service between destinations of strong regional importance.

R12
COMMUTER Augments the local network with additional peakhour fixed route service to key destinations.R10 DEMAND

RESPONSE
Provides shared curb to curb rides for areas where
regular bus routes are impractical and for seniors
and people with disabilities.

MODE
OTHER

SERVICES
Supplemental fixed route service such as schoolspecific trips, or “trippers,” to alleviate overcrowding or to accommodate specific school travel patterns.
9-Pali High Express
14-Paul Revere
Trippers
*Routes as of August 2025

3.2 Service Frequency
Service frequency is defined as how often the bus arrives and results in how long riders must wait for bus service. With higher frequencies, riders will wait less on average for a bus, which helps make the service more useful forriders. At the same time, however, higher frequencies can significantly increase costs by requiring more buses and drivers.

High frequency Service is defined as:
• 10-minute frequency or better on weekdays during most of the day. • 15-minute frequency or better on weekends during most of the day.

The following are minimum frequency standards.
11 • Local routes should operate at a minimum frequency of every 30 minutes during most of the day.
o Could operate at every 60 minutes at night to provide extended service hours.
o When supported by ridership, service should be provided at higher frequencies such as every 20 minutes, 15 minutes, 12 minutes, 10 minutes, up to every 7.5 minutes.
• Rapid routes should operate every 15 minutes or better. • Commuter route frequency should be tailored to demand volumes.

Whenever possible, service frequency should be designed as “clock-facing” where service operates every 5, 10, 12, 15, 20, or 30 minutes –divisible by 60 – where the same times repeat each hour. This makes service easier for riders to remember and use without consulting schedules. Exceptions are permitted if a route (usually with less frequency) will be operationally inefficient (e.g., requires an additional vehicle resource) with a clock-facing schedule.

Table 3 below shows current headways for all routes broken down by weekday, Saturdays, and Sundays. Table 4 compares minority and low-income routes, nonminority and non-low-income routes. 12 Table 3: Service Frequency (minutes)
Route Weekday Weekend
AM
Peak
Midday PM
Peak
Evening Saturday
(Daytime)
Sunday
(Daytime)
1 – Mains St & Santa
Monica Blvd 10 10 10 15-20 15 15
2 – Wilshire Blvd 20 20 20 20 20 20
3 – Lincoln Blvd 10 10 10 20 15 15
5 – Olympic Blvd –
Century City 60 60 60 60 - -
7 – Pico Blvd 7.5 7.5 7.5 15 15 15
8 – UCLA/Westwood &
Ocean Park Blvd 20 25-30 25-30 30 30 30
9 – Pacific Palisades 35 35 35 35 40 40
R10 – Downtown LA
Freeway Express 3 trips - 3 trips - - -
R12 – UCLA/Westwood
& Overland Ave 12 12 12 20 20-25 20-25
14 – Bundy Dr &
Centinela Ave 15 15 15 20 30 30
15 – Barrington Ave 50-60 50 50 50-60 - -
16 – Wilshire Blvd/Bundy
Dr – Marina del Rey 25 25 25 30 - -
17 – UCLA – VA Medical
Center - Palms 15 15 15 30 28-30 28-30
18 – UCLA – Abbot
Kinney – Marina del Rey 30 30 30 30 30 30
41 – 17th St Station – SMC
– Montana 20 20 20 - - -
43 – 26th St & San
Vicente Blvd 30 30 30 30 45 45
44 – 17th St Station – SMC
– Ocean Park 20 20 20 - - -
13 Table 4: Service Frequency Comparison
Service Category AM
Peak Midday PM Peak Evening Saturday Sunday
Minority Route
Frequencies 23.6 11.5 23.6 21.7 22.7 22.7
Number of Minority
Routes Operating
(4) (3) (4) (3) (3) (3)
Non-Minority Route
Frequencies

26.9 27.1 27.1 31.5 28.1 28.1
Number of NonMinority Routes
Operating
(13) (13) (13) (11) (8) (8)
Low-Income Route
Frequencies

23.3 15.9 23.3 20.5 20.5 20.5
Number of Lowincome Routes
Operating
(6) (5) (6) (5) (5) (5)
Non-Low-Income
Route Frequencies 27.7 28.0 27.9 34.4 31.5 31.52
Number of Non-LowIncome Routes
Operating
(11) (11) (11) (9) (6) (6)

3.3 Span of Service
Span of service defines how many hours each day a certain route will operate. A longer span of service allows a route to serve more riders throughout the day for a wider variety of purposes. Longer span of service also results in more operating costs.

Span of service is based on rider demand and the corridor served rather than on the category of service (Local, Rapid, etc.). For example, a Local route serving a major corridor with high ridership may operate more hours in the day than a Local route serving a smaller, secondary corridor with lower ridership. When determining span of service, connecting routes should be coordinated to maintain transfer connections.
14 Table 5: High Ridership Corridor Span of Service
Weekday Weekend
Start Time End Time Start Time End Time
5am-6am Midnight 6am-7am Midnight
Table 6: Low Ridership Corridor Span of Service
Weekday Weekend
Start Time End Time Start Time End Time
5am-6am 10pm 6am-7am 9pm
In Table 7, the average start and end times, along with the span of service, are compared between minority and non-minority routes, and low-income and nonlow-income routes for each service day type.

Table 7: Comparison of Service Start Times and Spans
Day of
Service Service Category
No. of
Lines in
Service
Avg. Time
Service
Begins
Avg.

Time
Service
Ends
Avg. Span
of Service
(hours)
Weekday
Minority routes 4 5:28 22:17 16.8
Non-minority routes 13 6:08 20:48 14.7
Low-Income routes 6 5:52 21:46 15.9
Non-low-income
routes 11 6:02 20:49 14.8
Weekend
Minority routes 3 6:44 22:16 15.5
Non-minority routes 8 6:56 21:40 14.7
Low-Income routes 5 7:08 22:08 15.0
Non-low-income
routes 6 6:40 21:34 14.9

3.4 On-time Performance
On-Time Performance defines a minimum threshold that Big Blue Bus should meet regarding the percentage of total daily trips and timepoints that are recorded as on-time. On-time performance reflects both the quality and reliability of service.

Big Blue Bus defines “on-time” as one (1) minute before to five (5) minutes after the scheduled timepoint, disregarding early arrivals at the final timepoint. 15 The goal of 85% on-time performance system-wide is a common industry standard, which allows for some level of service variability while maintaining the reasonable expectation of reliability for riders.

In Table 8 below, average on-time performance is shown for each route showing data between July 2024 and June 2025. Tables 14 and 15 show on-time performance compared between minority and non-minority lines, and low-income and non-lowincome routes.

Table 8: On-time Performance by Route
Route
Ridership exceeds
percent minority
ridership systemwide
Ridership exceeds
percent low-income
ridership systemwide
Average OnTime
Performance
Systemwide - - 71.8%
Route 1 No Yes 68.0%
Route 2 No Yes 73.3%
Route 3 No No 69.8%
Route 5 No No 64.0%
Route 7 Yes Yes 67.7%
Route 8 No No 58.7%
Route 9 No No 67.6%
Rapid 10 Yes Yes 77.4%
Rapid 12 Yes Yes 80.5%
Route 14 No No 72.5%
Route 15 No No 73.8%
Route 16 No No 67.5%
Route 17 Yes No 72.3%
Route 18 No Yes 70.1%
Route 41 No No 70.1%
Route 43 No No 76.7%
Route 44 No No 90.2%
16 Table 9: On-Time Performance Comparison
Minority Routes Non-Minority
Routes
Difference: Minority to
Non-Minority +/ (-)
Average On-time
Performance 74.5% 70.9% 13.6%
Table 10: On-time Performance Comparison
Low-Income
Routes
Non-lowincome RoutesDifference: Low-income to
Non-low-income +/ (-)
Average On-time
Performance 72.8% 71.2% 1.6%
4 Service Policies

4.1 Transit Amenities
Transit agencies must maintain standards for the distribution of transit amenities.

Big Blue Bus has significant authority over bus stop improvements and amenities within the City of Santa Monica while bus stops located in neighboring cities and jurisdictions are often subject to external policies that Big Blue Bus must adhere to.

Transit amenities are allocated based on ridership activity (total number of average daily weekday boardings).

Table 11 outlines the stop amenity policy for distribution of resources based on stoplevel boardings.

Table 11 Big Blue Bus Amenity Thresholds
Average Daily Boardings Bus Stop Classification Amenities Provided ALL STOPS All stops Printed public information
kiosk plus adequate lighting
20 - 49 BOARDINGS Low volume Above plus seating
50 - 99 BOARDINGS Medium volume Above plus shelter or shade 100 - 749 BOARDINGS High volume Above plus real-time signage.

Waste receptacles (optional).
750 OR MORE BOARDINGS Very high volume Above plus multiple shelters or extra-large shelter.
17 4.2 Vehicle Fleet
Big Blue Bus operates CNG and battery-electric buses:

Table 12: Big Blue Bus Vehicle Fleet*
Bus Series
Number
Year
Built Make Model # of Buses Seats Fleet Type Fuel
2501 - 2515 2025 GILLIG G28B 5 30 35’ BEB
2101-2118 2021 GILLIG G28D 18 39 40’ BEB
1827 2019 GILLIG G28D 1 39 40’ BEB
1808-1826 2018 GILLIG G31D 19 39 40’ CNG
1801-1807 2018 GILLIG G31E102N2 7 26 30’ CNG
1707-1725 2017 GILLIG G31D102N4 19 39 40’ CNG
1706 2017 GILLIG G27D102N4 1 39 40’ CNG
1701-1705 2016 GILLIG G27D102N4 5 39 40’ CNG
1600-1603 2015 GILLIG G27E102N2 4 26 30’ CNG
1500-1510 2015 GILLIG G27D102N4 11 39 40’ CNG
1560 -1566 2015 NEW FLYER XN60 7 56 60’ CNG
1345 - 1357 2014 GILLIG G27D102N4 13 39 40’ CNG
1301-1344 2013 GILLIG G27D102N4 43 39 40’ CNG
1300 2012 GILLIG G27D102N4 1 39 40’ CNG
5300 -
5320 2011 NABI 60BRT-14.02 20 51 60’ CNG
3868 -
3876 2011 NABI 40LFW-14.01 9 36 40’ CNG
2905 -
2914 2011 EL
DORADO

EZR II- BRT
32' 6 29 32’ CNG
2900 -
2904 2010 EL
DORADO

EZR II- BRT
32' 4 29 32’ CNG
*As of 6/30/2025

4.3 Vehicle Assignment
Big Blue Bus assigns vehicles based on service category and vehicle capacity. Prior to a service change, scheduling staff make vehicle recommendations by block. A block consists of the trips that make up an operator’s daily work assignment.

Dispatch staff assigns vehicles, accounting for vehicle availability, maintenance holds, and operational needs. Due to the interlining of routes throughout the Big Blue Bus system, a vehicle is likely to operate on several different routes throughout the day. The average age of the Big Blue Bus fleet is 9.8 years old with new buses replaced when they have exceeded their useful life.
18 There are currently four vehicle types in the Big Blue Bus fleet (30’, 35’, 40’, 60’).

Table 13 shows the type of vehicles that are assigned by route and the number of vehicles operating during peak service.

Table 13: Big Blue Bus Vehicle Assignment
Route
Demographics
exceeds
percent
minority
ridership
systemwide
Demographics
exceeds
percent lowincome
ridership
systemwide
Fleet Type
Number
of Peak
Vehicles
Route 1 No Yes 40’ 13
Route 2 No Yes 40’ 6
Route 3 No No 40’ or 60’ 14
Route 5 No No 40’ 3
Route 7 Yes Yes 40’ 23
Route 8 No No 40’ 6
Route 9 No No 40’ 4
Rapid 10 Yes Yes 40' 2
Rapid 12 Yes Yes 40’ 7
Route 14 No No 40’ 11
Route 15 No No 40’ 1
Route 16 No No 30’ or 35’ 5
Route 17 Yes No 40’ 10
Route 18 No Yes 30’, 35’, or 40’ 6
Route 41 No No 30’, 35’, or 40’ 2
Route 43 No No 30’ or 35’ 3
Route 44 No No 40’ 4

4.4 Vehicle Amenities
All fleet vehicles are ADA compliant, with wheelchair lifts/ramps and kneeling capabilities. Other vehicle amenities include air conditioning, bike racks, and realtime digital signage onboard. Fleet vehicles also have design and operational elements to assist visually impaired or hearing-impaired passengers, including:
similar seating configurations, voice annunciators on the bus and at bus stops, and new shelter signage to improve readability and information access for riders with disabilities.
19 4.5 Vehicle Load
Vehicle loads are monitored by the Planning division, which reviews customer feedback regarding overload conditions and hosts quarterly service review sessions with Motor Coach Operators to identify overcrowded trips. Planning staff then review the ridership data and, if warranted, may schedule additional trips to address overloaded trips at the next available service change.

Table 14: Vehicle Load by Route
Route
Ridership
exceeds
percent
minority
ridership
systemwide
Ridership
exceeds
percent lowincome
ridership
systemwide
Average Load
Route 1 No Yes 17
Route 2 No Yes 12
Route 3 No No 16
Route 5 No No 6
Route 7 Yes Yes 17
Route 8 No No 15
Route 9 No No 10
Rapid 10 Yes Yes 14
Rapid 12 Yes Yes 16
Route 14 No No 13
Route 15 No No 6
Route 16 No No 8
Route 17 Yes No 12
Route 18 No Yes 11
Route 41 No No 6
Route 43 No No 7
Route 44 No No 3
20 Table 15: Vehicle Load Comparison
Minority and
Low-Income
Routes
Non-Minority
and Non-LowIncome Routes
Difference:

Minority to NonMinority
+/ (-)
Average Load 13.0 9.3 3.7

4.6 Information Dissemination
Big Blue Bus strives to keep all riders informed of day-to-day service operations as well as any service changes that may affect their commutes. In making information available through printed materials, online, over the phone, in person, and in multiple languages, the staff is committed to ensuring that all riders can access the necessary information.

Customer service staff can also provide transit information to individuals who do not have access to the internet. Many staff members are multi-lingual and can provide trip-planning assistance for non-English speaking riders. There is a separate information line for riders who are hearing impaired, and improvements have been made to the Big Blue Bus website to assist visually disabled users. Big Blue Bus also works with various City Departments to access senior and disabled groups to ensure dissemination of information and address access issues for all types of riders.

Printed material of service changes is available in the form of “take-one” cards on board buses. City public libraries and public facilities also maintain transit information racks. The website, www.bigbluebus.com, offers a trip planner, up-todate route and schedule information, information for passengers with disabilities, and any service changes or facility improvements. Users can also subscribe to an email list whereby Big Blue Bus can directly contact them with transit updates Big Blue Bus also makes use of various social media channels such as Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly known as Twitter) to reach riders with service-related advisories and information.

In terms of language access, Big Blue Bus ensures that service improvements, along with route and policy changes, are published in multiple languages in local area publications. Most information is available in Spanish and can be obtained in additional languages upon request.
21 Public notice of Title VI is posted on the Big Blue Bus website at www.bigbluebus.com and posted on each of our buses for fixed route service. 5 Current Activities
The section below details various activities related to public engagement policy, public outreach, fare changes, current federal grants, as well as a timeline of service changes by route implemented by Big Blue Bus since the last Title VI Program update.

5.1 Community Outreach
Public hearings, rider surveys, community workshops, school and city-sponsored fairs/festivals are held throughout the year as forums for distributing information and collecting input to identify travel needs and to solicit comments on proposed service changes and improvements. At least one series of outreach meetings are conducted annually. Receiving input from community stakeholders and riders on a frequent basis allows Big Blue Bus to implement a “rider driven” planning approach to provide the best possible service for passengers.

Big Blue Bus has standardized policies and procedures for conducting public hearings and these are provided in the Appendix as Attachment F. The following major service changes require a Service Equity Analysis and public outreach, a public hearing, and potential City Council approval:
• A route change that impacts 25 percent or more of a route’s linear mileage. • Service span or frequency changes affecting 25 percent or more of a route’s revenue hours.
• Proposed service that is expected to be operated more than twelve (12) months, including pilot programs.
• Elimination of a route that has been operated for more than twelve (12) months, including pilot programs.
• Any combination of proposed route changes that cumulatively impact 5 percent or more of the total system revenue hours.
• Any permanent fare or fare media change (subject to a Fare Equity Analysis). • Proposed changes that are anticipated to be contentious with the public. 22 Efforts are made to encourage participation by minorities in hearings and outreach events. Notices for hearings are published in a range of publications including newspapers for Spanish-speaking residents.

See Attachment G for a list of community outreach activities.

5.2 Service Changes
Since the last Title VI Plan update, Big Blue Bus has made several changes. Service changes between December 2022 – August 2025, by route, include:
• Route 1
o No change
• Route 2
o No change
• Route 3
o Route 3 was rerouted to service the new LAX/Metro Transit Center in June 2025
o Service frequency was increased to every 10 mins
• Rapid 3
o Service discontinued in August 2025
o See Attachment H for service equity analysis
• Route 5
o No change
• Route 7
o Increased frequency to every 7.5-10 minutes on weekdays • Rapid 7
o Service discontinued in August 2025
o See Attachment H for service equity analysis
• Route 8
o Weekday frequency changed to every 20-30 minutes during AM and PM peak periods
• Route 9
o Service was temporarily suspended due to Palisades Fire in January 2025.
o Service reinstated at reduced service levels in August 2025. • Rapid 10
o No Change
• Rapid 12
o Increased frequency to 10-11 minutes on weekdays
23 • Route 14
o Weekday frequency changed to every 15 minutes
o Re-routed from Westchester/Veterans K Line Station to the Culver City Transit Center
o See Attachment I for service equity analysis
• Route 15
o No change
• Route 16
o Extended to Playa Del Rey
• Route 17
o Weekday frequency increased to every 15 minutes
o Earlier and later operating hours on weekdays
• Route 18
o No change
• Route 41
o No change
• Route 42
o Service was discontinued
o See Attachment H for service equity analysis
• Route 43
o Service span was increased on weekdays during midday and into the evening, extended to Downtown Santa Monica
o Weekend service was introduced
o See Attachment H for service equity analysis
• Route 44
o Route 44 was reduced to every 20 minutes
o Re-Routed to serve Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center. 24 5.3 Fares
Fare changes went into effect in August 2025. Prior to the changes, a fare equity analysis of the proposed fare structure found that the changes would not result in a disparate impact on the minority population or a disproportionate burden on the low-income population. See Attachment I for fare equity analysis.

Table 16: Fare Structure
The latest fare information effective August 2025 is below. Fare information can also be found on the Fare Information section - Bigbluebus.com Fare Product Current Fare
Single Ride
Regular (TAP/Mobile) $1.25
Regular (Cash) $1.50
Senior/Disabled/Medicare (S/D/M) (TAP/Mobile) $0.60
Senior/Disabled/Medicare (S/D/M) (Cash) $0.75
1-Day Pass
Regular $4.50
Senior/Disabled/Medicare (S/D/M) $1.75
7-Day Pass
Regular $16
10 Rides Pass
Regular $10
Senior/Disabled/Medicare (S/D/M) $5
30-Day Pass
Regular $55
Senior/Disabled/Medicare (S/D/M) $27
25 5.4 Federally Assisted Projects
Big Blue Bus federally funded projects include the ongoing bus replacement program and the future implementation of a bus shelter program in the City of Santa Monica portion of the service area. Table 17, below, shows active federal grants.

Table 17 Active Federal Grants
Grant Description Total Grant
Amount
CA-90-Y770 Bus Stop Improvements $ 4,200,000
CA-90-Z102 Bus Replacement, Expo Study, Bus Stop
Amenities $15,636,765
CA-2016-103 Bus Stop Improvement, Expo Study $2,180,000 CA-2020-174 Bus Replacements, Bus Stop Enhancement
(7th Street) $16,048,887
CA-2023-133 Bus Replacements and Service Vehicles $14,201,336 CA-2024-067 Bus Replacements $28,800,000
CA-2025-162 Bus Replacements (pending grant execution) $64,960,000 26 6 Appendix

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
27 6.1 Attachment A
Title VI Notice to the Public
Service Alerts (/Newsroom/Content.aspx?type=Alerts) Route 17: Detour near Venice Blvd. (/Newsroom/Service-Alerts/Route-17--Detour-nea Civil Rights
Title VI Policy
City of Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus (BBB) is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, its service on the basis of race, color or national origin, in accordance to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.

No person or group of persons will be discriminated against with regard to fares, routing, scheduling or quality of transportation service the BBB furnishes on the basis of race, color or national origin.

To request additional information regarding Title VI, please contact: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]).

Civil Rights Complaint Procedure
In addition to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, BBB also prohibits discrimination based on sex, age, disability, religion, medical condition, marital status or sexual orientation.

If you believe you have been discriminated against on the basis of race, color, or national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, medical condition, marital status or sexual orientation by BBB you may file a Civil Rights complaint by completing and submitting the Civil Rights Complaint Form. BBB investigates complaints received no more than 180 days after the alleged incident.

Translated to: English Show original Options ▼
How to File a Complaint
You may file a signed, written complaint within one hundred and eighty (180) days of the date of alleged discrimination. The complaint should include the following information:

Your name, address and how to contact you (e.g. telephone number, e-mail address, etc.) How, when, where and why you believe you were discriminated against. Include the location, names and contact information of any witnesses.

Complaint Assistance: A BBB Customer Service Assistant will assist with writing a complaint, if the complainant is unable to do so.

Online:

Click the button blow to submit a Civil Rights complaint online.

Submit Civil Rights Complaint (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/title-vi-english) The Civil Rights Complaint Form is also available in the following languages:

Armenian (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/title-vi-armenian) Chinese (https://zh.surveymonkey.com/r/title-vi-chinese) Farsi (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/title-vi-farsi)
Japanese (https://jp.surveymonkey.com/r/title-vi-japanese) Korean (https://ko.surveymonkey.com/r/title-vi-korean)
Spanish (https://es.surveymonkey.com/r/title-vi-spanish) Mail:

Bridget Cade, Administrative Services Officer
City of Santa Monica Big Blue Bus
1660 7th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Email:
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) Telephone:
310-451-5444
In Person:
1444 4th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401 (https://www.bigbluebus.com/About-BBB/Main-Office.aspx) Monday - Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Saturday: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m. (only phone assistance available) You may also file a complaint directly with either of the two following agencies:

Federal Transit Administration Region IX (http://www.fta.dot.gov/about/region9.html) Civil Rights Officer
201 Mission Street, Suite 1650
San Francisco, CA 94105-1839
Federal Transit Administration Office of Civil Rights (https://www.transit.dot.gov/regulations-andguidance/civil-rights-ada/civil-rightsada) Attention: Title VI Program Coordinator
East Building, 5th Floor - TCR
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20590
Title VI Complaint Procedures, Timing and Investigating Any person who believes that he or she individually or as a member of any specific class of persons, has been subjected to discrimination on the basis of race color, national origin may file a written complaint with BBB, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) or the Secretary of Transportation. Further, BBB prohibits intimidation, coercion or engagement in other discriminatory conduct against anyone because he or she has filed a complaint to secure rights protected by Title VI.

A signed complaint must be filed within 180 days after the date of the alleged discrimination. BBB encourages that complaints are initially filed with BBB for resolution. Upon receipt, BBB will review it to determine if our office has jurisdiction. The complainant will receive an acknowledgement letter informing her/him whether the complaint will be investigated by our office.

BBB has 90 days to investigate the complaint. If more information is needed to resolve the case, BBB may contact the complainant. The complainant has 15 business days from the date of the letter to send requested information to the investigator assigned to the case. If the investigator is not contacted by the complainant or does not receive the additional information within 60 business days, BBB can administratively close the case. A case can be administratively closed also if the complainant no longer wishes to pursue their case.

Determination
After the investigator reviews the complaint, she/he will issue one of two letters to the complainant: a closure letter or a letter of finding (LOF). A closure letter summarizes the allegations and states that there was not a Title VI violation and that the case will be closed. An LOF summarizes the allegations and the interviews regarding the alleged incident, and explains whether any disciplinary action, additional training of the staff member, or other action will occur.

Safe at Home
(https://www.santamonica.gov/SafeAtHome)
28 6.2 Attachment B
Title VI Complaint Form and Internal Procedures
City of Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus (BBB) is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, its service on the basis of race, color or national origin, in accordance to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.

If you believe you have been discriminated against on the basis of race, color, or national origin by BBB, you may file a signed Title VI complaint by completing and submitting the Civil Rights Complaint Form. When submitting the compliant, please explain as clearly as possible what happened and why you believe you were discriminated against. Describe all persons who were involved, and provide the location where the alleged incident occurred. Include the name and contact information of the person(s) who discriminated against you (if known), as well as names and contact information of any witnesses.

BBB investigates complaints received no more than 180 days after the alleged incident.

To request additional information regarding Title VI, please contact:
[email protected]
Section I
Name
Address
City/Town
State/Province
ZIP/Postal Code
Country
Email Address
Phone Number
* Please provide your contact information:

Section II
* Are you filing this complaint on your own behalf?
Yes
No
Section II
Name
Relationship
* Please provide the name and relationship of the person for whom you are complaining:
* Please explain why you have filed for a third party:
* Please confirm that you have obtained the permission of the aggrieved party if you are filing on behalf of a third party.

Yes
No
Section III
* I believe the discrimination I experienced was based on (select all that apply):

Race
Color
Disability
Sex
Age
Medical Condition
Religion
Sexual Orientation
National Origin
Martial Status
Date / Time of alleged discrimination:

Date
MM/DD/YYYY hh mm
Time
-
AM/PM
* Please provide the date and time of the alleged discrimination:
* Please provide details about your trip on Big Blue Bus:

Route Number
Direction of Travel
North
South
East
West
Intersection
Bus Number
Operator ID
Section IV
* Explain as clearly as possible what happened and why you believe you were discriminated against. Describe all persons who were involved, and provide the location where the alleged incident occurred. Include the name and contact information of the person(s) who discriminated against you (if known), as well as names and contact information of any witnesses.
* Have you previously filed a Title VI complaint with this agency? Yes
No
Section V
* Have you filed this complaint with any other Federal, State, or local agency, or with any Federal or State court?
Yes
No
Section V
* Please indicate where this complaint was filed (select all that apply):

Federal Agency
Federal Court
State Court
State Agency
Local Agency
Name
Title
Agency
Address
City/Town
State/Province
ZIP/Postal Code
Email Address
Phone Number
* Please provide information about a contact person at the agency/court where the complaint was filed.

Section VI
No file chosen
You may attach any documents that you think are relevant to your complaint. * Type your name below to verify this form.**
**By submitting this form, you agree that: (1) you have read, understand and accept the terms for procedures for tracking and investigating Civil Rights complaints and (2) you affirm that the information above is true to the best of your knowledge.

DATE: 4/03/2025
CATEGORY: Standard Operating Procedures
SUBJECT: Escalating Santa Monica 311 Tickets for ADA/Civil Rights Violations WRITTEN BY: Kennisha Williams; UPDATED BY: Camila Miranda What To Do When – Escalating Santa Monica 311 Tickets for ADA/Civil Rights/LEP Violations
20-
002
Background
The City of Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus (BBB) is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied benefits of, its services on the basis of race, color or national origin, as protected by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.

No person or group of persons will be discriminated against regarding fares, routing, scheduling or quality of transportation service that BBB furnishes on the basis of race, color or national origin.

BBB also prohibits discrimination based on disability, medical condition, sex, age, language, religion, marital status or sexual orientation. In addition to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity and access for person with disabilities.

Persons Involved
• Customer Service Assistant
o Creates Santa Monica 311 ticket on customer’s behalf
o Categorizes complaint as BBB Bus Operator Concerns (or other) and follows protocol for 311 tickets under same category
• Customer Service Assistant assigned to handle escalated tickets o Receives notification of ticket via email or 311 Compass o Runs playback to substantiate incident
o Attaches ticket and sends email template
o Forwards to Operations for investigation
o Responds to Customer acknowledging receipt of ticket, apologizing for incident and notifying of the completion of investigation (found on Canned Responses) • Operations Supervisor / Haseebullah Barakzai
o Investigates the claim
o Determines if claim is an incident or non-incident
o Takes action with Operator
• Human Resources / Bridget Cade
o Receives special case tickets that violate or potentially violate LEP, ADA and other Civil Rights
o Views DVR and awaits outcome of Operations investigation o Responds to customer via written letter, email, or phone conversation Steps in Process for CSA Overseeing Escalations

1. Review ticket and determine if ticket needs to be escalated o Look for keywords or phrases that indicate a possible violation of rights ▪ Customer is disabled/in a wheelchair
▪ Customer is elderly/uses a walker or cane
▪ Customer felt he/she was discriminated against because of race, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, language, etc.

2. Take information received from customer and to confirm/substantiate claim in Clever CAD/ Swiftly Playback
o Please watch training videos under Bus Operator Concerns for basic introduction to Playback for both Swiftly and Clever programs

Clever:

Swiftly:

o Does the information that customer provided match what is shown in Playback? ▪ Yes – the incident is substantiated
▪ No – the incident is unsubstantiated
o Note: Playback can also help fill in any information the customer did not or could not provide

3. Once incident is substantiated, send email to customer apologizing for incident and informing him/her that the ticket has been forwarded to Operations for further review. o IMPORTANT: IF customer requested a callback from a Supervisor, be sure to email Luz Ramirez and let her know the customer is awaiting a call back. ▪ You can send an email through Compass but make sure not to include the customer in order to avoid the customer having a direct line to a Supervisor. • Make sure you are doing this every single time a customer requests a callback, even if the ticket is not an ADA concern
o Use the Canned Response: “We will follow-up with operator incident” o If incident is unsubstantiated:
▪ Note your findings in the internal notes and if customer provides contact information, reach out to customer.
• If customer provides email, send canned response: “More information needed” and set a deadline of 14 days for customer to respond • If customer provides a phone number, give customer a call and request more information over the phone or request they send you a written email to your CSA email
o If customer does not answer, leave a detailed message with your contact information as the CSA and request customer to give you a callback within 14 days
• If customer does not respond to either email or phone communication within the deadline you set, update the Work Notes that you attempted to contact customer with no response.
o Close the ticket citing that the claims made by customer could not be verified using internal resources.

4. Save a PDF a copy of the ticket and save in ‘Escalated Santa Monica 311 Tickets’ folder o On Compass 311, once you are opened to the specific ticket, press the 3 lines on the top left corner and open up “Additional actions.”
▪ Press “Export” and save as “Export (Portrait)” on desktop or OneDrive

5. Attach copy of ticket PDF Portrait to your escalated email

6. Send email to the following:
o To: Bridget Cade, Jabryan Donald, Liberty Nacional
o CC: Robert McCall (Manager), Haseebullah Barakzai (Operations Supervisor overseeing Santa Monica 311 tickets), and Luz Ramirez (Supervisor) o Use the following template:
o Subject: Escalated SaMo 311 Ticket - Possible Civil Rights Violation Hello all,
Please see the attached Santa Monica 311 ticket #[number] regarding a possible Civil Rights Violation.

Reasoning for ADA Escalation

1. Membership/Affiliation to Protected Class
o Yes/No – [state membership/affiliation to Protected Class i.e. age, race, disability, etc.]

2. Alleged Discrimination on Basis of Membership/Affiliation of Protected Class o Yes/No – [state alleged discrimination on basis of membership of protected class]

3. Biased Treatment
o Yes/No— [state biased treatment, if any, that customer experienced]

4. Unfair Treatment
o Yes – [Briefly state the reason for the escalation]
Swiftly GPS Playback has been performed to substantiate the claim, and the ticket has been forwarded to Operations for further review. The MCO was [Name] [(ID)] operating bus [number]. Liberty, would you kindly retrieve the video footage from unit [bus number]? Please let me know if I can answer any additional questions.

Thank you,
[Your name]

7. Update work notes and forward ticket to Operations
o Click magnifying glass next to ‘Assignment group’
▪ In the popup window, click ‘BBB – Operations’
o Click magnifying glass next to ‘Assignment to’
▪ In the popup window, click ‘Haseebullah Barakzai’
o Click Update
o Ticket is then re-assigned to Supervisor Haseebullah Barakzai o Barakzai and Operations team investigate the issue which includes reviewing DVR footage and taking appropriate action with Operator
▪ Note: Appropriate action can be that the Operator was coached and counseled about the incident. Or the Operator may receive a Record of Event (R.O.E). This internal information remains confidential and is never disclosed to the customer.
o Barakzai updates work notes and closes the ticket

8. In addition to Operations reviewing ticket, Bridget Cade also requests a copy of the DVR provided to her by Liberty Nacional

9. Upon reviewing the DVR, Bridget determines if incident is an ADA/LEP/Civil Rights violation or lack of customer service (i.e. driver being rude but not violating rights) o If incident was ADA/LEP/Civil Rights Violation, Bridget will draft a response to customer directly
o If incident was lack of customer service, Bridget will advise, and Operations can close the ticket using the following template:

Dear [insert customer name],
Big Blue Bus has a civil rights policy that ensures that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied benefits to, its services on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, medical condition, marital status, or sexual orientation. It appears from the evidence that you provided that the issue(s) you raised do not involve a violation of civil rights but does in fact constitute a complaint. Big Blue Bus has conducted an investigation into your claims and appropriate action has been taken as warranted.

Complaints initiated against [specify and insert an Operator/Big Blue Bus] are regarded as a serious personnel matter and the outcome of these investigations are kept confidential.

Thank you for providing your feedback. We look forward to continuing to serving you again in the future.

Regards,
[insert name]
Big Blue Bus

10. If Bridget drafts a response, she will email a copy of the response to CSA o Note that at most times, her investigation takes an extensive amount of time, and the ticket will likely be closed.
o Save PDF of Bridget’s response and attach copy of response to ticket ▪ You can drag the PDF to Compass and it will automatically save o Reply to Bridget’s email letting her know that her response was attached to ticket 29 6.3 Attachment C
Limited English Proficiency Plan
1 Big Blue Bus
Limited English Proficiency Plan
Introduction
Big Blue Bus, a service of the City of Santa Monica, has operated in the city and throughout the westside of Los Angeles County since 1928. Servicing an area of 58 square miles, Big Blue Bus provides fast and frequent service to communities such as Mar Vista, Sawtelle, Westwood, Pacific Palisades, Mid City, Palms, Playa Vista, Marina Del Rey, Culver City and regional destinations that include the new LAX Metro Transit Center and Downtown Los Angeles. Big Blue Bus also provides important connections to LA Metro Bus and Rail lines, Metrolink and other local transit agencies.
2 Big Blue Bus currently operates 17 bus routes with a fleet of 193 buses. The routes include fixed-route local, limited-stop (Rapid), and commuter express, and regularly scheduled circulators that target community needs. There are over 950 bus stops in the Big Blue Bus service area. Big Blue Bus provides transportation for over 32,000 passengers per day and has constant interactions with individuals with varying degrees of ability to speak and/or understand English. For this reason, Big Blue Bus has developed this Limited English Proficiency Plan.

Purpose
On August 11, 2000, President Bill Clinton signed Executive Order 13166, “Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency,” which stated that recipients of Federal financial assistance must take reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access to their programs and activities for individuals who are limitedEnglish proficient (LEP). The U.S. Department of Transportation handbook, titled “Implementing the Department of Transportation’s Policy Guidance Concerning Recipients’ Responsibilities to Limited English Proficient (LEP) Persons: A Handbook for Public Transportation Providers (April 13, 2007)” (hereinafter “Handbook”), further expanded on the 2000 Executive Order by stating that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq., and its implementing regulations, provide that no person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity that receives Federal financial assistance (Handbook, page 5).

The Handbook further adds that Title VI prohibits conduct that has a disproportionate effect on LEP persons because such conduct constitutes national origin discrimination (Handbook, page 5). LEP individuals, are defined by the United States Census as someone age 5 or older who speaks a language other than English at home and speaks English less than "very well." In Los Angeles County, according to the 2022 American Community Survey, approximately 23.5 percent of Los Angeles County residents describe themselves as not able to communicate in English “very well”. This is equivalent to 2.17 million people.
3 Big Blue Bus takes reasonable steps to ensure that all people have meaningful access to its programs, services, and information at no additional cost. LEP individuals on average are more likely to take public transit than non-LEP individuals. It is important that Big Blue Bus communicates effectively with all its riders. Big Blue Bus welcomes comments or suggestions that would further the effectiveness of this plan and/or our ability to communicate more effectively with our customers.

Determination of Need
To develop this policy, Big Blue Bus has followed the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) four-factor LEP analysis which considers the following factors:
1) The number or proportion of LEP persons in the service area who may be served or are likely to encounter a Big Blue Bus program, activity, or service. 2) The frequency with which LEP individuals come into contact with Big Blue Bus programs, activities, or services.
3) The nature and importance of the program, activity, or service provided. 4) The resources available and cost.

This analysis helps determine whether Big Blue Bus’s work is sufficient to ensure that service is accessible to all those who rely upon fixed-route service for their transportation needs. This plan includes information on goals and tasks for Big Blue Bus to monitor and improve its accessibility to LEP persons.

Factor 1: Number or Proportion of LEP persons served
or encountered in Big Blue Bus’s service Area
An analysis of American Community Survey data provides a profile of LEP individuals in Big Blue Bus’s service area, which is defined as Census Block Groups within a half mile from a Big Blue Bus stop. Big Blue Bus’s service area constitutes 595 Census Block Groups entirely within Los Angeles County. This data is used to determine the approximate number of LEP persons age 5 years or older. Table 1 shows the number and percent of persons who speak English “less than very well,” 4 by language spoken at home, and who are age five and older in Big Blue Bus’s service area.

As indicated, 87.0 percent of the population within the Big Blue Bus service area has English proficiency, while 13.0 percent of the population is considered limited English proficient. The most spoken language in the Big Blue Bus’s service area other than English is Spanish. Spanish LEP speakers represent almost half (46.1 percent) of LEP speakers, or 6.0 percent of the total population within Big Blue Bus’s service area. The languages most spoken after Spanish are Korean, Chinese dialects, Farsi, Japanese, Russian, and Tagalog/Filipino.

In LA County, 23.5 percent of the population is considered limited English proficient.

Within Los Angeles County, 15.9 percent are Spanish-speaking and limited English proficient. Because Spanish is the most spoken language (outside of English) used in Los Angeles County, Big Blue Bus has developed much of its public literature to be printed in English and Spanish. Big Blue Bus has also worked to hire individuals for the Transit Store who are capable of communicating effectively in both English and Spanish.

Table 1: Population of LEP persons in Big Blue Bus’s Service Area Category # of people % of population
Total Service Area Population: 808,878 100%
Total Limited English Proficient (LEP) Population: 104,982 13.0% Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates 2023-2019, by census tract Table 2: Language Spoken at home by LEP persons for population 5 years or older in Big Blue Bus’s Service Area
Language Estimate % of Total LEP Population
Total LEP Population 104,982 100%
Spanish
Speak English less than “very well” 53,228 46.1%
Korean
Speak English less than “very well” 19,270 16.7%
Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese, other
dialects)
Speak English less than “very well” 9,465 8.2%
Farsi
Speak English less than “very well” 6,959 6.0%
Japanese
Speak English less than “very well” 2,631 2.3%
Russian
Speak English less than “very well” 2,594 2.2%
5 Tagalog (Include Filipino)
Speak English less than “very well” 2,292 2.0%
All other languages (Below 1%)
Speak English less than “very well” 8,543 8.1%
Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates 2023-2019, by census Tract Table 3: Population of LEP persons in all of Los Angeles County Language Estimate % of population
Total 9,232,745 100%
Speak only English 4,169,105 45.2%
Speak another language and English “very well” 2,892,347 31.3% Speak English less than "very well" 2,171,293 23.5%
Spanish 3,480,588 37.70%
Speak English "very well" 2,012,283 21.8%
Speak English
less than "very well" 1,468,305

15.9%
Chinese 369,258 4.00%
Speak English "very well" 157,267 1.70%
Speak English less than "very well" 211,991 2.30%
Tagalog (incl. Filipino): 205,160 2.22%
Speak English "very well" 136,581 1.48%
Speak English less than "very well" 68,579 0.74%
Armenian 173,320 1.88%
Speak English "very well" 98,910 1.07%
Speak English less than "very well" 74,410 0.81%
Korean 164,874 1.79%
Speak English "very well" 68,397 0.74%
Speak English less than "very well" 96,477 1.04%
All other languages 670,440 7.26%
Speak English "very well" 418,909 4.54%
Speak English less than "very well" 251,531 2.72%
Source: 2022 ACS Survey 1-Year Estimates
Factor 2: Frequency of Contact of LEP individuals with
Big Blue Bus’s Programs, Activities, and Services
Federal guidance recommends that agencies should, as accurately as possible, assess the frequency with which they have contact with LEP individuals, by spoken language. More frequent contact with individuals that are LEP would coincide with a greater need for enhanced services in their native language. 6 In August 2025, a survey (see below) was conducted to determine the frequency of contact with LEP individuals. The following survey was shared with Big Blue Bus Customer Service agents and Big Blue Bus Motor Coach Operators.

Survey
• In a typical work week, how often do you interact with customers/riders who speak another language other than English?
• Hardly ever
• 5 – 10 times a week
• 11 – 25 times a week
• 26 – 50 times a week
• More than 50 times a week
• What language other than English do you most often encounter while interacting with customers?
• Spanish
• Korean
• Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese, etc.)
• Japanese
• Farsi
• Tagalog (Filipino)
• Unknown
• Other
• Are you able to speak any other language(s) other than English? If so what language(s)? • No, I do not speak any other language besides English • Yes, I speak (Please specify all languages that you speak at a conversational level):

The survey was completed by 22 individuals including all five customer service representatives and 17 motor coach operators.

Table 4: Limited English Proficiency Encounters, Survey Results by question Encounters with LEP individuals: # of
responses
Percent encounter with LEP individual
Hardly Ever 1 4.86%
5 – 10 times a week 5 23.8%
11 -25 times a week 3 14.3%
26 – 50 times a week 4 19.1%
More than 50 times a week 8 38.10%
Total: 21
Language # of
responses
Percent encounter with
LEP individual
Text
Spanish 17 85.0%
Korean 1 5.0%
7 Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese,
etc.)
0 0
Japanese 1 5.0%
Farsi 0 0
Tagalog (Filipino) 0 0
Unknown 0 0
Other (Please Specify) 1 5.0% “Numerous”
Total: 20
Language # of
responses
Percent Languages
No, I do not speak any other
language than English
8 36.4%
Yes, I speak (Blank) 14 63.6% 13 Spanish
1 Italian
1 Vietnamese
Total: 22
The results of this survey provide additional insights into interactions our “front line” employees have with LEP individuals and our staff capabilities to assist LEP persons with their questions or concerns.

Factor 3: The Nature of Importance of Big Blue Bus
Services, Programs, or Activities Provided to LEP
individuals
A LEP person’s inability to effectively use public transportation may adversely affect his or her ability to obtain health care, education, or access to employment.

According to the 2023 American Community Survey, 1-Year Estimates data*, in Los Angeles County 41.6 percent of all transit riders were LEP persons aged 16 years or older compared with 30.4 percent of transit riders who only spoke English. LEP persons generally rely more heavily on public transit as their primary means of transportation than the general population.
*2023 transit ridership was still below average due to the COVID-19 pandemic Table 5: Language spoken at Home and commute choice in LA County 8 Commute mode choice by
Language spoken at Home and
Ability to Speak English
Drove Alone Carpooled Public
Transit
Worked from
home
Commute to work 3,152,184 470,002 194,530 696,247
English only 42.4% 29.0% 30.4% 61.5%
Speak language other than
English

57.6% 71.0% 69.6% 38.5%
-Speak English “Very Well” 34.7% 37.5% 28.1% 27.7%
-Speak English less than
“Very Well”

22.9% 33.5% 41.6% 10.8%
Factor 4: Resources Available to Big Blue Bus and the
Costs of Providing LEP Assistance
Big Blue Bus is committed to ensuring that resources are used to reduce barriers that limit access to information and services by LEP persons.

Current Language assistance measures used by Big Bue Bus:
1) Three of the five customer service team members are bilingual in English and Spanish. They are certified by way of a language test and are wellequipped to assist LEP customers. 2) Live interpretation at various community meetings held throughout the year upon request.
3) A Spanish-speaking representative is available by phone during regular business hours
4) Voice announcements, as well as print and digital materials, are presented in English and Spanish onboard the bus.
5) Schedules, service change announcements, and interior cards containing fare and safety policies are printed in both English and Spanish. Additional materials are translated upon request.
9 Community Outreach :
1) Big Blue Bus regularly engages with community groups, centers for older adults and persons with disabilities, and other community-based organizations where participants may benefit from fixed-route transportation services.
2) Staff members attend community gatherings and events to provide detailed information about Big Blue Bus and respond to, as well as provide in-person assistance at its customer service center in Downtown Santa Monica. 3) Community outreach locations include:

I. City of Santa Monica Main Library
II. Ken Edwards Center
III. UCLA
IV. Santa Monica College
V. Santa Monica Pier
VI. Neighborhood associations
VII. Seniors and Disability Commissions
VIII. Targeted outreach at high-volume bus stops and hubs 10 Language Assistance Plan
In developing a Limited English Proficiency Plan, FTA guidance recommends the implementation of a Language Assistance Plan, which includes the following five elements:
1) Identifying LEP individuals who need language assistance 2) Providing language assistance measures.
3) Training staff.
4) Providing notice to LEP persons of available non-English assistance 5) Monitoring and updating the LEP Plan.
• Identifying LEP Individuals Who Need Language Assistance DOT Guidance: “There should be an assessment of the number or proportion of LEP individuals eligible to be served or encountered and the frequency of encounters pursuant to the first two factors in the four-factor analysis.” The analysis under Factors 1 and 2 found that roughly 2.2 million LEP persons reside in Los Angeles County, comprising 23.5 percent of the population. Big Blue Bus’s service area comprises roughly 808,878 people of which there are an estimated 104,982 LEP persons, or 13.0 percent of Big Blue Bus’s total service area population.

Ninety-three (93) percent of Big Blue Bus’s service area population speak either English or Spanish. Therefore, Big Blue Bus publishes important public documentation in English and Spanish to address community need. • Providing Language Assistance Measures
DOT Guidance: “An effective LEP plan would likely include information about the ways in which language assistance will be provided.”
As noted under Factor 4, Big Blue Bus has many systems in place to provide LEP persons with non-English assistance. Big Blue Bus offers translation and interpretation services, Spanish-speaking customer representatives, print and digital materials in Spanish, and onboard audio announcements in Spanish. Big Blue Bus will ensure that marketing materials for upcoming projects remain accessible in both English and Spanish. Big Blue Bus routinely develops on-board printed 11 materials with pertinent rider information and posts information in English, Spanish, Farsi, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Armenian directing riders to a phone number whereby they can seek additional assistance with the language of their choice.

In order to ensure that it best serves the needs of its LEP patrons, Big Blue Bus will continue to assess language access services provided by other public agencies. • Training Staff
DOT Guidance: “Staff members should know their obligations to provide meaningful access to information and services for LEP persons. An effective LEP plan would ensure that staff knows about LEP policies and procedures and that staff having contact with the public is trained to work effectively with interpreters.” Big Blue Bus will further implement the Language Access Plan by:
• Identifying agency staff likely to encounter LEP individuals; • Identifying existing staff training opportunities and providing regular retraining for staff for dealing with LEP individual needs; and • Designing and implementing LEP training for agency staff. Big Blue Bus also mandates the following training programs for staff:
a. Motor Coach Operators take part in a robust 8-week paid training program. During their training, incoming drivers are trained on the importance of the LEP Plan and the resources that exist to support non-English speakers. More information can be found on pages 13 - 18. b. Customer Service Staff are trained on how to handle LEP customers, and Spanish-speaking customer service representatives are available via phone or in-person during operating hours. Staff routinely translate external documents, forms, and other materials, in accordance with the City of Santa Monica’s Language Access guidelines.

Customer Service Staff have been trained on how to handle LEP customers, and Spanish-speaking customer service representatives are available via phone or at the counter when the store is open for business.
12 • Providing Notice to LEP Persons
DOT Guidance: “Once an agency has decided, based on the four factors, that it will provide language services, it is important that the recipient notify LEP persons of services available free of charge.”
Big Blue Bus notifies LEP persons by posting signs in intake areas or entry points, stating in outreach documents that language services are available, and using an automated telephone voice mail system with different language options. Big Blue Bus also notifies LEP persons about existing services through community outreach efforts. Big Blue Bus staff brings Spanish-speaking representatives when they present at schools, festivals, libraries, and cultural centers about Big Blue Bus. • Monitoring and Updating the LEP Plan
DOT Guidance: “Recipients should, where appropriate, have a process for determining, on an ongoing basis, whether new documents, programs, services, and activities need to be made accessible for LEP individuals, and they may want to provide notice of any changes in services to the LEP public and to employees.” In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the LEP Plan, Big Blue Bus will closely monitor the activity and experience of LEP patrons. Big Blue Bus will track both callin and walk-in patrons to determine the number of patrons requiring referrals to outside translation services. Big Blue Bus will continue to evaluate complaints regarding language access and ensure that the community relations manager receives these complaints. Closely examining all these factors will allow Big Blue Bus to ensure it provides the best service possible to LEP patrons.

Big Blue Bus understands the value that fixed-route service can play in the lives of individuals who rely on this service. Therefore, Big Blue Bus is open to suggestions from customers of the service, staff, other transportation agencies, and the general public.
13 Motor Coach Operator Training Program
Below are slides from our latest Motor Coach Operating Program presentation.

This presentation is provided to new and interested senior Motor Coach Operators as a refresher.
14 15
16 17
18 30

6.4 Attachment D
Demographic Maps
• Minority Population by Census Block Group. Highlights all block groups where the minority population percentage is higher than the service area average of 52.3%
• Low-Income Population by Census Block Group. Highlights all block groups where the low-income population is higher than the service area average of

24.7%
• Limited English Household by Census Block Group. Highlights all tracts where the percentage of limited English households is higher than the service area average of 13.0%
0 1
2 34

6.5 Attachment E
Big Blue Bus Transit Service, Design, Performance, and Evaluation Guidelines

TRANSIT SERVICE

GUIDELINES
MARCH 2025
1 Overview ...............................................................................................................................................................2 Figure 1: Service Standard Components ...........................................................................................................2 2 Service Design......................................................................................................................................................3 Figure 2: Components of Service Design...........................................................................................................3

2.1 Service Categories.........................................................................................................................................3 Table 1: Service Categories.................................................................................................................................3

2.2 Fixed Route Design........................................................................................................................................4

2.3 Service Frequency .........................................................................................................................................4

2.4 Connectivity ...................................................................................................................................................5

2.5 Span of Service ..............................................................................................................................................5 Table 2: High Ridership Corridor Span of Service..............................................................................................5 Table 3: Low Ridership Corridor Span of Service ..............................................................................................5

2.6 Bus Assignment .............................................................................................................................................6

2.7 Stop Spacing, Placement, and Amenities ...................................................................................................6 Table 4: Stop Area Dimensions...........................................................................................................................7 Table 5: Amenities Based on Stop Activity.........................................................................................................7

2.8 Passenger Loads................................................................................................................................................8 Table 6: Passenger Load Standard .....................................................................................................................8 3 Service Performance Monitoring .............................................................................................................................9 Figure 3: Service Performance Monitoring.........................................................................................................9

3.1 Passengers per Revenue Hour .....................................................................................................................9

3.2 Farebox Recovery ..........................................................................................................................................9

3.3 On-Time Performance...................................................................................................................................9

3.4 Data Needs...................................................................................................................................................10 Table 7: Systemwide Data Needs .....................................................................................................................10 Table 8: Route-Based Data Needs....................................................................................................................10

3.5 Performance Monitoring and Reporting Schedule....................................................................................11 4 Service Evaluation...................................................................................................................................................11 Figure 4: Service Evaluation ..............................................................................................................................11

4.1 New Service Evaluation...............................................................................................................................11 Table 9: New Service Compliance....................................................................................................................12

4.2 Changes to Existing Service........................................................................................................................12 Table 10: Passengers per Revenue Hour .........................................................................................................13

4.3 Title VI Service Equity Analysis ...................................................................................................................14 1 4.4 Public Input & City Council Approval.........................................................................................................15

4.5 Annual Transit Service Plan .......................................................................................................................15 Table 11: Annual Service Plan Schedule..........................................................................................................15

4.6 Comprehensive Operational Analysis .......................................................................................................15 5 Appendices.........................................................................................................................................................16

5.1 Appendix A....................................................................................................................................................16 Santa Monica Department of Transportation Annual Report – Big Blue Bus KPIs............................................16

5.2 Appendix B ...................................................................................................................................................16 Public Hearing Procedures for Major Service or Fare Changes .........................................................................16

5.3 Appendix C...................................................................................................................................................16 Brighter Blue Five-Year Service Plan City Council presentation ........................................................................16 2 1 Overview
Since 1928, Big Blue Bus has been the primary transit provider for the City of Santa Monica as well as many surrounding portions of West Los Angeles. Service is provided to many major area destinations and transit centers, namely Downtown Santa Monica, UCLA, Santa Monica College, the LAX/Metro Transit Center, eight (8) Metro E Line Stations, Culver City Transit Center, and Downtown Los Angeles. Big Blue Bus operates on major corridors, including Santa Monica Blvd, Wilshire Blvd, Pico Blvd, Lincoln Blvd, Bundy Dr, and others.

The Big Blue Bus Transit Service Guidelines provide a framework to regularly monitor and evaluate the service and, when necessary, make modifications to ensure Big Blue Bus adapts to the evolving transit system and meets the needs of its riders. The service standards have three main components that can be divided further into integral parts related to service planning, as seen in Figure 1:

Figure 1: Service Standard Components
The Service Design standards outline how Big Blue Bus service should be designed and operated.

The Service Evaluation process analyzes and updates service plans while keeping riders, employees and visitors informed of changes.

Big Blue Bus service is planned and operated by the City of Santa Monica’s Department of Transportation (DOT). The Service Guidelines are consistent with USDOT’s Title VI Regulations, which prohibit discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin.

Service
Design
Service
Performance
Monitoring
Service
Evaluation
3 2 Service Design
Service design standards refer to how transit service is designed, implemented, and operated on the street, from route alignment and stop spacing to frequency and span of service. The standards outlined in this section are not intended to be absolute, but guidelines to develop an efficient, effective transit network.

Figure 2: Components of Service Design

2.1 Service Categories
Big Blue Bus service can be grouped into the following categories:

Table 1: Service Categories
Category Network Role Routes*
LOCAL Provides fixed route service along major and secondary corridors and serving larger local destinations and intermodal connections. 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15,
16, 17, 18, 41, 43, 44
RAPID Provides limited-stop fixed route service between destinations of strong regional importance.

R12
COMMUTER Augments the local network with additional peak-hour fixed route service to key destinations.

R10
DEMAND

RESPONSE
Provides shared curb-to-curb rides for areas where regular bus routes are impractical and for seniors and people with disabilities.

MODE
OTHER

SERVICES
Supplemental fixed route service such as school-specific trips, or “trippers,” to alleviate overcrowding or to accommodate specific school travel patterns.
9-Pali High Express
14-Paul Revere
Trippers
*Routes reflected are the result of services recommendations identified in the five-year service plan (2024 – 2029) adopted by the City Council in July 2024.

Each category of service may have different standards and expectations based on the types of markets served and the operating protocols required.

Corridors With Multiple Services – Big Blue Bus currently operates one Local/Rapid service pairings on the same corridor – Westwood Blvd. (Route 8/Rapid 12). To determine whether additional corridors may warrant Local/Rapid service, the following criteria should be met:
• Performance - Operating multiple service requires a significant investment in resources and should only be implemented on very high-performing corridors. Per section 3, Service Performance, corridors which perform at 150% of system average or better may be candidates for Rapid/Local service.

Service
Frequency
Connectivity Fixed Route
Design
Service
Categories
Service
Categories Bus Assignment
Stop Spacing,
Placement, and
Amenities
Passenger Loads
4 • Major stops - Corridors which have several high-volume stops interspersed with lower volume stops are good candidates for Rapid/ Local service, as the Rapid will serve a majority of ridership by making only the major stops.
• Corridors shared with another provider – For example, LA Metro operates service along Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards. In cases like these, Big Blue Bus should evaluate and determine appropriate levels of service.

2.2 Fixed Route Design
The alignment of each route is a key factor in its ability to successfully serve riders’ mobility needs. Route design refers to route directness, connections to key origins and destinations, and how the route interfaces with other transit services. Big Blue Bus route design falls into four categories:
• Direct – Routes should be designed to serve origins and destinations via direct pathways, minimizing out-of-direction movements. This provides a faster service for riders while minimizing cost. • Arterial – Routes should be designed to serve major arterial streets, avoiding smaller neighborhood streets. The exception is when a route is intentionally designed to serve a neighborhood or destination. • Grid Based – Routes should be designed in a grid-based structure, with higher frequency routes serving major corridors and connecting on-street rather than deviating to serve transfer hubs. A limited number of exceptions are hubs forming the beginning or end of routes and/or serving major destinations, namely Downtown Santa Monica, UCLA, Pico/Rimpau Transit Center, and Metro Rail stations at LAX, Culver City, and along Wilshire Boulevard. • Interagency Connectivity – Big Blue Bus service should connect with other transit agencies operating on major corridors and the Metro Rail network, which today includes the Metro E Line on the Westside and the upcoming opening of the Metro D Line extension.

2.3 Service Frequency
Service frequency is defined as how often the bus arrives and results in how long riders must wait for the bus.

With higher frequencies, riders will wait on average less time for a bus, which helps make the service more useful to riders. At the same time, however, higher frequencies can significantly increase costs by requiring more buses and drivers.

High frequency Service is defined as:
• 10-minute frequency or better on weekdays during most of the day. • 15-minute frequency or better on weekends during most of the day.

The following are minimum frequency standards.
• Local routes should operate at a minimum frequency of every 30 minutes during most of the day. o Could operate at every 60 minutes at night to provide extended service hours. o When supported by ridership, service should be provided at higher frequencies such as every 20 minutes, 15 minutes, 12 minutes, 10 minutes, up to every 7.5 minutes. • Rapid routes should operate at every 15 minutes or better. • Commuter route frequency should be tailored to demand volumes.

Whenever possible, service frequency should be designed as “clock-facing” where service operates every 5, 10, 12, 15, 20, or 30 minutes –divisible by 60 – where the same times repeat each hour. 5 This makes service easier for riders to remember and use without consulting schedules. Exceptions are permitted where a route (usually with less frequency) will be operationally inefficient (e.g., require an additional vehicle resource) with a clock-facing schedule.

2.4 Connectivity
Connectivity refers to facilitating ridertransfers to and from other routes and services. Transfers can take place at major transit hubs such as the LAX/Metro Transit Center or on-street at major intersections.

Routes cannot always provide riders with a one-seat ride to their destination, thus the need for convenient transfers. High frequency service on major corridors facilitates convenient transfers by minimizing wait time for riders transferring to and from other services. Designing service to enable convenient transfers allows Big Blue Bus to minimize service duplication (overlapping).

2.5 Span of Service
Span of service defines how many hours each day a certain route will operate. A longer span of service allows a route to serve more riders throughout the day for a wider variety of purposes. Longer span of service also results in more operating costs.

Table 2: High Ridership Corridor Span of Service
Weekday Weekend
Start Time End Time Start Time End Time
5am-6am Midnight 6am-7am Midnight
Table 3: Low Ridership Corridor Span of Service
Weekday Weekend
Start Time End Time Start Time End Time
5am-6am 10pm 6am-7am 9pm
Span of Service Guidelines:
• Consider extending service span when first/last trip carries 20+ passengers per hour. • Consider reducing service span when first/last trip carries 10 passengers or less per hour. • Consider operating similar service on Friday/Saturday based on demand. • Commuter service spans should be tailored to demand patterns. • Service may need to be adjusted on certain routes depending on the operating hours of connecting services such as the Metro Rail.
• During off peak hours, span of service may be reduced on routes with low ridership, where riders can access another nearby parallel running route with extended span of service. 6 2.6 Bus Assignment
The Big Blue Bus fleet contains three sub fleets that are assigned by service type as follows:
• 40-foot buses
o The 40-foot buses make up over 80 percent of the Big Blue Bus fleet and are assigned to most of the service.
• 30-to-35-foot buses
o The 30-to 35-foot buses are assigned to routes with low ridership and/or to routes that use local and residential streets. Some 30-to 35-foot buses may also be assigned to routes that primarily use 40-foot buses, specifically at times when ridership is expected to be low, such as nights or weekends.
• 60-foot articulated buses
o The 60-foot articulated buses are assigned to routes and vehicle blocks with both higher average passenger loads and stops with sufficient curb space to physically accommodate the bus.

To ensure fair distribution of fleet quality, propulsion system (CNG, battery electric, etc.) and age across the system, buses should not be permanently assigned to specific routes. All routes should be serviced by the entire range of buses in the fleet whenever possible.

2.7 Stop Spacing, Placement, and Amenities
Stop Spacing and Placement – This standard involves the distance between bus stops. Wider stop spacing allows for less stops minimizing travel time for riders on the bus but requires some riders to walk further to access service. Different service types have different spacing standards. For example, local stops are spaced closer together than Rapid or Commuter stops.
• Local Bus Stop Spacing – For Local services, stop spacing from 1,000 feet up to ¼ mile (roughly 1,300 feet) is desirable. Very dense neighborhoods or smaller streets can have more closely spaced stops (since trip distances are usually shorter) while stops on major corridors can be spaced out at the farther range of the spacing standard (i.e., ¼ mile). Existing stops with consistently low usage may be consolidated with other stops or removed altogether to increase service speed and reliability. • Rapid Bus Stop Spacing – Rapid bus routes on corridors also served by Local routes should have stops spaced a minimum of ½ mile apart, and should be placed at major destinations, intersections, and transfer points. Rapid stop placement should be considered based on stop spacing and ridership. • Commuter Service Stop Spacing - Commuter services can use either Local or Rapid stopping patterns depending on the type of service and passenger needs. • Stop Placement – Placing stops on the far side of an intersection is recommended wherever possible.

Far side stop placement improves bus travel times as well as pedestrian and bicycle safety (since they will cross the street behind instead of in front of the bus). • Stop Removal - Any stop with less than five (5) total average daily weekday boardings plus alightings will be considered for elimination after a review of stop distances and consideration of impact on the affected riders. Stop spacing, route frequency, and span of service will be considered as part of this review. In cases where removal is necessary because of this analysis or safety concerns, the revised stop spacing distances may deviate from the recommended standards. • Stop Design – The length of a stop is based on several factors including size of bus serving stop, number of routes serving stop, space to merge back into traffic, and distance from crosswalk.

Although not always feasible due to limited curb space, the following is the ideal stop lengths that should be implemented when possible. See Table 4.
7 Table 4: Stop Area Dimensions
Bus size Merge In and
Out Length
Buffer distance
from crosswalk
Total Stop
Length
Two (2) or
more buses
expected at
any one time.
30-ft or 40-ft 25-ft + 25-ft 10-ft 90-100-ft 140-150-ft 60-ft 25-ft +25-ft 10-ft 110-120-ft 180-190-ft
• Stop Amenity Placement – When placing new amenities, considerations include the existing site conditions at the stop, nearby amenities (especially when considering real-time information signs), ridership (Table 5), nearby connections, places of interest, environmental and demographic factors.

Table 5: Amenities Based on Stop Activity
Average Daily
Boardings Bus Stop Classification Amenities Provided
ALL STOPS All stops Printed public information kiosk plus adequate lighting 20 OR MORE

BOARDINGS
Low volume or more Above plus seating
50 OR MORE

BOARDINGS
Medium volume or more Above plus shelter or shade
100 OR MORE

BOARDINGS
High volume or more Above plus real-time signage. Waste receptacles (optional).
750 OR MORE

BOARDINGS
Very high volume Above plus multiple shelters or extra-large shelter. • Bus Stop Amenities – The Big Blue Bus service area includes the City of Santa Monica. Big Blue Bus works with various City Departments on the installation of bus stop amenities within the city. At these stops, amenities are allocated based on volume of average daily stop activity. • Accessibility Compliance – In 2025, the updated Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) were adopted and became law. They require Transit Agencies to comply with technical guidelines when siting Transit Stops and Transit Shelters. These guidelines only apply to new projects initiated after January 17th, 2025. PROWAG stipulates:
o Boarding and alighting areas at sidewalk or street-level transit stops must serve each accessible vehicle entry and exit.
o Boarding and alighting areas shall have a clear length of 96 inches (2440 mm) minimum, measured perpendicular to the face of the curb or street edge, and a clear width of 60 inches (1525 mm) minimum, measured parallel to the street.
o The slope of boarding and alighting areas measured parallel to the street shall be the same as the grade of the street. The slope of boarding and alighting areas measured perpendicular to the street shall be 1:48 (2.1%) maximum.
o In alterations, boarding and alighting areas and boarding platforms shall be connected to existing pedestrian circulation paths by pedestrian access routes. o Transit shelters shall be connected by pedestrian access routes. o Transit shelters shall provide a minimum clear space complying with R404 Clear Spaces; entirely within the shelter. Where seating is provided within transit shelters, the clear space shall be located either at one end of a seat or so as to not overlap the area within 18 inches (455 mm) from the front edge of the seat.
o Subject to section R410.10 Height from Ground Surface, Visual characters on signs shall be 40 inches (1015 mm) minimum above the ground surface.
8 o Protruding objects within transit shelters shall comply with R402: Protruding Objects and Vertical Clerance.
▪ Objects with leading edges more than 27 inches (685 mm) and less than 80 inches (2030 mm) above the walking surface shall not protrude horizontally more than 4 inches (100 mm) into pedestrian circulation paths.

Where objects are mounted on a single post or pylon and the objects are more than 27 inches (685 mm) and less than 80 inches (2030 mm) above the walking surface, the objects shall not protrude into the pedestrian circulation path more than 4 inches (100 mm) measured horizontally from the post or pylon or more than 4 inches (100mm) measured horizontally from the outside edge of the base where the base height is 2 ½ inches (64 mm) minimum.

Bus stop amenities outside of the City of Santa Monica generally fall under the standards of their respective jurisdictions, such as the City of Los Angeles. Big Blue Bus has limited authority over the amenities at these stops but will work with those jurisdictions to advance improvements to the bus stop experience for its riders.

2.8 Passenger Loads
Passenger Loads – This standard specifies the acceptable average number of riders on a bus at any given time.

Overcrowding should be avoided whenever possible. Guidelines related to passenger loads are based on Big Blue Bus vehicle capacities and transit industry standards, and are designed to balance safety, passenger comfort, and operating efficiency.
• Passenger Load Methodology – Passenger loads are calculated by taking the number of passengers onboard a vehicle divided by the seated capacity of the vehicle. For example, a vehicle with 38 seats carrying 38 passengers would have a passenger load of 100 percent.

The maximum passenger load is calculated at the busiest point on the route during the busiest hour.

For instance, if a service operates at a 15-minute frequency, then 4 buses would pass the busiest point in an hour. The average number of passengers for these 4 buses should not exceed the maximum passenger load standard shown below, even though one bus may be more crowded than the average.

If the standard is consistently exceeded, Big Blue Bus should evaluate options to alleviate overcrowding. However, the standards are designed to allow standees during peak periods on a regular basis.

Table 6: Passenger Load Standard
Time of Day Service Type

RAPID LOCAL EXPRESS/COMMUTER
Average Maximum Passenger Load (percent of seated capacity by service type) PEAK WEEKDAY 120% 120% 120%
ALL OTHER TIMES 100% 100% 100%
Addressing Overcrowding – If the maximum passenger load standards are consistently exceeded, two different techniques could be implemented to alleviate overcrowding: First, assigning a larger vehicle (when possible) to match passenger loads, and second, providing more frequent service to disperse passengers across multiple buses.
9 3 Service Performance Monitoring
Service performance standards are necessary to ensure that all services are fulfilling their roles in the transit network and contributing to the overall financial sustainability of Big Blue Bus. Performance should be measured regularly to identify trends over time, and to allow prompt changes to be enacted if necessary. The following performance metrics and standards help ensure that Big Blue Bus services are useful to riders as well as cost-effective for the agency. Service performance should be monitored quarterly and after every schedule change, but major service change decisions should be based on annual data.

Figure 3: Service Performance Monitoring

3.1 Passengers per Revenue Hour
Passengers per Revenue Hour (PRH) is a measure of service effectiveness or productivity based on ridership (unlinked boardings) generated for each hour of service operated. It is the primary metric used to determine whether modifications should be made to a route. When this metric either 1) does not meet or 2) exceeds certain thresholds, Big Blue Bus should consider service changes that utilize resources more effectively based on rider demand.

Some seasonal fluctuation in performance is to be expected, as ridership to schools and colleges may be lower during the summer, and recreational ridership may be higher. But overall, the thresholds outlined in the Service Evaluation section of this document provide guidelines for corrective action to take based on the passenger per revenue hour performance of each service.

3.2 Farebox Recovery
Farebox Recovery is an indicator that measures the amount of service operating costs that is recouped through farebox revenue and is expressed as a percentage. The higher the percentage, the higher the amount of cost that is covered by farebox revenue. Farebox recovery considers the cost of operation, the number of riders, and the average fares that customers pay. It’s important to note that due to the high number of transfers at Big Blue Bus, individual Farebox Recovery ratios should not be the sole reason for a service reduction but rather a consideration along with additional factors.

Big Blue Bus will monitor farebox performance to ascertain ridership trends and fare media choice. In the event of a proposal to change fare types or institute a fare increase or decrease, staff will perform a Fare Equity Analysis to determine the impacts, if any, on low-income and minority riders.

3.3 On-Time Performance
On-Time Performance defines a minimum threshold that Big Blue Bus should meet regarding the percentage of total daily trips and timepoints that are recorded as on time. On-time performance reflects both the quality and reliability of service.

Passengers
per Revenue
Hour
Farebox
Recovery
On-Time
Performance Data Needs
Performance
Monitoring
10 Big Blue Bus defines “on time” as one (1) minute before to five (5) minutes after the scheduled timepoint, disregarding early arrivals at the final timepoint.

The goal of 85% on-time performance system-wide is a common industry standard, which allows for some level of service variability while maintaining the reasonable expectation of reliability for riders.

3.4 Data Needs
The performance measures discussed above require the regular collection, cleaning and evaluation of the following data points:
• Ridership - Total boardings and alightings.
• Fare Revenue - Amount of fare and other revenue.
• Operational data - Number of runs, buses, revenue miles, and revenue hours per route by day type. • Operating Costs - The cost of operating the service.
• On-Time Performance - Departure times at each timepoint (and arrival at final timepoint). • Customer Feedback – Comments collected from City of Santa Monica 311 reporting system, Motor coach operator, community events, or partner jurisdiction input. • Demographics – Rider demographics including proportion of riders belonging to low-income households, identifying as minority, seniors, and people with disabilities will be collected primarily by on-board customer surveys. Additionally, U.S. Census or American Community Survey data will be used to identify these groups and their geographic relationship to Big Blue Bus routes. • Partnerships – Collect ridership, revenue and costs, and any other data to satisfy any partnerships agreements such as those with employers, educational institutions, and government.

When presenting data, staff should consider if the analysis done is from a systemwide or route-based perspective.

This distinction is important when determining what data needs to be gathered. Tables 7 and 8 below provide overviews of typical data needs for both systemwide and route-based analysis.

Table 7: Systemwide Data Needs
Systemwide
Total Ridership:
• Average Weekday,
Saturday, and Sunday
Passengers
Miles
Traveled
Vehicles Revenue
Miles (VRM)
Vehicle Revenue
Hours
Passengers per
Revenue Hour
Passenger Feedback On-Time
Performance
Total Operating
Costs
Operating Cost
per VRH
Operating Cost per
Passenger Mile
Operating Cost per
Passenger
Fare Revenue Average Passenger
Fare
Subsidy per
Passenger
Farebox Recovery
Ratio
Table 8: Route-Based Data Needs
Route based
Ridership by Route
• Average Weekday,
Saturday and Sunday
On-Time Performance by Route Passengers per Revenue Hour by Route Farebox Recovery by Route Cost per Passenger Boarding by Route On-Time Performance by Route 11 Comprehensive
Operations
Analysis
Annual Transit
Service Plan
Public Input
and Council
Approval
Title VI Service
Equity
Analysis
Changes to
Existing
Service
New Service
Evaluation

3.5 Performance Monitoring and Reporting Schedule
Performance will be monitored on a quarterly, service change, and annual basis, and will be reported on an annual basis. See Appendix A for a sample Santa Monica Department of Transportation Annual Report. 4 Service Evaluation
Service evaluations should be conducted to analyze the need for new Big Blue Bus services or significant changes to existing services. These evaluations aim to enhance service design and productivity while maintaining a consistent, user-friendly transit system.

Figure 4: Service Evaluation

4.1 New Service Evaluation
New Service – As ridership needs, transit options, and development patterns change, Big Blue Bus will analyze the need for new services. New services will be evaluated with respect to design standards and consistency with adopted policy principles.

Planning and implementing new transit service requires an examination of certain characteristics of the proposed service area. The densities and demographic characteristics of a given service area, as well as destinations served and integration with the surrounding transit network, are key parts of transit success. It is important to note that new service implementation is not dependent on any one factor below but arises from a combination of each of these factors. To determine whether an area warrants new transit service, Big Blue Bus will analyze the following characteristics of a proposed service area:
• Population Density - A minimum level of density (approximately 3,000 persons per square mile) needs to be present in each area to support regular bus service. In general, higher density areas are more conducive to effective bus service than low density areas due to greater demand and potential ridership. Density of the proposed new service area will be compared to the densities of existing service areas.
• Demographics – Neighborhoods and census tracts with higher-than-average proportions of seniors, people with disabilities, students, low-income individuals and households without automobiles should be considered for service expansion.
12 • Parking - There are several neighborhoods and destinations in Santa Monica and Los Angeles where free or inexpensive parking is in short supply. These sites may have a higher propensity for transit ridership than similar sites with ample free parking.
• Transit Demand Management - Several schools and businesses in Santa Monica and Los Angeles offer subsidized transit passes and other programs to encourage their constituents to use transit.

Depending on the program features, these programs can lead to an increased demand for bus service. • Key Destinations - Connecting residents with key destinations such as employment centers, hospitals, schools, shopping, and entertainment is a key factor in designing bus service. • Network Integration - Any new service should avoid duplicating existing service (see service spacing guidelines) and should connect to the existing transit network. • Projected Performance - To ensure continued maintenance or improvement of Big Blue Bus service productivity, the new service should be projected to perform at levels that meet or exceed the system metrics outlined in the Service Performance Monitoring section. If the evaluation does not project those levels, Big Blue Bus should reconsider or modify the proposed new service until it does.

New services depend on budget availability and can only be initiated when funding allows, either through resource reallocation, additional fare revenue, or new outside funding. Introduction of new services are subject to a trial period of one year to meet minimum performance standards commensurate with service category using the following process:

New Service Productivity
New transit service should be evaluated for up to two (2) years to determine long term viability. During this time staff should monitor new routes based on their compliance with the guidelines referenced in Table 7 below.

Table 9: New Service Compliance
Timeframe 6 months 12 months 18 months 24 months
% Min. compliance with passenger per revenue hour
metric (Guideline 3.1)
50% 75% 90% 100%
New services will be examined at the intervals above to assess whether they are meeting minimum service effectiveness metrics.

If the new service does not meet the minimum service metric at the conclusion of the two (2) year period or during any preceding six-month period identified above, the new service will be subject to a corrective action plan. New service that does not meet minimum productivity metrics for passengers per weekday revenue hour following implementation of a corrective action plan will be subject to discontinuation.

4.2 Changes to Existing Service
Passengers per Revenue Hour Thresholds
Table eight provides recommended corrective action plans for existing routes failing to meet certain passenger per revenue hour thresholds. Routes in the low or high thresholds may warrant more significant corrective actions, while routes in the middle are adequately fulfilling their roles in the network. The following are passenger per revenue hour thresholds and recommended service changes when not met or exceeded. 13 Table 10: Passengers per Revenue Hour
Passengers per Revenue Hour Recommended Action
10 OR LESS Eliminate trips or route
11-14 Reduce service to minimum frequency
15-29 Maintain service levels
30 OR MORE Increase service to or above goal frequency
Low-Performing Service (carrying 14 or fewer passengers per hour) If a route consistently does not meet the minimum thresholds for passengers per revenue hour, the service is subject to a Corrective Action Plan.

These routes will be evaluated to determine their potential for improvement. Evaluation and potential corrective actions include the following:
• Segment Level Analysis - A segment level analysis of a low-performing service may highlight a specific portion of the route that significantly reduces the overall performance, causing it to perform below the threshold. If a low-performing segment is identified, it can be modified to attempt to increase productivity for the route. If the results of a segment level analysis turn out to be inconclusive, however, modifications to the entire route should be considered. • Operational Analysis - Realigning service to cover only critical segments or eliminating unnecessary delay (e.g. deviations) are ways to reduce travel time and potentially improve productivity and performance.
• Change in Service Levels - Adjusting the service levels of a low-performing route – by any combination of frequency, span, or day of week changes – may improve the service for riders and make the route more productive and higher performing.
• Cost Sharing - Exploring cost sharing or public-private partnerships can reduce the amount of subsidy required on low-performing services. This is applicable for routes which do not meet minimum performance standards yet serve a need identified by businesses, schools, attractions, or other organizations that may be willing to assist with funding operations to continue service. • Targeted Marketing -Marketing can help to raise the public awareness of a low performing route. Poor ridership may be a result of a lack of public knowledge of a route, and investing in marketing can reverse this trend. Employment centers, shopping districts, schools, hospitals, agencies, and other major entities can be targeted for marketing of the service. • Rider Outreach - Onboard surveys and rider interviews are methods for gaining valuable information on how a route can be improved. These methods can reveal information about popular destinations that a route may bypass, or other aspects of a service that may not be useful to riders.

Using this information, Big Blue Bus will create a Corrective Action Plan for improving performance.

The Corrective Action Plan will be formally implemented in the next feasible service change window given the limitations in place regarding public process, public hearing (if required), and the Annual Service Plan process.

Once a Corrective Action Plan is implemented, the performance of the route will be monitored to ensure it meets minimum thresholds. Once a route reaches at least minimum performance thresholds, the process of Corrective Action is deemed concluded and any subsequent low performance is treated as a new event. 14 • Discontinuation - This is the final option for a low-performing route that does not meet minimum performance thresholds. It can be applied to a route segment or the route as a whole. If none of the corrective actions are successful in raising its productivity, discontinuation may be considered to ensure optimization of resources. Any decision to discontinue service will consider impacts on riders.

Average-Performing Service (carrying 15 to 29 passengers per hour) Routes in this category are adequately fulfilling their roles in the transit network, and no corrective action is required. These routes will be monitored on an on-going basis to determine whether their performance improves, decreases, or remains steady. While no action is necessary, ranking in this category does not preclude service adjustments at the discretion of Big Blue Bus. • Actions - Routes with average performance may be consistent throughout or may combine very high and low performing segments or trips. These routes in this category should undergo detailed analysis at the trip and segment level to identify any areas of significantly high or low performance. Individual trips or segments that qualify as low or very high performing will be subject to in the corresponding service adjustments in those sections.

High-Performing Service (carrying 30 or more passengers per hour) Routes with high performance may indicate a need for greater investment, as their performance may signal overcrowding, capacity constraints, and unmet rider needs. The following course of action should be followed for high-performing routes:
• Increase service levels - To maintain a high quality of service, significant vehicle overcrowding should be prevented. Big Blue Bus should improve the service’s frequency, span, or days of week served.

Maintaining and Improving On-Time Performance
Routes not meeting the on-time performance standard will be subject to an evaluation and corrective actions.

Updating schedules, so that timetables reflect actual performance, may improve reported on-time performance without significant operational changes. If the evaluation finds that additional resources (i.e., buses) are needed to improve a route’s on-time performance, it should only be considered within the context of the entire service planning process to determine its priority.

4.3 Title VI Service Equity Analysis
A Major Service Change will require that a Title VI Service Equity Analysis be conducted. A Title VI Service Equity Analysis is conducted to determine any potential disparate impacts on minority populations or disproportionate burdens on low-income populations stemming from the proposed service change. If the analysis results in potential disparate impact and/or disproportionate burdens on these populations, Big Blue Bus will seek to mitigate those impacts by modifying the proposed service change. The following are considered Major Service Changes:
• A route change that impacts 25 percent or more of a route’s linear mileage. • Service span or frequency changes affecting 25 percent or more of a route’s revenue hours. • Proposed changes that are anticipated to be contentious with the public. • Proposed service that is expected to be operated more than twelve (12) months, including pilot programs.
• Elimination of a route has been operated for more than twelve (12) months, including pilot programs. • Any combination of proposed route changes that cumulatively impact 5 percent or more of the total system revenue hours.
• Any permanent fare or fare media change (subject to a Fare Equity Analysis). 15 4.4 Public Input & City Council Approval
Big Blue Bus will conduct public outreach prior to any route change. For minor adjustments made during regular schedule changes, Big Blue Bus will notify riders and the public of upcoming changes. For Major Service Changes, Big Blue Bus will follow the procedures set forth in the “Public Hearing Procedures for Major Service or Fare Changes.”
Major service changes must be approved by the Santa Monica City Council before implementing.

4.5 Annual Transit Service Plan
Big Blue Bus will develop an Annual Service Plan for the subsequent calendar year (starting in 2026). This Annual Service Plan is the culmination of service planning efforts throughout the year and provides Big Blue Bus staff and the public a framework in which to track service changes, provide and digest feedback, and to adjust any potential proposed changes to the service network. The following schedule outlines how the Annual Service Plan will be developed over the course of the year:

Table 11: Annual Service Plan Schedule
Timeframe Responsible Party Tasks
January – March Planning,
Communications,
Finance, Operations
• Propose service plan and changes for subsequent
year.
• Analyze existing conditions.
• Preliminary Title VI Service Equity Analysis (If
necessary).
• Creation of maps, tables, and social media copy.

April - June Planning,
Communications
• Outreach and Engagement period, present draft
service plan at community events, social media,
stakeholder channels.
• Receive and document external and internal
feedback on plan.

July - September Planning,
Communications,
Operations
• Analyze feedback.
• Finalize network and frequency changes.
• Final Title VI Service Equity Analysis (if necessary).

October - December Planning,
Communications,
Operations
• Approve final service plan for upcoming year.
• Acquire City Council approval if necessary.
• Share plan with riders’ and community stakeholders.

4.6 Comprehensive Operational Analysis
Big Blue Bus should conduct a comprehensive operational analysis (COA) as needed to ensure the service is meeting the needs of its riders and responding changes in its service area. The COA should consist of the following:
• On-board customer survey
• Public outreach & stakeholder engagement
• Route by route analysis
• Title VI analysis
• Public meetings and hearings (if necessary)
• List of recommended actions
The most recent COA was adopted by Santa Monica City Council on July 9th, 2024. An overview of the recommendations adopted by the City Council can be found in Appendix C below. 16 5 Appendices

5.1 Appendix A
Santa Monica Department of Transportation Annual Report – Big Blue Bus KPIs

5.2 Appendix B
Public Hearing Procedures for Major Service or Fare Changes

5.3 Appendix C
Brighter Blue Five-Year Service Plan City Council presentation

SANTA MONICA’S BIG BLUE BUS

PUBLIC HEARING PROCEDURES FOR MAJOR SERVICE

OR FARE CHANGES

1. BACKGROUND
Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus (BBB) is required by the Federal Transit Act, as amended through 1992, to establish a policy which defines a process to solicit and consider public comment prior to raising fares or implementing a major reduction of transit services.

2. BBB POLICY
A. It shall be the BBB’s policy that public comments be solicited prior to:

1. A route change that impacts 25 percent or more of a route’s linear mileage.

2. Service span or frequency changes affecting 25 percent or more of a route’s revenue hours.

3. Proposed changes that are anticipated to be contentious with the public.

4. Proposed service that is expected to be operated more than twelve (12) months, including pilot programs.

5. Elimination of a route has been, operated for more than twelve (12) months, including pilot programs.

6. Any combination of proposed route changes that cumulatively impact 5 percent or more of the total system revenue hours.

7. Any permanent fare or fare media change (subject to a Fare Equity Analysis) .

B. It shall be the BBB’s policy that the following shall be exempt from public comment and public hearing:

1. A minor change in fare or service. Examples would be temporarily reduced, experimental or promotional fares, minor reroutes, or minor temporary reroutes due to street construction(s) or minor schedule changes.

2. Experimental, seasonal or emergency service or fare changes expected to exist fewer than one hundred and eighty (180) consecutive days in service. If these changes ultimately continue to remain in effect for more than one hundred and eighty (180) consecutive days, they will be the subject of public comment and public hearing.

3. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION
When required, the public comment process will begin with the publishing of a legal notice seven calendar days in advance of the public hearing date in the local newspapers of general circulation. This notice will set a specific place, date and time for one or more public hearings. Written comments will also be accepted on the proposed changes seven calendar days beyond initial publishing of the legal notice.

Legal notices will inform the public of the proposed actions that initiated the public comment process. Press releases will also be prepared and sent to the local media.

4. SCHEDULING PUBLIC HEARING(S)
The public hearing(s) will be scheduled and conducted by the City of Santa Monica City Council at a time, date and place to be designated. The facility utilized for public hearings will be accessible to persons with disabilities. Special arrangements will be made for sight or hearing impaired persons if requested at least three days prior to the meeting.

5. PROCEDURE FOR CONDUCTING PUBLIC HEARING
Forms will be available to attendees to register their presence and desire to speak.

Public hearings will begin with a reading of the public notice, purpose and proposed action that necessitated the public hearing. After an explanation of the proposed action is completed, the public will be invited to offer their comments. The City Council will determine the amount of time the public has to comment during the public hearing. After all registered persons have commented, a final opportunity will be offered for any additional public comment. This offering will precede the close of the public hearing.

6. DOCUMENTATION OF PUBLIC HEARING
Official records of BBB public hearings on fare or service adjustments will be generated by:

A. Affidavits of newspaper publications of public notices.

B. Press releases conveying information on upcoming public hearings.

C. Digital recordings and transcripts of proceedings.

7. ADDRESSING PUBLIC COMMENTS RECEIVED
All relevant comments received verbally, digitally, or in writing at a public hearing, or as otherwise conveyed to BBB prior to the established deadline, will be entered into the public record of the comment process. Subsequent to the public comment period, staff will evaluate and analyze all relevant comments received and prepare a written report for consideration by the Santa Monica City Council.

8. CITY COUNCIL
The City Council will be notified by the City Manager of all written public comment solicitations in advance of all scheduled public hearings on fare and service adjustments. A summary of public feedback received will be provided to the City Council along with staff recommendation for final disposition of the issues. Upon review by the City Council, the City Manager will be directed accordingly to proceed with or amend the recommended service and/or fare adjustments.

Approval of Brighter Blue
Five Year Service Plan for
Big Blue Bus
City Council Meeting
July 9, 2024
What is Brighter Blue?
 Comprehensive Operational Analysis
 Analysis of Existing Service
 Public Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement
 Five Year Service Plan
 From January 2023 to June 2024
 Transportation Management & Design, Inc
 Arellano Associates
 Fehr & Peers
Deliverables
 Five Year Service Plan
(Route by Route Proposed Changes)
 Brighter Blue Final Report
 Public Outreach Summary Report
 Existing Conditions Report
Public Outreach & Stakeholder Engagement
 On-board customer survey
 Online surveys
 Focus group meetings
 Project dedicated website and e-mail
 Public workshops & hearings, virtual and inperson, live Spanish interpretation  Meetings, flyers, surveys, etc., in English & Spanish Public Outreach (cont.)
“Brighter Blue Bucks” Results
Brighter Blue Service Plan Summary
 Improve frequencies on most routes including 10
minutes or better service on select major routes
 Expand service hours so most routes start earlier,
end later, and operate on weekends
 Ensure connections to the new LAX/Metro Transit
Center and Metro Rail D Line extension, and
other essential destinations
Frequency Improvements - Weekday
Proposed Service Hours - Weekdays
Proposed Service Hours - Weekends
Route by Route
Proposed Changes
Route by Route Proposed Changes
Route Corridor or
Route Name Summary of Proposed Change(s)
Tentative
Implementation
Timeline
1 Santa Monica
Blvd/
Main St
Earlier/later service on weekdays & weekends. Minor re-route at UCLA. Aug ‘26 2 Wilshire Blvd Increase peak frequency from 20 to 10 minutes in 2027. Earlier/later service on weekdays & weekends. Minor re-route at UCLA.

Aug ‘26 (UCLA)
Aug ‘27 (D Line)
3 Lincoln Blvd Increase peak frequency from 13 to 10 minutes. Re-route at LAX. Earlier and later service on weekdays and weekends.

Dec '24
R3 Lincoln Blvd Discontinue Rapid 3; reinvest resources on Route 3. Dec ‘24 Local vs. Rapid Travel Time Comparison
Route 5
Proposed
Changes
Route Corridor or
Route Name Summary of Proposed Change(s)
Tentative
Implementation
Timeline
5 Olympic Blvd Increase peak frequency from 60 to 30 minutes. New weekend service. Discontinue Century City to Palms segment and discontinue service west of SMC.

Aug ‘25
Route by Route Proposed Changes (cont.)
Route Corridor or
Route Name Summary of Proposed Change(s)
Tentative
Implementation
Timeline
7 Pico Blvd Increase peak frequency of Route 7 from 14 to 7.5-10 minutes.

Earlier and later service on weekdays and weekends.

Aug ‘25
R7 Pico Blvd Discontinue Rapid 7; reinvest resources on Route 7. Aug ‘25 E7 Pico Blvd Discontinue Express 7; reinvest resources on Route 7. Aug ‘25 Route by Route Proposed Changes (cont.)
Route Corridor or
Route Name Summary of Proposed Change(s)
Tentative
Implementation
Timeline
8 Ocean Park Blvd Increase peak frequency from 30 to 20 minutes. Earlier/later service on weekdays & weekends. Minor re-route in DTSM and UCLA.

Aug ‘26
9 Pacific Palisades Increase peak frequency from 20 to 15 minutes. Earlier/later service on weekdays & weekends. Extend northern terminus to PCH and Sunset, pending new bus turnaround.

Aug ’25
TBD (extension)
R10 Downtown LA
Freeway Express
No changes currently proposed. N/A
R12 Westwood Blvd Increase peak frequency from 12 to 10 minutes. Earlier/later service on weekdays & weekends.

Aug ‘26
Route 14
Proposed
Changes
Route Corridor
or Route Name Summary of Proposed Change(s)
Tentative
Implementation
Timeline
14 Bundy Dr/
Centinela Ave
Increase peak frequency from 20 to 15 minutes. Discontinue service to Inglewood. New southern terminus in Culver City. Re-route to Westwood/VA Hospital Station in 2027.

Dec ’24 (Culver City)
Aug ’27 (D Line)
Route by Route Proposed Changes (cont.)
Route Corridor
or Route Name Summary of Proposed Change(s)
Tentative
Implementation
Timeline
15 Barrington Ave Increase peak frequency from 60 to 30 minutes. Re-route to serve Westwood/VA Hospital D Line Station in 2027.

Aug ’25
Aug ’27 (D Line)
16 Wilshire Blvd/
Bundy Dr –
Playa del Rey
Earlier/later service on weekdays. New weekend service. Re-route to Westwood/VA Hospital Station in 2027.

Aug ’25
Aug ’27 (D Line)
17 UCLA –VA –
Sawtelle - Palms
Increase peak frequency from 20 to 15 minutes. Earlier/later service on weekdays & weekends.

Aug ‘26
18 UCLA - Montana Ave –
4th St -
Marina Del Rey
Increase peak frequency from 30 to 20 minutes. Earlier/later service on weekdays & weekends. Minor re-route at UCLA.

Aug ’26
TBD (extension)
Route 41
Proposed
Changes
Route Corridor or
Route Name Summary of Proposed Change(s)
Tentative
Implementation
Timeline
41 SMC & Montana Ave
& 14th St & 20th St
Increase peak frequency from 20 to 15 minutes. Earlier/later service on weekdays. New weekend service. Re-route to serve Ocean Park Blvd./Sunset Park neighborhood.

Aug ‘25
Route by Route Proposed Changes (cont.)
Route Corridor or
Route Name Summary of Proposed Change(s)
Tentative
Implementation
Timeline
42 SMC & Montana Ave
& 14th St & 20th St
Discontinue Route 42. Reinvest resources on Route 41. Aug ‘25 43 San Vicente Blvd
& 26th St
Extend northern terminus to San Vicente Blvd. and 7th St. Aug ‘25 44 SMC Connector Re-route to serve Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center. Aug ‘25 Ridership Impacts
 Approx. 650 customers (~2% of
all customers) will now be more
than 1/4 mile from a bus stop.
 About 520 of those board at
Aviation/LAX Station but will
now board at the new LAX/Metro
Transit Center.
 The remaining 130 (~0.6% of all
customers) will need to walk
further or use another service.

Title VI Service Equity Analysis
 Determine disparate impacts or
disproportionate burdens on
disadvantaged populations
 Proposed changes exceed thresholds in
BBB’s Policies
 Final service plan proposes mitigations &
provides rationale (e.g., Route 7 service
frequencies)
Tentative Implementation Timeline
Timeline Proposed Change(s) Routes
December 2024 Changes impacted by opening of the LAX/ Metro Transit Center 3, R3, 14 August 2025 Changes to SMC service routes 5, 7, R7, E7, 9, 16, 41, 42, 43, 44
August 2026 Changes to UCLA serving routes 1, 2, 8, R12, 17, 18 August 2027 Changes to Westwood/ VA Hospital Station serving routes 2, 14, 15, 16 2028 Remaining frequency & service hour changes (if any) TBD Corridors Targeted for Improvements
Corridor Segment City Routes(s)
4th Street Wilshire Blvd. to Colorado Ave. Santa Monica 1,2,3,7,9,18 Bundy Dr Wilshire Blvd. to Ocean Park Blvd. Los Angeles 14,15 Lincoln Blvd Rose Ave. to Mindanao Way Los Angeles 3
Ocean Park Blvd 25th St. to Centinela Ave. Santa Monica 8,44 Ocean Park Blvd Centinela Ave. to Bundy Dr. Los Angeles 8,44 Pico Blvd 16th St. to Centinela Ave. Santa Monica 7
Pico Blvd Centinela Ave. to Sepulveda Blvd. Los Angeles 7 Pico Blvd Ave. of the Stars to Crenshaw Blvd. Los Angeles 7 Santa Monica Blvd Centinela Ave. to Westwood Blvd. Los Angeles 1 Wilshire Blvd Bundy Dr. to Westwood Blvd. Los Angeles 2,17,18 DOT Initiatives Supporting Plan
 Safety and Security including
new Transit Safety Officer
Program
 Transition to Zero Emission
Fleet & building of charging
infrastructure
 Recruitment and retention of
Motor Coach Operators
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
• No immediate financial impact or budget action necessary. • Increases related to labor and maintenance expected over FY2025-27 Biennial Budget period.
• Staff will return to Council if budget actions are required in future.

Recommended Action
Staff Recommends that the City Council:

1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.

2. Approve the proposed Brighter Blue five-year service plan for Big Blue Bus.

UCLA Route Changes
• Decision primarily made to directly serve UCLA campus and Medical Center (Routes 1, 2, 8, R12, 17, 18). • All UCLA-serving routes would operate on campus, instead of periphery of the campus, where Hilgard Terminal is located. • Routes would terminate at:
o Gateway Plaza (Route 8 and Rapid 12), Macgowan Hall Terminal (Route 17), or Parking Structure 2 (Routes 1, 2 and 18). • Feedback from North Westwood Neighborhood Council (NWNC) and others incorrectly suggests that Big Blue Bus is removing service from the North Campus. Route 17 still serves North Campus. • Seating and real-time information signs do exist at Parking Structure 2. Staff has received assurances from the UCLA Transportation office to work on adding more amenities if the changes are approved. • Notably, Hilgard Terminal is inaccessible to people with disabilities; accessing campus from this stop requires taking stairs. • Restroom facilities at Parking Structure 2 are available and preferred by our motor coach operators • In our survey, 72 percent of riders prefer a longer walk if it means more frequent service. From Gayley/Strathmore:
• 5-minute walk to UCLA Gateway Plaza gets riders access to Big Blue Bus service that will operate every 6.7 minutes • 8-minute walk to the UCLA Medical Center gets riders access to Big Blue Bus service that will operate every 2.3 minutes. • As an alternative, riders can still take Metro Line 602 at Gayley/Strathmore to reach Westwood Village.

35 6.6 Attachment F
Public Participation Plan and Hearing Procedures for Major Service or Fare Changes

1. Background
Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus (BBB) is required by the Federal Transit Act, as amended through 1992, to establish a policy which defines a process to solicit and consider public comment prior to raising fares or implementing a major reduction of transit services.

2. Big Blue Bus Policy
a. It shall be Big Blue Bus policy that public comments be solicited prior to:
i. A route change that impacts 25 percent or more of a route’s linear mileage.
ii. Service span or frequency changes affecting 25 percent or more of a route’s revenue hours.
iii. Proposed changes that are anticipated to be contentious with the public.
iv. Proposed service that is expected to be operated more than twelve (12) months, including pilot programs.
v. Elimination of a route that has been operated for more than twelve (12) months, including pilot programs.
vi. Any combination of proposed route changes that cumulatively impact 5 percent or more of the total system revenue hours. vii. Any permanent fare or fare media change (subject to a Fare Equity Analysis)
b. It shall be Big Blue Bus policy that the following shall be exempt from public comment and public hearing:
i. A minor change in fare or service. Examples would be temporarily reduced, experimental or promotional fares, minor reroutes or minor temporary reroutes due to street
construction(s) or minor schedule changes.
36 ii. Experimental, seasonal or emergency service or fare changes expected to exist fewer than one hundred and eighty (180) consecutive days in service. If these changes ultimately continue to remain in effect for more than one hundred and eighty (180) consecutive days, they will be the subject of public comment and public hearing.

3. Public Notification
a. When required, the public comment process will begin with the publishing of a legal notice seven calendar days in advance of the public hearing date in the local newspapers of general circulation. This notice will set a specific place, date and time for one or more public hearings. Written comments will also be accepted on the proposed changes seven calendar days beyond initial publishing of the legal notice.

Legal notices will inform the public of the proposed actions that initiated the public comment process. Press releases will also be prepared and sent to the local media.

4. Scheduling Public Hearing (s)
The public hearing(s) will be scheduled and conducted by Big Blue Bus staff or the City of Santa Monica City Council at a time, date, and place to be designated. The facility utilized for public hearings will be accessible to persons with disabilities.

Special arrangements will be made for vision or hearing-impaired persons if requested at least three days prior to the meeting.

5. Procedure for Conducting Public Hearing
Forms will be available to attendees to register their presence and desire to speak.

Public hearings will begin with a reading of the public notice, purpose, and proposed action that necessitated the public hearing. After an explanation of the proposed action is completed, the public will be invited to offer their comments. The City Council will determine the amount of time the public has to comment during the public hearing. After all registered persons have commented, a final opportunity will be offered for any additional public comment. This offering will precede the close of the public hearing.
37 6. Documentation of Public Hearings
Official records of public hearings on service or fare adjustments will be generated by:
• Affidavits of newspaper publications of public notices. • Press releases conveying information on upcoming public hearings. • Digital recordings and transcripts of proceedings.

7. Addressing Public Comments Received
All relevant comments received verbally, digitally, or in writing at a public hearing, or as otherwise conveyed to Big Blue Bus prior to the established deadline, will be entered into the public record of the comment process. Subsequent to the public comment period, staff will evaluate and analyze all relevant comments received and prepare a written report for consideration by the Santa Monica City Council.

8. City Council
The City Council will be notified by the City Manager of all written public comment solicitations in advance of all scheduled public hearings on fare and service adjustments. A summary of public feedback received will be provided to the City Council along with staff recommendations for final disposition of the issues. Upon review by the City Council, the City Manager will be directed accordingly to proceed with or amend the recommended service and/or fare adjustments. 38 6.7 Attachment G
Community Outreach
Big Blue Bus hosted the following Public Hearings in April 2024, on proposed service changes stemming from our Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA).

Tuesday, April 16th, 2024 | 6:00PM – 8:00PM
Virtual Public Hearing
Online, Zoom
Saturday, April 20th, 2024 | 10:00AM – 12:00PM
Virginia Avenue Park
2200 Virginia Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Additional public outreach activities are detailed in the COA Public Outreach Summary report below.

Big Blue Bus hosted the following Public Hearings in April 2025, on proposed fare adjustments:

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025 | 5:30-7:30pm
Virtual Public Hearing
Online, Zoom
Thursday, April 3
rd, 2025 | 5:30-7:30pm
Santa Monica Main Library
Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium
601 Santa Monica Blvd.

Santa Monica, 90401
All printed public information is bilingual (English and Spanish) at minimum which includes anything related to service (major and minor) changes, fare changes, policy updates, promotions, etc. All information on board our buses and at our bus stops is bilingual, including schedules and maps found in the Little Blue Book and System Map, maps and info at bus stops.

All notifications for public meetings are bilingual and ensure that language services are available upon request. Bilingual staff are present at the event in case the need arises. In addition, trained customer service staff are bilingual and language translation services are available to accommodate any other languages.

City of Santa Monica – Big Blue Bus
Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA)
Public Outreach Summary Report
DRAFT – May 25, 2024
Prepared for
Prepared by
Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. PROJECT OVERVIEW......................................................................................................... 3

2. OUTREACH TOOLS AND COLLATERALS.............................................................................. 3

2.1 Fact Sheet............................................................................................................... 3

2.2 StoryMap ............................................................................................................... 3

3. FOCUS GROUP MEETINGS ................................................................................................ 4

3.1 Notification ............................................................................................................ 6

4. PUBLIC WORKSHOPS........................................................................................................ 8

4.1 Notification ............................................................................................................ 8

4.2 Virtual Public Workshop ....................................................................................... 11

4.3 In-Person Public Workshop................................................................................... 16

5. PUBLIC HEARINGS .......................................................................................................... 26

5.2 Notification .......................................................................................................... 27

5.3 Virtual Public Hearing........................................................................................... 29

4.3 In-Person Public Hearing....................................................................................... 32

6. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS SURVEY..................................... 34

6.1 Draft Recommendations Survey ........................................................................... 36 Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 3

1. PROJECT OVERVIEW
The Brighter Blue initiative aims to improve transit service for riders in Santa Monica and West Los Angeles as part of the City of Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus (BBB) Comprehensive Operational Analysis.

Serving over 30,000 daily riders across a 58-square mile service area, BBB is integral to the region's transportation network, providing daily connections to LA Metro Rail stations. As travel patterns shift in response to the pandemic, BBB recognizes the need to adapt and evolve, seizing these changes as opportunities for growth to deliver high-quality service that aligns with excellence. The Brighter Blue COA addresses current service conditions impacted by COVID-19, emerging travel behavior trends, and regional changes. The proposed Final Service Plan is aimed at increasing ridership and enhancing the customer experience, new service designs reflecting the current mobility landscape, and recommendations to improve the transit experience.

Outreach to BBB riders, key stakeholder organizations, and the public was an important part of the Brighter Blue COA effort. This report details the outreach approach, strategies, and methods implemented to achieve robust public participation in developing a final service plan for BBB. Outreach included development of multilingual materials and communication tools (surveys and website); as well as focus group meetings with key stakeholders and two rounds of public meetings. Outreach strategies and approaches were outlined in the Public Participation Plan (PPP) that was developed at the beginning of the COA process. To view the PPP, see Appendix A.

Rider Survey
Prior to public outreach kicking off for this COA, the technical planning team conducted a rider survey and garnered 1,127 responses. A summary of the rider survey results is available in Appendix A.

2. OUTREACH TOOLS AND COLLATERALS

2.1 Fact Sheet
A project fact sheet was developed and included a project overview, project map, timeline, and contact information for the project team. The fact sheet was available in physical and digital formats and was posted on the project website. Fact sheets were translated and made available in English and Spanish. See Appendix A for the fact sheet.

2.2 StoryMap
An interactive StoryMap was developed to enhance the depth of project details available on the project's webpage. A vanity URL (brighterbluebbb.com) was also selected to provide an easier way for the public to access the website. This engaging tool facilitated easy navigation and showcased project information through an interactive map and multimedia tools, highlighting both existing conditions and proposed concepts. The StoryMap tool was embedded in the project website for convenient access.

Additionally, all messaging and project materials were translated and made accessible in both English and Spanish. The StoryMap can be accessed by visiting the site: brighterbluebbb.com.

Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 4
Figure 1 Brighter Blue Website and Interactive Map

3. FOCUS GROUP MEETINGS
As part of the Brighter Blue COA process, BBB staff and project team members met with several stakeholder groups to solicit their input on desired service improvements. During this phase, 15 focus group meetings were held with key stakeholder groups representing the City of Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, community-based organizations, neighborhood associations, UCLA and Santa Monica College.

Additionally, the Brighter Blue COA team met with BBB Motor Coach Operators (MCOs) and supervisors.

To view summaries from each of these focus group sessions, see Appendix B.

Table 1 Stakeholder Focus Group Meetings Summary
Stakeholder Briefings Date Time Participants Attendees

1. BBB Operators A
(Lines 1, 2, 18, 9, 12)
11/6/23 7:15am –
8:15am
6 BBB operators and Supervisor(s)

2. BBB Operators B
(Lines 14, 15, 16, 41, 43)
11/7/23 2pm –
3pm
7 BBB operators and Supervisor(s)

3. BBB Operators C
(Lines 3, 8, 17, 23)
11/15/23 9am –
10am
7 BBB operators and Supervisor(s)

4. BBB Operators D
(Lines 5, 7, R7, R10)
11/17/23 8am –
9am
3 BBB operators and Supervisor(s)

5. SM Mobility Team 12/6/23 10:30am –
11:30am
8 • Jason Kligier
• Colleen Stoll
Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 5
• Eric Bailey
• Kyle Kozar
• Peter Dzewaltowski
• Trevor Thomas
• Jack Moreau

6. Municipal Transit
Operators
1/4/24 3pm –
4pm
6 • Dorothy Suchkova (Culver City)
• Diana Chang (Culver City)
• Kay Sasaki (LADOT)
• Joe Forgiarini (Metro)
• Scott Greene (Metro)
• Carl Torres (Metro)

7. Neighborhood
Association Focus Group
1/9/24 3:30pm –
4:30pm
3 • MK (Mid City Neighbors)
• Jerry Rubin (Ocean Park Association)
• Amy Gottstein (Ocean Park
Association)

8. Neighborhood
Association Focus Group
1/10/24 8:30am –
9:30am
3 • Nancy Duresky (Sunset Park)
• Christina Allen (Ocean Park
Association)
• Natasha Rusler (Sunset Park)

9. Neighborhood
Association Focus Group
1/11/24 6:30pm –
7:30pm
2 • Amy Gottstein (Ocean Park
Association)
• Jennifer Polhemus (Sunset Park)

10. Mobility Advocacy
Focus Group
1/18/24 2:30pm –
3:30pm
8 • Barbara Filet (Pico Neighborhood
Association)
• Cynthia Rose (Santa Monica Spoke)
• Cris Gutierrez (Streets Alliance)
• Caro Vilian (Evo LA)
• Jayro Queme (GoSoMo)
• Juan Matute (Santa Monica Family For
Safe Streets)
• Pam O’Connor (Los Angeles County
Regional Planning Commission)
• Mario Melgarejo (Climate Santa
Monica)

11. UCLA Students Focus
Group
1/23/24 10:00am –
11:00am
4 • Noor Nakhaei
• Lawrence Tran
• Isabel Sheng
• Eisha Shakeel

12. UCLA Faculty and
Staff Focus Group
1/25/24 1:00pm –
2:30pm
14 • Phoebe Chiu
• Tierra Sowell
• Michelle Shimogawa
• Consuelo Garcia
• Daniel Contreras
• Jacob Wasserman
• Wendy Conlon
• Sheehan Parker
• Christina Godinez
Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 6
• Brian Juarez
• Nick Efron
• Carolyn Attanucci
• Josheph Santiago III
• Ronald Richards

13. SMC Faculty and
Staff Focus Group
2/1/24 1:00pm –
2:00pm
4 • Kawar Ferris
• Victor Vazquez
• Jeremy Lange
• Rebecca Yilma

14. SMC Students
2/29/24 3:00pm –
4:00pm
2 • Esmi Hernandez (A.S. SMC)
• David Duncan (A.S. SMC)
• Chrissy Washington (Corsair)

15. *Familias Latinas
Unidas (FLU), (En
Español)
2/23/24 6:00pm –
7:00pm
15 (No registration provided)
*Meeting was hosted by organization and BBB staff provided overview and answered questions.

Registration was not taken at this meeting.

3.1 Notification
Notification for the stakeholder focus meetings included targeted eblasts and phone calls to groups identified by the outreach team and confirmed by BBB staff. Notification of the focus groups were sent to representatives of all seven (7) Santa Monica Neighborhood Associations, 17 business associations, 40 community Based organizations and mobility advocacy groups, and more than 250 students, staff and faculty at Santa Monica College and UCLA. Notification to the MCOs and their supervisors were handled internally by BBB staff, and notification to the City’s Mobility Team was also handled internally.

To view notification for these focus group meetings, see Appendix B.

Key Themes
Participants were encouraged to actively engage by providing input and asking questions during the focus group meetings. The following summarizes the key points discussed during the focus group meetings with these key stakeholder organizations and groups of residents.

Table 2 Focus Group Meeting Key Themes
Topic Key Themes
Service Reliability
and Frequency
• Participants expressed concerns about an inconsistency in bus schedules and its impact on daily commutes and travel plans.
• Delays, missed transfers, and overcrowding were cited as significant hindrances to a seamless transit experience. Improving the reliability and frequency of bus services emerged as a priority to address these challenges.

Community
Engagement and
Input
• Participants emphasized the importance of actively engaging with the community to gather valuable feedback and suggestions for enhancing the BBB system.
• Participants shared the importance of BBB attending community meetings, reaching out to diverse demographics, and fostering a better understanding of the services offered.

Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 7
Accessibility and
Connectivity
• Enhancing transit connectivity and accessibility emerged as key priorities for improving the BBB system.
• Participants called for the introduction of additional bus lines and improvements in accessibility for various demographic groups. • Suggestions to enhance connectivity included areas like Expo stations and Downtown Santa Monica to make public transportation more accessible and convenient for residents.

Environmental
Considerations
and Sustainability
• Sustainability was highlighted as a significant concern, with participants advocating for initiatives to reduce carbon emissions and promote ecofriendly transportation options. • Proposals included positioning the BBB as a sustainable alternative to personal vehicles and integrating bike share programs to encourage environmentally friendly commuting practices.

Safety and
Amenities
• Safety at bus stops and the availability of amenities were identified as critical factors influencing the overall transit experience.
• Participants stressed the importance of enhancing safety measures, such as improved lighting and bus stops seating, to create a more comfortable and secure environment for riders.

Promotion and
Awareness
• Increased awareness and promotion were suggested by participants for attracting more ridership.
• Participants suggested implementing targeted marketing campaigns, offering incentives for ridership, and providing accessible information about BBB services and routes.

Motor Coach Operator Survey Results
In addition to the focus group meetings with the BBB motor coach operators and their supervisors, a brief survey was conducted to better understand what issues operators faced and what improvements could be made to improve the system. A total of 25 operators participated in the survey. To view those complete survey results, see Appendix B. Below is a summary of the survey results.

Route Issues and Improvements:
• Challenges: Some operators highlighted specific challenges like difficult turning movements or the need for additional resources during peak times.
• Suggestions for Improvements: Recommendations include better crowd control, more friendly service, and adjustments to route specifics to improve service quality. • Common Passenger Comments: Operators frequently receive questions about bus timings, why buses are delayed, and about specific stops or services on the route.

Operational Feedback:
• Physical Comfort: Several operators noted issues related to vehicle comfort, such as inadequate seating or crowding.
• Driver-Passenger Interaction: Some responses pointed towards the need for drivers to manage fare disputes or other passenger interactions more effectively.

Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 8
Community Survey Results
A community survey was launched during this phase of outreach to solicit high-level feedback from BBB riders and members of the Santa Monica and West LA community. The survey asked respondents to provide information on how often they rode BBB, which routes they used, and ideas for improving service. The survey was developed in English and Spanish and a total of 426 survey responses were recorded (424 in English, 2 in Spanish). To view the full results of this survey, see Appendix C.

The responses received from the community survey indicated 82% were taken by BBB riders who use the service at least once per month. Routes 1, 2, 7 and 3 were the most frequently used lines among survey respondents. The most frequently raised concern was on-time performance and improved frequency. A large number of respondents also indicated longer service hours, and more off-peak service was important.

4. PUBLIC WORKSHOPS
A virtual and in-person Public Workshop was organized as a pivotal aspect of the strategic planning efforts for the Brighter Blue COA effort. The primary purpose of this session was to involve stakeholders in conversations about the COA's goals and gather important feedback from the community. Live interpretation services were provided for participants during both Public Workshops. The sessions were recorded and posted to the project webpage in both English and Spanish. See Appendix D for the Presentations to view the presentations shared during the Public Workshops.

Table 3 Public Workshops Details
Public Workshop Date Time Location
Virtual Public
Workshop
Wednesday, March 6,
2024
6:00pm - 8:00pm Zoom
In-Person Public
Workshop
Thursday, March 7,
2024
5:30pm - 7:30pm Santa Monica Public
Library, Multipurpose
Room

4.1 Notification
The public was invited to participate in the Public Workshops via e-blast, advertisements, social media posts, earned media and flyers distributed to several public counters in Santa Monica and West LA.

Additionally, take one flyers were posted on buses in the BBB fleet, as well as at the BBB Transit Store.

E-blasts
The City of Santa Monica distributed an e-blast inviting stakeholders to share their comments. E-blast was available in English. To view the e-blasts, refer to Appendix D.

Table 4 Eblast Notification Details
E-blast Date Sent
Initial Invitation February 21, 2024
Reminder #1 February 28, 2024
Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 9
Reminder #2 March 6, 2024
Social Media
BBB’s social media platforms were utilized to promote the upcoming public workshops. To view the social media posts, see Appendix D. Social media content was posted in English and Spanish on Facebook and Instagram.

Table 5 Social Media Notification
Platform Content Date Sent
Facebook Workshop Notification #1 2/21/24
Workshop Notification #2 2/28/24
Workshop Notification #3 3/4/24
Workshop Notification #4 3/6/24
Workshop Notification #5 3/7/24
Workshop Thank you Post 3/12/24
Instagram Workshop Notification #1 2/21/24
Workshop Notification #2 2/28/24
Workshop Notification #3 3/4/24
Workshop Notification #4 3/6/24
Workshop Notification #5 3/7/24
Workshop Thank you Post 3/12/24
Newspaper Advertisements
Advertisements were placed digitally in three (3) local publications and in print in one (1) publication to promote the upcoming Public Workshops to a broader audience. The advertisements featured a brief overview of the COA project, as well as time, date and location details. To view digital ad placements, please refer to Appendix D.

Table 6 Newspaper Advertisement Details
Newspaper Date
Santa Monica Mirror
Leader board on smmirror.com and eblast
2/21/24 – 3/6/24
Santa Monica Daily Press
Digital newsletters
2/21 – 3/6/24
Santa Monica College Corsair (print ad) 2/28/24
Daily Bruin (UCLA)
Top banner for bruinwalk.com
2/21 – 3/6/24
Meeting Flyer Distribution
A meeting flyer in English and Spanish was developed to promote the upcoming public workshop. On February 21, 2024, 300 flyers, bundled in sets of 50, were distributed across 12 sites near Santa Monica Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 10
Bus Stops. Additionally, take one flyers were posted inside the BBB fleet and at the BBB Transit Store. To view the meeting flyer and take ones, see Appendix D.

Table 7 Flyer Notification Details
No. Location Quantity
1 City of Santa Monica
1685 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90401 50
2 Ken Edwards Center
1527 4th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401 50
3 Santa Monica High School
601 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405 50
4 Virginia Avenue Park
2200 Virginia Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404 50
5 Pico Brank Library
2201 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405 50
6 *Bus Stops (posted on stop pole)
Pico WB and 18th St, Santa Monica, CA 90404 x
7 Montana Avenue Branch Library
1704 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403 50
8 *Bus Stop (posted on stope pole)
1744 Pearl St, Santa Monica, CA 90405 x
9 Annenberg Community Branch House
415 Pacific Coast Hwy, Santa Monica, CA 90402 50
10 Santa Monica College Bundy Campus
3171 S Bundy Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90066 75
11 UCLA Transportation Office/ULCA Police Department
555 Westwood Plaza, Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1360
15 12 Blue: The Transit Store
1444 4th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401 50
Total flyers distributed 190
SMS Notification
Notification for these workshops was also conducted through SMS messages sent to BBB’s database of more than 16,500 contacts on March 5, 2024. The messages were sent in both English and Spanish. To view the SMS notification messages, see Appendix D.

Press Releases
BBB staff distributed two press releases on February 20 and February 21, 2024 to notify members of the media of the public workshops and Brighter Blue COA effort. To view these press releases, see Appendix D.

Earned Media
Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 11
Leading up to the public workshops, some media outlets provided coverage of the Brighter Blue COA process and upcoming public workshops. The details of those articles are listed below. To see copies of earned media, see Appendix D.

Table 8 Earned Media
Media outlet Headline Date Link
Santa Monica
Daily Press
Big Blue Bus begins
safety officer program
with Sunday launch*
(includes reference to
Brighter Blue meetings)
3/8/24 https://smdp.com/2024/03/08/big-blue-busbegins-safety-officer-program-with-sundaylaunch/ Santa Monica
Mirror
Blue Bus Seeks Input
on How to Improve
Service
2/22/24 https://smmirror.com/2024/02/blue-busseeks-input-on-how-to-improve-service/ Santa Monica
City Website
Big Blue Bus seeks
community input to
enhance customer
experience
2/21/24 https://www.santamonica.gov/press/2024/02/
21/ big-blue-bus-seeks-community-input-toenhance-customer-experience

4.2 Virtual Public Workshop
Public Workshop #1 was held virtually via ZOOM from 6:00-8:00 pm on March 6, 2024 to discuss the Brighter Blue COA process and to receive input from the public related to their experiences on BBB and their ideas for future service improvements. This meeting was attended by 55 members of the public and they provided 189 written or verbal comments.

During the meeting, the project team introduced participants to the study overview and objectives.

Participants provided their input on what type of features they would like to see implemented.

Additionally, live Spanish interpretation was made available throughout the meeting for participants.

Both meetings were recorded and will be made available in English and Spanish to all stakeholders after the culmination of the first meeting series.

Attendees
The following members of the public participated in the virtual public hearing on March 6, 2024. To view the redacted attendee report for this virtual workshop, see Appendix D.

Table 9 Virtual Workshop Participation
No. Name No. Name
1 Alejandro Hernandez 29 Kecia Weller
2 Amy Gottstein 30 Kelly Kuvo Richardson
3 Annie Chan 31 Larissa Hogan
4 Austin Phung 32 Laura Blumenthal
5 Benjamin Tomimatsu 33 Leontynae Rhynes
6 Bill Lam 34 Louis Zeledon
Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 12
7 B. Johnstone 35 Lynn Stokes
8 Cecile Oreste 36 Maria Garcia
9 Connie Ho 37 Mario Melgarejo
10 Cynthia Rose 38 Marls Lickhalter
11 Deborah Lynch 39 Mary T. de la Pena
12 Debra Shepherd 40 Michael Harris
13 Diane Murphy 41 Michael Soehner
14 Dominick Falzone 42 Mojiy Jimoh
15 Dominic Sarabia 43 Mousey Kim
16 Edmund Xu 44 Nancy Sanchez
17 Berman 45 Nilaya Kanuri
18 Grant Lyon 46 Pamela Singletary
19 Greta saran 47 Patsy Proctor
20 Halley sprung 48 Rebecca Lantry
21 Ian Dutton 49 Robert See
22 Jane K 50 Robin Sherry
23 Jerry Rubin 51 Sam Butler
24 Jill Turkfeld 52 Scott Greene
25 Jose Dennis Alabaso 53 Sharon Resendiz
26 Judy Abdo 54 Sy Wilson
27 Justin Wong 55 Theodoric Huang
28 Kandy Arnold
Virtual Public Workshop Feedback Activity
Upon registration, attendees were asked to answer a series of questions on ZOOM regarding their connection to Santa Monica, their use of public transportation, and how they learned about the meeting. The results are provided below.

Question 1
5%, 9
9%, 16
16%, 30
16%, 30
22%, 40
32%, 57
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
I go to school here
Other
I work here
I have health appointments here
I visit major destinations like the Santa Monica Pier
I live here
What is your relation to Santa Monica?
Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 13
Question 2
Question 3
Comment Themes
Participants were encouraged to actively engage by providing input and asking questions during the Q&A portion of the meeting. Participants provided a total of 189 verbal or written comments during this meeting. The following summarizes the key points discussed during the meeting regarding the Big Blue Bus (BBB) system. To see the Comment Log for the virtual and in-person public workshop, please refer to Appendix D.

Table 10 Virtual Workshop Comment Themes
Topic Key Themes
Service Frequency • Participants indicated a preference for increased frequency, especially during peak hours and weekends.
0%, 0
5%, 5
24%, 24
31%, 32
40%, 41
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Daily (5 or more times per week)
Often (1-4 times per week)
How often do you use public transportation?
0%, 0
0%, 0
2%, 2
6%, 6
7%, 7
13%, 12
19%, 18
53%, 49
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Flyer at public counter
Phone Call
Friend or Family Member
Newspaper Ad
Flyer on the bus
Other
Social Media
Email /Text
How did you hear about this meeting?
Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 14
• Specific requests for more frequent service on Line 9 and other key routes to reduce wait times.

Route Requests
• Participants requested the implementation of new routes such as “R1” and “R9” to cater to specific commuting needs.
• Comments included requests for more reliable and fixed routes over ondemand services for predictable travel.

Service Quality
• Feedback focused on improving the cleanliness and overall quality of the bus service.
• Suggestions included more frequent cleaning and maintaining buses in better condition.

Customer Service • Comments highlighted the need for better customer service, with specific mentions of staff friendliness and driver professionalism.

Pricing Concerns
• Participants expressed concerns about fare prices, requesting more affordable options and questioning the cost-effectiveness of current pricing strategies.

Operational
Efficiency
• There were requests for improved operational efficiency, including better on-time performance and reduced delays.
• Suggestions for more accurate bus schedules and better coordination with real-time transit apps.

Accessibility
• Participants highlighted the need for better accessibility, particularly for seniors and those with disabilities.
• Comments included requests for closer bus stops and more accessible vehicle features.

Environmental
Impact
• Participants showed support for eco-friendly initiatives, with comments encouraging the use of sustainable practices in bus operations.

Improvements Priorities Activity
To garner additional feedback on the public’s improvement priorities, virtual workshop attendees participated in a resource allocation activity. The activity was hosted virtually through the Mentimeter software. For some questions, participants were asked to rank priorities and for others, participants were provided with “100-points” they allocated to different options that were presented during the presentation. Between 25 and 32 meeting attendees participated in this activity. The following charts summarize the responses from meeting participants. The full results of this activity are available in Appendix D.

Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 15
Figure 2 Please rank the following in order of importance for you Table 11 Summary of improvements ranking activity (virtual workshop) Improvement 1st Place Votes 2nd Place Votes 3rd Place Votes Shorter wait for the bus 13 5 3
Shorter travel time on the bus 5 10 6
Shorter walk to the bus stop 3 6 12
Figure 3 At what time of day is it MOST important to add more frequency Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 16
Figure 4 Which of the following do you prefer in areas that cannot support frequent bus service Figure 5 Improvements Priority

4.3 In-Person Public Workshop
Public Workshop #2 was held in-person at the Santa Monica Main Library on Thursday, March 7, 2024 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the Brighter Blue COA process and to receive input from the public related to their experiences on BBB and their ideas for future service improvements. This meeting was attended by 26 members of the public and they provided 12 verbal comments/questions, and 9 comments/questions were submitted in writing. Live Spanish interpretation was made available during this meeting and materials were provided in English and Spanish.

Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 17
During the meeting, the project team introduced participants to the COA process and objectives.

Participants provided their input on what type of features they would like to see implemented.

Additionally, live Spanish interpretation was made available throughout the meeting for participants.

Attendees
Meeting participants were asked to sign into the meeting. To view the redacted sign-in sheets from this meeting, please see Appendix D.

Table 12 In-Person Workshop Participation
Attendee Report – In-Person Public Workshop
Upon registration for this meeting, attendees were asked to answer a series of questions regarding their connection to Santa Monica, their use of public transportation, and how they learned about the meeting. The results are provided below.

No. Name No. Name
1 Amy Gottstein 14 Luka P
2 Andrea Fonsele 15 Mario Melgarejo
3 Bill Davids 16 May
4 Chung 17 Nuri Halperin
5 Deepak Kaushik 18 Pam Oconnor
6 Dennis Ficker 19 Seimah Edirisinge
7 Dorthy Suchera 20 Sharon L Resendiz
8 Eugene Salinsky 21 Shaun Howard
9 Fransico Mioy 22 Sirinya Matute
10 Jack Meyhue 23 Soraya De Chadarevian
11 Jacqueline Ashouroof 24 U. Chahn
12 Jose Melendez 25 Wang Wright
13 Juan Matute 26 Zoey Muntaner
Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 18
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
0%, 0
2%, 2
15%, 7
19%, 9
23%, 11
41%, 20
0 5 10 15 20 25
Other
I go to school here
I work here
I have health appointments here
I visit major destinations like the Santa Monica Pier
I live here
What is your relation to Santa Monica?
0%, 0
13%, 4
15%, 5
34%, 11
38%, 12
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Daily (5 or more times per week)
Often (1-4 times per week)
How often do you use public transportation?
0%, 0
0%, 0
0%, 0
0%, 0
4%, 1
4%, 1
4%, 1
88%, 19
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Flyer on the bus
Friend or Family Member
Phone Call
Flyer at public counter
Social Media
Other
Newspaper Ad
Email/Text
How did you hear about this meeting?
Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 19
Comment Theme Summary
Meeting participants submitted 21 comments (12 verbal, 9 in writing) and the table below provides a summary of those comments.

Table 13 In-Person Workshop Comment Summary
Topic Comments
Service Frequency
and Timing
• Concerns about the adequacy of service frequency, particularly during offpeak hours and the implications for safety and utility. • Specific requests for changes in bus schedules to accommodate community events and improve access to destinations like UCLA.
• Complaints about the inaccuracy and lack of up-to-date schedule information.

Route Coverage
and Stop Locations
• Dissatisfaction with the current routes not covering key areas like West LA and requests for adjustments in bus stops (e.g., placement after traffic lights for safety).
• Suggestions for route adjustments to improve connectivity and convenience, including requests for fewer stops on certain routes or the reinstatement of specific stops near key locations.

Safety and
Accessibility
• Numerous concerns over safety, including harassment on buses and the need for bus drivers to enforce rules and ensure safety for all passengers, including vulnerable groups.
• Issues related to ADA compliance and the inappropriate use of designated spaces by non-disabled individuals.
• Suggestions for improving physical infrastructure at stops to enhance safety and protection from the weather.

Technology and
Communication
• Frustration with digital signage being unreadable due to sunlight or poor angles.
• Requests for better real-time communication regarding bus arrivals, especially when there are delays or cancellations.

General Service
Quality
• Feedback on the need for cleaner, more comfortable seating and wellmaintained facilities. • Calls for more respectful and considerate behavior from both drivers and passengers to foster a more pleasant and respectful environment.

Improvements Priorities
To garner additional feedback on the public’s improvement priorities, in-person workshop attendees participated in a resource allocation activity. The activity was hosted virtually through the Mentimeter software. For some questions, participants were asked to rank their improvement priorities. Between 13 and 15 workshop attendees participated in this activity. The following charts summarize the responses from meeting participants. The full results of this activity are available in Appendix D.

Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 20
Table 14 Summary of
improvement ranking activity (in-person workshop)
Improvement 1st Place Votes 2nd Place Votes 3rd Place Votes Shorter wait for the bus 9 3 1
Shorter travel time on the bus 3 5 5
Shorter walk to the bus stop 1 5 7
Figure 7 At what time of day is it most important to add more frequency? Figure 6 Please rank the following in order of importance for you Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 21
Figure 8 Which of the following service do you prefer?
Figure 9 Which of the following do you prefer in areas that cannot support frequent bus service? Comment Board Results
Participants at the in-person meeting were
encouraged to provide comments on the
‘comments’ display boards. Two boards were
featured at the meeting. The first board
asked participants to identify features of BBB
that they liked and the other board asked
participants for their ideas to improve the
BBB system. To access images of the
comment boards this workshop, please refer
to Appendix D.
‘What I Like’ Board
The feedback highlights positive aspects of BBB service, particularly praising its frequency, cleanliness, and safety over Metro. There are specific requests for increased Sunday service on Route 5 and better Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 22
daily frequency in areas like Wilton/18th Blvd. Users appreciate the affordability, zero-emissions initiatives, and payment system. The service is noted for its convenience, with stops near homes and routes to downtown Santa Monica. The buses are described as safe and clean, supported by courteous drivers and comfortable seating.

Table 15 'What I Like' Board Comments
What do you like about Big Blue Bus?

1. More frequency for route 5 on Sunday

2. Stops are close to my house

3. Generally good payment system

4. Safe and clean & drivers & worker to be close by. Or I give up on the bus to Anaheim

5. Good coverage below the western side of town

6. Generally cleaner than Metro

7. Zero emissions DMS

8. Affordable

9. Trasport service to Downtown SM on Pico Blvd and Lincoln

10. Much more safe & clean than metro

11. Going zero emissions

12. Drivers generally courteous

13. Comfortable ride & seats!

14. Some friendly operators

15. Good coverage near Wilton / 18th Blvd – Good route to Vons – Thu E10

16. Space for riders, good frequency during the day

17. Convenience and generally friendly drivers

18. Buses are mostly clean and Service reliability is better than Metro (but still low as norm for newcomers)
Ideas Board
The comments on improving BBB service emphasize increasing bus frequency, especially on weekends and during peak hours, and expanding the use of electric buses for sustainability. Safety, cleanliness, and real-time updates are key concerns, with calls for more cameras and consistent cleaning. Requests for better infrastructure, like shaded bus stops, and enhanced accessibility, including ADA-compliant training Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 23
for drivers and bike racks on buses, are prominent. Technological improvements such as an improved app interface and integration of Metro’s TAP system are also mentioned.

Table 16 Ideas Board Comments
Topic

1. Clean the bus top priority.

2. Consult more on bus routes.

3. Put a bike rack on all BBB buses.

4. More electric buses, especially on Zone 1.

5. More frequent buses, especially for Route 7.

6. Electric bus trials?

7. Metro’s TAP system on BBB.

8. Shade & Shelter at bus stops.

9. Run BBB buses more frequently during weekends.

10. More buses on weekends.

11. Cameras on buses for safety.

12. Timeliness.

13. Shade at bus stops.

14. Push button to request a stop.

15. Truly dedicated lanes, I love it especially on Lincoln!

16. More safety features.

17. The seats should all be the same.

18. The sitting is not comfortable.

19. Big Blue should be FREE.

20. The stats should all be available at the stop.

21. We need to install device that counts people at different times.

22. Own dedicated bus lanes.

23. Shade & bench at stops.

24. App for real time updates on bus locations (map).

25. Help us know when the bus is comfortable.

Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 24

26. Cleanliness.

27. Safety.

28. Odor.

29. No more cloth seats.

30. Improve bus to walking connections.

31. Simpler, better app interface.

32. Friendly.

33. Holding up umbrellas for passengers.

34. More routes to key city centers.

35. More routes.

36. Speed up service.

37. The traffic lights should be on a timer for the bus.

38. New cleaner on a regular basis.

39. Affordable rates.

40. Training drivers on ADA compliance.

41. Headways.

42. Shorter headways!

43. Max!

44. Add more services.

45. Shade + lights at all stops.

46. Bus stop shelter.

47. 1-2 more operators during rush hour.

48. Need more buses on weekends.

49. Big electric buses only.

50. Safety is number one.

51. Improve the cleaning schedule.

Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 25
System Map Activity
At the in-person meeting, participants were encouraged to actively engage by commenting on the system map.

Participants were encouraged to place sticker dots to
show where they take the bus to and from. Attendees
were also encouraged to provide comments on sticky
notes and place them in specific areas that their comment pertained to. The table below is a summary of the
comments that were provided on the system map.

Table 17 System Map Comments Summary
Topic Key Themes
Route Expansion and
Rerouting
• Many comments suggest expanding or rerouting existing routes to better serve various areas or alleviate congestion.

Frequency and Service
Improvement
• Several comments highlight the need for increased frequency, shorter headways, and better service during peak hours or in specific areas.

Infrastructure and
Facilities
• Concerns and suggestions regarding infrastructure improvements such as electric charging stations, shared inter-agency resources, and accessibility of pass information are mentioned.

Connection and
Integration
• Integration with other transportation systems, such as Metro services, people movers, and major transit hubs, is emphasized to enhance connectivity and streamline travel.

Operational Efficiency
and Customer
Experience
• Issues related to operational efficiency, underused routes, and customer experience, including overcrowding, cleanliness, and ease of navigation, are raised.

Brighter Blue Bucks Activity
During the in-person public workshop, attendees were provided with 10 ‘Brighter Blue Bucks’ to allocate to the service improvements they preferred. This activity was similar to the resource allocation digital activity that took place during the virtual public workshop. The activity was accompanied by several display boards that explained the improvements, as well as a board to describe some of the tradeoffs associated with the improvements. To view the display boards present at this workshop, please see Appendix D.

Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 26
Figure 10 In-Person Workshop Improvement Priorities Activity Results

5. PUBLIC HEARINGS
Following the release of the Draft Service Plan by the technical planning team, two (2) public hearings were held to provide the public with an opportunity to provide feedback on the plan. Notification for these hearings adhered to BBB policies (see Appendix E), and legal advertisements were published at least 14 days prior to the first public hearing. Additionally, comments were accepted from the public following the hearings for at least 20 days (April 21 – May 24). Adherence to accessibility policies was also met. The in-person hearing on April 20 was held at an ADA accessible facility and live captioning was provided for hearing impaired persons. Additionally, a press release was distributed prior to the public hearings, and recordings and transcripts of both hearings were developed (Appendix E). 2%
4%
7%
15%
17%
18%
18%
19%
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% 20%
Other Priorities (Better shade, cleaner buses and bus stops) Routes to New places
New On Demand Services
More Frequent Service On Weekends
Safety and Security
Shorter Travel Times (Faster Speed)
Longer Hours
More Frequent Service on Weekdays
Improvement Priorities
Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 27
Table 18 Public Hearings Details
Meeting Date Time Location
Virtual Public Hearing Tuesday, April 16, 2024 6:00pm – 8:00pm Zoom In-person Public
Hearing
Saturday, April 20, 2024 10:00am – 12:00pm Virginia Avenue Park (2200 Virginia Ave,
Santa Monica, CA
90404)
During the meetings, project staff presented on proposed service changes that would be implemented over the next five years. The proposed changes included:
• Improving weekday frequency to 10 minutes or better on major corridors. • Expanding service hours earlier in the morning and later at night. • Adjusting route alignments to connect with future Metro Rail D Line, C Line, and K Line stations.

Participants provide written and verbal comments recorded by a court reporter. Additionally, live interpretation was made available to participants for both Public Hearings. The meetings were recorded and will be made available in English and Spanish to all stakeholders.

To view the presentations shared during the Public Hearings, see Appendix E.

5.2 Notification
Notification of these public hearings was conducted in adherence to the City’s policy on public hearing procedures (Public Hearing and Community Meeting Procedures for Major Service or Fare Changes, 2019). Necessary notification was sent at least 14 days before the first public hearing. Notification was first disseminated through three legal advertisements placed in three local newspapers and a press release. Additionally, notification was distributed via eblast, SMS text message, physical flyer drop-offs at public counters, social media, and take-one flyers posted on the BBB fleet.

E-blast
The City of Santa Monica distributed several eblasts to invite stakeholders to attend the hearing and share their comments on the draft service changes. The eblasts were available in English and Spanish. To view eblasts sent out for the public hearings, see Appendix E.

Table 19 Public Hearing Eblast Notification
E-blast Distribution Date
Initial 4/2/24
Reminder #1 4/10/24
Reminder #2 4/15/24
Reminder #3 4/18/24
Thank You Eblast 4/30/24
Advertisements
Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 28
Legal advertisements were designed to promote the upcoming Public Hearings to a broader audience and comply with BBB policy to notify the public of hearings at least 14 days in advance. Three legal ads were published in the publications listed below, and one display ad was published in the Santa Monica Star (publication does not publish legal ads) Copies of publication affidavits are available in Appendix E.

Table 20 Legal Advertisement Details
Advertisement Distribution Date
Santa Monica Mirror 4/2/24
Santa Monica Star (Display Ad) 4/1/24
Santa Monica Daily Press 4/2/24
Santa Monica Observer 4/2/24
Social Media
The City’s social media platforms were utilized to promote the upcoming Public Hearings and accompanying draft service changes survey. To view the social media posts, see Appendix E. Social media content was posted in English and Spanish.

Table 21 Public Hearing Social Media Notification
Platform Content Date Sent
Facebook Public Hearing Reminder #1 4/2/24
Public Hearing Reminder #2 4/9/24
Public Hearing Reminder #3 4/15/24
Public Hearing Reminder #4 4/16/24
Public Hearing Reminder #5 4/19/24
Thank You Post, Survey Promotion 4/23/24
Survey Promotion #2 4/30/24
Survey Promotion #3 5/8/24
Survey Promotion #4 5/16/24
Survey Promotion #5 5/24/24
Instagram Public Hearing Reminder #1 4/2/24
Public Hearing Reminder #2 4/9/24
Public Hearing Reminder #3 4/15/24
Public Hearing Reminder #4 4/16/24
Public Hearing Reminder #5 4/19/24
Thank You Post, Survey Promotion 4/23/24
Survey Promotion #2 4/30/24
Survey Promotion #3 5/8/24
Survey Promotion #4 5/16/24
Survey Promotion #5 5/24/24
Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 29
Flyer Distribution
A meeting flyer in English and Spanish was developed to promote the hearings. In advance of the hearings, 500 flyers were distributed across 12 public counter sites near BBB bus stops. To view the flyer, see Appendix E.

No. Location Quantity
1 City of Santa Monica
1685 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90401 50
2 Ken Edwards Center
1527 4th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401 50
3 Santa Monica High School
601 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405 50
4 Virginia Avenue Park
2200 Virginia Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404 50
5 Pico Brank Library
2201 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405 50
6 Bus Stops
Pico WB and 18th St, Santa Monica, CA 90404 4
7 Montana Avenue Branch Library
1704 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403 50
8 Bus Stop
1744 Pearl St, Santa Monica, CA 90405 4
9 Annenberg Community Branch House
415 Pacific Coast Hwy, Santa Monica, CA 90402 50
10 Santa Monica College Bundy Campus
3171 S Bundy Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90066 75
11 UCLA Transportation Office/ULCA Police Department
555 Westwood Plaza, Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1360
15 12 Blue: The Transit Store
1444 4th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401 50
SMS Notification
Two SMS notification messages were sent by BBB to notify its database of 16,500+ contacts of the hearings. To view the SMS messages, see Appendix E.

Table 22 Public Hearings SMS Notification
SMS Notification Date Sent
Public Hearing Notification #1 4/11/24
Public Hearing Notification #2 4/18/24

5.3 Virtual Public Hearing
Public Hearing #1 was held virtually via ZOOM on April 16, 2024 from 6:00-8:00 pm to share the proposals included in the Draft Service Plan, and to garner feedback during the public comment portion of the hearing. The meeting was attended by 46 members of the public and included a presentation and Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 30
overview of the draft service changes and was followed by a public comment period which garnered 66 verbal or written comments.

Attendees
Participants in this hearing were asked to register and when commenting, to provide their name and city of residence. To access the attendee report for the virtual public hearing, please see Appendix E.

Table 23 Virtual Hearing Participation
No. Name No.
1 Ally Hamilton 24 Lou
2 Amy G 25 Louis Zeledon
3 Ant Honey 26 Luka Peharda
4 Arnold Sobol 27 M K
5 Bill Lam 28 Makesi Gaither
6 Chris Michel 29 Margarita Torres
7 David Mach 30 Mary Ann Ryan
8 Debra Shepherd 31 Mary Johnson
9 Dominic Sarabia 32 Michael Harris
10 Freida Dubin 33 Nancy J Duresky
11 Guest (did not leave name) 34 Noe Solano
12 Guest (did not leave name) 35 Owen Gorman
13 Guest (did not leave name) 36 P Fauntleroy
14 Jacob Wasserman 37 Raag Agrawal
15 Jean Fleet 38 Rayne Laborde Ruiz
16 Jenny Lens 39 Richard Newton
17 Jerry Rubin 40 Richard Park
18 Jose Dennis Alabaso 41 Roland West
19 Josh Xu 42 Russell Jones
20 Lawrence Tran 43 Sam Butler
21 Lizzie Estrella 44 Scott Greene
22 LoEtte Loshak 45 Shahab Yarmohammadi
23 Lois Zhang 46 William Olenen
Key Themes
Participants were provided up to three minutes to provide public comments verbally during the virtual public hearing. A total of 66 comments were provided including 45 written comments and 21 verbal comments. A court reporter was present during the meeting and the hearing was recorded. To view transcripts for the virtual and in-person public hearing, please refer to Appendix E.

Table 24 Virtual Hearing Comment Themes
Topic Key Themes
Service
Enhancements
• Several attendees expressed gratitude for improvements such as the frequency of buses on specific routes.

Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 31
• Positive feedback was given for extending the operational days of certain routes, which were described as essential by daily commuters. • Positive feedback on the overall planning and enhancements to the bus services that facilitate more convenient travel.

Concerns about
Service Reductions
• Multiple commenters specifically mentioned the elimination of Rapid bus No. 3 and Rapid bus No. 7 as problematic.
• Concerns were voiced about the reduction of services to neighborhoods or stops, which some attendees felt still had significant demand. • Feedback included worries that the removal of certain routes would lead to longer travel times and decreased convenience.
• Several concerns were raised about the change affecting UCLA's connectivity, particularly the proposal to abandon the Hilgard terminal, which has historically served as a central hub for buses serving the campus.

This terminal was noted for its amenities like seating, shade, and restrooms, which are lacking at other stops.

Infrastructure
Improvements
• Requests were made for upgrades to bus stops, including the need for reliable buses, seating, and shelters.
• Attendees suggested improvements in accessibility features at bus stops to accommodate elderly and disabled passengers.
• Calls for enhanced overall infrastructure to ensure that bus services are comfortable and convenient for all users.

Route Adjustments
• Several suggestions were made to alter specific routes to better serve community areas and maintain essential services.
• Feedback included strong requests to reconsider the removal of bus stops that are heavily used by the community.
• Comments highlighted the need to adjust routes to better connect with other public transportation options and key locations.
• Suggestions were made regarding the adjustment of Route 43 to better serve the Pico neighborhood and Santa Monica College (SMC), emphasizing the importance of maintaining multiple routes servicing SMC due to the high volume of commuting students.
• There were calls to reconsider the decision to cut services to Playa Vista, particularly on Route 14, due to its importance to both residents and workers in the area. The feedback highlighted the community’s reliance on this service for accessing work and other daily needs.

Bus Operational
Issues
• Comments noted frequent breakdowns of buses and suggested updating or replacing older buses to ensure reliability.
• Issues were raised about the timeliness of buses, with suggestions for more accurate scheduling to prevent delays.
• Attendees expressed dissatisfaction with the operational efficiency of certain routes, suggesting a need for review and enhancement.

Accessibility
• Concerns were repeatedly expressed regarding the accessibility of the bus services for people with disabilities.
• Feedback included the need for buses to allow more time for boarding, particularly for elderly and disabled passengers.
• Requests for better training for bus drivers to ensure they stop at all designated stops and assist those who need more time to board.

Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 32
Environmental
Impact
• Some comments addressed the environmental benefits of improving bus service, suggesting that more frequent and reliable services could reduce car use.
• Attendees expressed support for initiatives that promote public transportation as a greener alternative, praising the potential impact on reducing traffic and pollution.

Driver Conduct and
Customer Service
• Several attendees commented on the behavior of bus drivers, including issues with drivers not stopping at designated stops.
• Negative experiences with driver interactions were noted, with calls for better customer service and driver training.
• Positive remarks were also made about some drivers' professionalism and courtesy, suggesting variability in service quality.

4.3 In-Person Public Hearing
An in-person public hearing was held on Saturday, April 20 from 10am-12pm at Virginia Avenue Park and
attended by 22 members of the public. The in-person
hearing included a presentation of proposed service
changes and an opportunity for verbal or written
feedback on the proposals. Display boards featuring
route changes were also present at the hearing,
providing context and details of the proposed changes.

Booklets with the draft service changes were also
available for attendees in both English and Spanish. Following the presentation, the meeting broke out into a public comment session and all comments were audio recorded and transcribed by a certified court reporter. Transcripts from both public hearings are available in Appendix E.

Attendees
To view redacted sign-in sheets from the in-person public hearing, please refer to Appendix E.

No. Name No.
1 Amy Gottstein 12 Juan Matute
2 Barbara Kessel 13 Laurence Giglio
3 Barry Adler 14 Leo Gonzalez
4 Caro Vilan 15 Lisa Bakewell
5 David Duncan 16 Lon Tinney
6 Dorthy Suchkoda 17 Markesha Haynes
7 ED Rudolph 18 Sasha I
8 Erlinda Valle 19 Siruna Matute
9 Esmeralda Hernandez 20 Sureye De Chadurine
10 Jerry Rubin 21 Veer Gupta
11 Jonathan Orbon 22 Wayne Wright
Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 33
Key Themes
Participants were encouraged to provide comments during the public comment portion of the meeting.

The following summarizes the key points discussed during the focus group meetings regarding the Big Blue Bus (BBB) system. A total of 16 public comments, 13 verbal and 3 written, were provided during the in-person hearing. A summary of those comments is provided in the table below. To access the full transcript for t in-person public hearing, please refer to Appendix E.

Table 25 In-Person Hearing Comment Themes
Topic Key Themes
Service Frequency
• Calls for increased service frequency on weekends, particularly for routes that restrict users' access to major lines during non-weekday hours. This limitation notably affects residents who rely on public transit as their primary means of transportation.
• Requests made to restore service to areas where stops have been moved further away, causing inconvenience, especially highlighted by residents with mobility impairments.
• Requests for buses to operate earlier and later in the day to accommodate varied schedules, such as those of workers who finish late or need to travel early in the morning.

Accessibility
• Concerns raised regarding the need for buses with better accessibility features, such as wider on-ramps for wheelchair access and buses with better lighting at stops to ensure safety at night.
• Calls for improved lighting at bus stops to make them safer for all users, especially those in wheelchairs who feel vulnerable in poorly lit areas. • Specific mentions of the benefits of certain buses with longer and wider ramps, making boarding easier and safer for users with disabilities.

Connectivity
• Proposals for rerouting some bus lines to provide direct access to key health services and medical facilities during peak hours, which would benefit users with frequent medical needs.
• Suggestions to adjust bus routes to better connect educational campuses, facilitating easier travel for students who have classes at multiple locations. • Recommendations to connect bus routes more effectively with major transit lines, improving overall network integration and user convenience.

Service Efficiency
• Critiques of routes where buses run empty, with suggestions to reroute or extend these to higher-demand areas to improve utilization and reduce operational waste.
• Recommendations to review and optimize layover points to match service provision more closely with actual user demand, thereby increasing the efficiency of the service.
• Comments on the need to address route overlaps where multiple buses serve the same route simultaneously, leading to inefficiencies and longer wait times for subsequent buses.

Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 34

6. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS SURVEY
Following the conclusion of the two public hearings, the public comment period remained open through May 24, 2024. The public were provided the opportunity to submit their comments in writing via email to brighterbluebbb.com or via mail to Big Blue Bus. A draft recommendations survey was also launched at the beginning of the Public Hearing process on April 2, 2024. The survey and comment period ended on Friday, May 24.

The table below provides a summary of the 39 written comments received following the public hearings and 14 comments received prior to the beginning of the public hearing comment period on April 2, 2024. To view the full comments, see Appendix G.

Table 26 Public Comments Summary
Topic Summary
Service
Frequency and
Timing
• Many comments focused on the need to increase the frequency and reduce headways of various bus routes to improve reliability and convenience. • Suggestions included more frequent buses during peak hours and on weekends to better accommodate commuting schedules.
• Comments suggested BBB riders could benefit from increased service, especially during morning and evening peak times to support student and worker commutes.

Route Changes
and Extensions
• Feedback included both support and opposition to proposed changes in bus routes and terminus points, expressing concerns about accessibility and convenience.
• Some proposed extending certain routes to better connect with key destinations like airports or new metro stations.
o Route 3: There were suggestions to extend Route 3 to better connect with new metro lines and the LAX People Mover, which would improve access to the airport.
o Route 14: Some comments focused on extending Route 14 to reach new metro stations, which would help integrate bus routes with expanding metro services, particularly aiming to enhance access to significant transit hubs.
o Route 7: There was discussion about adjusting Route 7 to connect with upcoming Metro stations, which would facilitate better transit flow and connectivity in the area.
• Criticisms were directed at routes perceived as redundant or inefficient, with suggestions to realign or combine them for better service. o Route 5 and Route 7: There were suggestions to swap the eastern sections of Route 5 and Route 7 to better optimize their paths and improve connectivity to Metro stations, addressing perceived inefficiencies in their current alignments.
o Route 14: Criticisms of Route 14 focused on its service in certain sections that were viewed as redundant with other services, with suggestions to remove the redundant segments for more efficient routing. o Route 16: Comments suggested routing changes to Route 16 to avoid overlapping with other routes and better serve community needs, Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 35
specifically recommending adjustments to avoid narrow streets and improve accessibility.

Accessibility
• Comments highlighted the need for better accessibility features on buses and at bus stops, especially for disabled riders and those with mobility issues. • Suggestions for installing more benches, better signage, and real-time information displays at stops.
• Specific requests included improvements to accommodate passengers with wheelchairs and provide easier access to public transport from residential areas.

Fares
• Feedback on the affordability of bus services, with suggestions to lower the price of passes and improve transfer options.
• Some users requested the continuation of cash payment options for those who might not use digital payment methods.
• Calls for matching free ride days with other transit services to simplify fare systems and encourage more frequent use.

Customer
Service
• Requests for better communication regarding service changes, delays, and cancellations, ideally through multiple channels including social media and transit apps.
• Criticisms of poor response times to customer inquiries and suggestions for more proactive customer service.
• Examples included specific instances where lack of information led to confusion or inconvenience.

Bus Stops
• Numerous comments on the need to improve the physical infrastructure of bus stops to enhance safety and comfort.
• Suggestions for more lighting, shelter, and security at bus stops, especially in less densely populated areas.
• Concerns about the placement and maintenance of stops, with requests to consider the safety of locations, particularly at night.

Environmental
and Policy
Considerations
• Comments were provided related to the environmental impact of bus transit, including the integration of more electric buses and considerations for reducing the overall carbon footprint.
• Calls for aligning bus transit policies with broader city and regional goals for sustainability and reduced car dependency.
• Advocacy for more robust public transit as a means to combat urban sprawl and reduce traffic congestion.

Community
Engagement
• Comments expressed appreciation for the opportunity to provide input through public hearings and feedback mechanisms, but also critiques of how effectively this input would be used.
• Requests for more frequent and meaningful engagement with the community to gather a wide range of opinions and experiences.
• Suggestions for setting up regular forums or advisory boards that include diverse community representatives to aid in transit planning.

Table 27 Public Comments Prior to Comment Period Summary Topic Summary
Bus Scheduling
and Reliability
• Complaints about long wait times, especially on weekends and off-peak hours.

Suggestions include shorter headways for more consistent service.

Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 36
• Numerous reports of buses being unreliable in terms of adhering to the scheduled times, which often leads to missed connections and delays.

Service
Improvements
• Requests to bring back previously discontinued routes like Line 4 and 44 to better serve community needs.
• Proposals for new bus services and expansions, such as more mid-day services for R10 and a new E10 service from Union Station to Santa Monica.

Bus Capacity
• Frequent issues with buses being too full to accept more passengers, particularly during rush hours.
• Suggestions include using larger buses or increasing the number of buses during peak times.

Amenities and
Accessibility
• Calls for USB charging ports on buses to accommodate passengers' electronic devices, especially useful during long rides requiring multiple connections. • Feedback on making buses more accessible for disabled individuals and addressing issues like smoking and vaping on buses to ensure a comfortable ride.

Community
Engagement
• Concerns that the BBB staff does not adequately consider public feedback when making service decisions. Calls for a more inclusive approach to planning that genuinely considers and integrates public suggestions.

6.1 Draft Recommendations Survey
In conjunction with the public hearing comment period, a survey was launched to solicit feedback on specific draft service changes presented to the public. The digital survey was developed in English and Spanish and garnered 339 (337 English, 2 Spanish) total responses between April 2 and May 24, 2024.

The following is a summary of the results from that survey, to view the full draft recommendations survey report, see Appendix F.

The results from the survey indicated most survey responses were from members of the public that did review the draft service plan (85%), and the majority of responses (88%) came from BBB riders who use the service at least once per month. The most commonly used routes among survey respondents are Route 1 (53%), Route 2 (35%), Route 7 (33%) and Route 3 (31%). Respondents indicated that if the plan were implemented as it was presented, 44% of respondents would use BBB more and 40% the same amount, while just 9.3% of respondents said they would ride less often and 6.5 % said they wouldn’t use BBB at all.

Included in this survey was also a question that asked respondents to rank their service improvement priorities and the top priorities were “Investing in high-frequency 10 minute or better service on key corridors” and “Extending service hours on many routes earlier in the mornings or later in the evenings.” The public was also presented with each individual service change, and they were asked to respond whether or not they agreed to the change, were neutral or were opposed to the change. The changes with the highest support indicated by ‘strongly agree’ or ‘agree’ were proposals including:
• Connecting Route 3 to the future LAX/Metro Transit Center (C/K Lines) – 88% • Extending operating hours later in the evening on Routes 1, 2, and 17 – 78% Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) Outreach Summary Report Arellano Associates 37
The proposals with the most opposition, indicated by ‘disagree’ or ‘strongly disagree’ responses included:
• Shortening Route 5 to operate between 17th/SMC Station and Westfield Century City – 23% • Ending Route 8 at UCLA Gateway Plaza rather than Hilgard Terminal so all Westwood Blvd routes go to the same place – 17%
• Combining Route 3 and Rapid 3 into one route with all-day 10-minute service – 17% 39 6.8 Attachment H
Service Equity Analysis

40 6.9 Attachment I
Fare Equity Analysis
Big Blue Bus
Title VI Fare Equity Analysis
2025-2027 Proposed Fare Changes
April 2025

Page 1 ends

Table of Contents
Purpose .......................................................................................................................................2 Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................2 Background..................................................................................................................................2 Current Fare Transactions by Fare Category ...................................................................................3 Current Fare Structure ..................................................................................................................4 Proposed Fare Changes ................................................................................................................4 Methodology ................................................................................................................................5 Data Sources............................................................................................................................5 Definitions................................................................................................................................6 Title VI Policies .............................................................................................................................6 Fare Equity Disparate Impact Policy:.......................................................................................6 Fare Equity Disproportionate Burden Policy: ............................................................................6 Fare Equity Analysis ......................................................................................................................7 Disparate Impact Analysis......................................................................................................7 Disparate Impact Findings......................................................................................................9 Disparate Impact Conclusion .................................................................................................9 Disproportionate Burden Analysis...........................................................................................9 Disproportionate Burden Findings.........................................................................................11 Disproportionate Burden Conclusion....................................................................................11 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................11 Appendix....................................................................................................................................11

1.1 Public Meeting PowerPoint...........................................................................................11

Page 2 ends

Purpose
In fiscal year 2024-2025, the Santa Monica Department of Transportation identified the need propose fare changes to Big Blue Bus fares to address declining per ride fare revenue, rising operational costs, and uncertainty in federal transit funding. Without transitioning to a more sustainable fare revenue model, Big Blue Bus would need to reevaluate planned service enhancements or possibly cut existing service.

The proposed fare changes are subject to a fare equity analysis as defined by Big Blue Bus’s Major Service and Fare Change Policy. The fare equity analysis, contained herein, is required to ensure compliance with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Title VI regulations as defined by FTA Circular 4702.1B. The purpose of this analysis is to determine whether the proposed changes result in a disparate impact on the basis of race, ethnicity, or national origin, or a disproportionate burden on the defined low-income population.

Executive Summary
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program or activity that receives Federal funds or other Federal financial assistance. In compliance with this law, Big Blue Bus has conducted a Title VI fare equity analysis of the proposed fare changes.

The fare equity analysis found that the proposed fare changes, which include increases in the costs of rides and passes, do not exceed Big Blue Bus’s disparate impact or disproportionate burden thresholds as defined by Big Blue Bus policy. As such, no additional analysis or mitigation efforts are required to implement the proposed fare changes.

Background
Big Blue Bus last implemented comprehensive fare increases in 2016. At that time, the Santa Monica City Council approved a 25 percent increase in the cost of a Regular Single Ride, from $1.00 to $1.25.

All other rides and passes rose by a similar percentage during that period.

In 2017, the cost of a Regular Single Ride using contactless media (i.e., TAP or mobile ticket) decreased to incentivize contactless payment and discourage the use of cash to reduce time dwelling at stops due to fare transactions. By 2020, cash fare transactions had fallen to about one-third of all fare transactions.

In 2022, Big Blue Bus made changes that included: free Big Blue Bus to Big Blue Bus transfers, a new 10 Rides Pass, elimination of paper passes and tokens, and increasing the age for free rides from 4 to 5 years old. The changes were made at the conclusion of a yearlong Contactless Fares Pilot, which sought to evaluate whether Big Blue Bus could go completely cashless. Big Blue Bus did not make a recommendation to permanently go cashless at that time due to several findings during the pilot.

Page 3 ends

Big Blue Bus is proposing fare increases to address fiscal challenges which include:
1) Declining per ride revenue. The average fare per ride has also fallen to roughly 70 cents, a 20% decrease from the pre-pandemic average of 87 cents.

2) Rising operating costs. Currently, it costs $182 per vehicle revenue hour to operate Big Blue Bus service compared to less than $150 pre-pandemic, a 21 percent increase due to rising labor and maintenance costs.

3) Uncertainty of federal funding. The new federal administration policies have created uncertainty around federal transit funds. The ‘fiscal cliff’ for transit agencies nationwide continues to be a pressing concern given reduced ridership (and by extension fare revenues), the end of COVID relief funding, and rising inflation. Big Blue Bus faces the same challenges.

Current Fare Transactions by Fare Category
The following chart breaks down fare transactions by Fare Category for FY2023-24:

Page 4 ends

Current Fare Structure
Big Blue Bus fares vary based on rider type and fare category. Rider type includes Regular (age 19-61), Youth (age 5-18), Senior 62+/Disabled/Medicare (shown as S/D/M), and Child (age 5 and under).

Current fare categories include Single Rides, 1-Day Pass, 7-Day Pass, 10 Rides Pass, 30-Day Pass, and Annual Pass. Children aged 5 and under ride for free as well.

Ride or Pass Current
Regular
Single Ride (Tap & Mobile) ^ $1.10
Single Ride (Cash) $1.25
1 Day Pass $4
7 Day Pass $14
10 Ride Pass^ $9
30 Day Pass $50
Annual Pass $500
Senior / Disabled / Medicare (S/D/M) & Youth
Single Ride (Tap & Mobile) ^ $0.50
Single Ride (Cash) $0.50
1-Day Pass $1.50
10 Rides Pass^ $4.50
30-Day Pass $24
Youth 30-Day Pass $19
^ Includes free Big Blue Bus to Big Blue Bus transfer within 2 hours.

Proposed Fare Changes
The proposed fare changes will be introduced in two phases, with Phase 1 beginning in August 2025 and Phase 2 in the summer of 2027.

During Phase 1, Single Ride fares (both TAP/Mobile and Cash fares) will see increases ranging from between $.15 and $.25. Passes will see costs increase between $.50 and $5.00. Similar fare increases will occur for Senior/Disabled/Medicare riders. In this phase both the Annual Pass and 30-Day Youth Pass are proposed to be eliminated due to their extremely limited usage. Specifically with the 30-Day Youth Pass, the existence of the regional GoPass which provides students at participating K-12 schools and community colleges with free rides has made this pass rarely purchased or used.

The second and final phase will occur in Summer 2027. The table below provides the numerical increases expected in phases one and two.

Page 5 ends

Ride or Pass Current
Phase 1:

August 10, 2025 Change
Phase 2:

Summer 2027 Change
Regular
Single Ride (TAP & Mobile) ^ $1.10 $1.25 $0.15 $1.50 $0.25 Single Ride (Cash) $1.25 $1.50 $0.25 $1.75 $0.25
1 Day Pass $4 $4.50 $0.50 $5 $0.50
7 Day Pass $14 $16 $2.00 $18 $2.00
10 Ride Pass^ $9 $10 $1.00 $12 $2.00
30 Day Pass $50 $55 $5.00 $60 $5.00
Annual Pass $500 Eliminate
Senior / Disabled / Medicare (S/D/M)
Single Ride (TAP & Mobile) ^ $0.50 $0.60 $0.10 $0.65 $0.05 Single Ride (Cash) $0.50 $0.75 $0.25 $0.75 -
1-Day Pass $1.50 $1.75 $0.25 $2 $0.25
10 Rides Pass^ $4.50 $5 $0.50 $6 $1.00
30-Day Pass $24 $27 $3.00 $30 $3.00
Youth
30-Day Pass $19 Eliminate
^Includes free Big Blue Bus to Big Blue Bus transfer within two hours.

Methodology
Data Sources
The following fare equity analysis was completed using the results of an on-board rider survey conducted in March 2025. Additionally, overall fare transactions for FY23-24 were used where survey data was limited as some of the lowest utilized fare categories were not captured during the on-board survey. The on-board rider survey had 600 responses and collected information on:
• Fare Category (Ride or Pass) used
• Fare Media (TAP/Mobile Ticket/Cash) used
• Rider Type (Regular, S/D/M, College, Youth)
• Rider race/ethnicity
• Household income
• Household size
Rider demographics were combined with the fare category to determine the systemwide, minority, and low-income fare utilization for all fare payment options. The resulting comparison of fare utilization between minority and non-minority riders, and low-income and non-low-income riders, will establish whether the proposed changes result in a disparate impact or disproportionate burden as defined by BBB’s adopted policies.

Page 6 ends

Definitions
In performing the fare equity analysis, minority riders are defined as survey respondents who completed the race/ethnicity question and marked any category besides White-alone. Low-income riders are defined as survey respondents who completed the household income and household size questions and are deemed eligible to participate in the Low-Income Fare is Easy (LIFE) program.

The household income limits established by the LIFE program are the same guidelines that BBB uses to determine which riders define the low-income population.

Low-Income Fare is Easy (LIFE), Household Income Limits Persons per Household Annual Income
1 $48,550 or less
2 $55,450 or less
3 $62,400 or less
4 $69,350 or less
5 $74,900 or less
6 $80,450 or less
Title VI Policies
As required by the FTA Title VI regulations, the public was engaged in the development of BBB’s disparate impact and disproportionate burden policies. These two policies will determine if the proposed fare media changes result in a disparate impact or disproportionate burden.

Fare Equity Disparate Impact Policy:
“A disparate impact occurs when the percent minority population adversely impacted by a major service change is fifteen percent (15%) higher than the average minority population of the Big Blue Bus service area, or when the percent non-minority population beneficially impacted by a major service change is fifteen percent (15%) higher than the average non-minority population of the Big Blue Bus service area.

If a disparate impact exists as a result of the proposed changes, Big Blue Bus will determine whether there are alternatives that would serve the same legitimate objectives but with less disparate impact on the minority population. If there are no viable alternatives, Big Blue Bus must have a substantial legitimate justification for making the proposed change.” Fare Equity Disproportionate Burden Policy:
“A disproportionate burden occurs when the percent low-income population adversely impacted by a major service change is fifteen percent (15%) higher than the average low-income population of the Big Blue Bus service area, or when the percent non-low-income population beneficially impacted by a major service change is fifteen percent (15%) higher than the average non-low-income population of the Big Blue Bus service area.

Page 7 ends

If a disproportionate burden exists as a result of the proposed changes, Big Blue Bus may take steps to avoid, minimize, or mitigate the impact of the proposed change on the low-income population.” Fare Equity Analysis
The fare equity analysis determines how minority and low-income populations are impacted by the proposed changes. Changes that result in a 15 percent or more difference between the impacted minority and low-income populations and their corresponding systemwide percentages would require further analysis to determine if there is a disparate impact or disproportionate burden, and or if mitigations should be considered to address potential impacts to those groups.

Disparate Impact Analysis

73.0% of all survey respondents identified as minority riders. Minority riders are considered any rider who did not choose ‘White alone’ when asked their ethnic/racial identity.

The following chart shows the difference in usage for each ride and pass proposed to be changed, for minority riders compared to riders overall. No ride or pass shows a difference of more than 15 percent between minority usage and overall usage.
73%
27%
Minority
Not Minority
March 2025 On Board Rider Survey -
Minority: Percent of Riders

Page 8 ends

Minority Ride and Pass Usage versus Overall Usage
Cost Change Usage Minority vs.

Overall
Difference
Rider
Type Category Current
Proposed
Phase 2 Absolute % Minority Overall
Regular Single Ride (TAP/Mobile) $1.10 $1.50 $0.40 36% 53% 52% 0.6% Regular Single Ride (Cash) $1.25 $1.75 $0.50 40% 21% 19% 2.1% Regular 1 Day Pass $4.00 $5.00 $1.00 25% 1.4% 1.4% 0.0% Regular 7 Day Pass $14.00 $18.00 $4.00 29% 0.6% 0.6% 0.0% Regular 10 Ride Pass $9.00 $12.00 $3.00 33% 0.3% 0.3% 0.0% Regular 30 Day Pass $50.00 $60.00 $10.00 20% 2.5% 2.5% 0.0% Regular Annual Pass $500.00 Eliminate 0.1% 0.1% 0.0%
SDM Single Ride (TAP/Mobile) $0.50 $0.65 $0.15 30% 14% 17% -2.7% SDM Single Ride (Cash) $0.50 $0.75 $0.25 50% 5.5% 5.5% 0.0% SDM 1 Day Pass $1.50 $2.00 $0.50 33% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
SDM 10 Ride Pass $4.50 $6.00 $1.50 33% 0.1% 0.1% 0.0%
SDM 30 Day Pass $24.00 $30.00 $6.00 25% 1.3% 1.3% 0.0%
Youth 30-Day Pass $19.00 Eliminate 0.1% 0.1% 0.0%
The following chart shows the percentage increase for minority riders compared to non-minority riders for all Single Fare Rides including Regular and SDM rider types, and Contactless and Cash fare media.

There is a less than 1 percent difference between the increase in fares for minority and non-minority riders.

38.8% 39.7%
Minority Non-Minority
Average Fare Change on Minority Riders

Page 9 ends

Disparate Impact Findings
• Minority riders comprise 73% of all systemwide riders. • All proposed changes are below the 15% threshold.
• Using Single Rides (Regular & SDM, and TAP & Mobile) as an example, minority riders will have a lower average fare increase (0.9%) than non-minority riders.

Disparate Impact Conclusion
Based on the 15% threshold established in the Disparate Impact Policy, there are no disparate impacts to minority riders based on the above changes to fare price and fare pass type. When comparing the percentage of minority riders impacted by fare type to the percentage of riders by fare type used overall, all fare mediums show a range between -2.7 percent and 2.1 percent. Although the proposed changes do not result in a disparate impact to minority riders, Big Blue Bus is committed to promoting fare programs such as the regional “Low Income Fare is Easy” (LIFE) program that provides free rides and discounted passes on Big Blue Bus.

Disproportionate Burden Analysis
In order to determine if respondents meet Big Blue Bus’s definition of low income, the on board rider survey asked respondents for household income and household size. Sixty-three percent (62.7%) of respondents were identified as low-income riders (riders whose reported household income and size met the established thresholds of the LIFE program).

The following chart shows the difference in usage for each ride and pass proposed to be changed, for low-income riders compared to riders overall. No ride or pass shows a difference of more than 15 percent between low-income rider usage and overall usage.

62.7%

37.3%
Low-Income
Non Low-Income
March 2025 Survey - Percent Low-Income Riders

Page 10 ends

Minority Ride and Pass Usage versus Overall Usage
Cost Change Usage Low Income
vs. Overall
Difference
Rider
Type Category Current
Proposed
Phase 2 Absolute %
Low
Income Overall
Regular Single Ride (TAP/Mobile) $1.10 $1.50 $0.40 36% 46% 54% -7.7% Regular Single Ride (Cash) $1.25 $1.75 $0.50 40% 17% 14% 3.4% Regular 1 Day Pass $4.00 $5.00 $1.00 25% 0.2% 0.2% 0.0% Regular 7 Day Pass $14.00 $18.00 $4.00 29% 0.5% 0.5% 0.0% Regular 10 Ride Pass $9.00 $12.00 $3.00 33% 3.9% 3.9% 0.0% Regular 30 Day Pass $50.00 $60.00 $10.00 20% 2.8% 2.8% 0.0% Regular Annual Pass $500.00 Eliminate 0.1% 0.1% 0.0%
SDM Single Ride (TAP/Mobile) $0.50 $0.65 $0.15 30% 10.4% 8.4% 2.0% SDM Single Ride (Cash) $0.50 $0.75 $0.25 50% 17.3% 15.1% 2.3% SDM 1 Day Pass $1.50 $2.00 $0.50 33% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
SDM 10 Ride Pass $4.50 $6.00 $1.50 33% 0.1% 0.1% 0.0%
SDM 30 Day Pass $24.00 $30.00 $6.00 25% 1.2% 1.2% 0.0%
Youth 30-Day Pass $19.00 Eliminate 0.1% 0.1% 0.0%
The following chart shows the percentage increase for low-income riders compared to non-low-income riders for all Single Fare Rides including Regular and SDM rider types, and Contactless and Cash fare media. There is a less than 1 percent difference between the increase in fares for low-income and nonlow-income riders.

39.5%

37.9%
Low-Income Non-Low Income
Average Fare Changes on Low-Income Riders

Page 11 ends

Disproportionate Burden Findings
• Low-income riders comprise 62.7% of systemwide riders. • All proposed changes are below the 15% threshold.
• Using Single Ride (Tap & Mobile) as a an example, low-income riders will see a slightly higher average fare increase of 1.6%.

Disproportionate Burden Conclusion
Based on the 15% threshold established in the Disproportionate Burden Policy, Big Blue Bus found that the proposed changes to fare prices do not constitute a disproportionate burden on low-income riders.

Furthermore, our analysis found the discontinuation of the 30-Day Youth Pass and Annual Pass do not disproportionately burden low-income riders as well. The difference the proposed fare changes had on low-income riders vs low-income riders overall by fare category range between -7.7 percent and 3.4 percent. Although the proposed changes do not result in a disproportionate burden impact on lowincome riders, Big Blue Bus is committed to promoting fare programs such as the regional “Low Income Fare is Easy” (LIFE) program that provides free rides and discounted passes on Big Blue Bus.

Conclusion
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program or activity that receives Federal funds or other Federal financial assistance. In compliance with this law, Big Blue Bus has conducted a Title VI analysis on the proposed fare changes.

This analysis has found that the proposed changes will not result in a disparate impact on the minority population or a disproportionate burden on the low-income population.

Appendix

1.1 Public Meeting Presentation
Big Blue Bus
Proposed Fare
Changes
2025-2027
Public Hearing
Agenda
• Introduction
• Overview
• Proposed Fare Changes
• Financial Impacts
• Fare Payment Enhancements
• Next Steps
• Public Comment
Big Blue Bus is Proposing Fare Changes to:
• Address fiscal challenges
• Support planned customer experienceenhancements
Proposed Fare Changes include:
• Increased costs for single rides and passes
• Elimination of underutilized passes
• Two-phase implementation over a two-year period
No changes to:
• Free BBBtransfers and contactless incentives
• Access to discounted fares on Big Blue Bus through LIFE (low-income) andGoPass(student K-12) regional programs
Overview
Fiscal Challenges
• Declining fare revenue per passenger
• Currently $0.70; Pre-pandemic $0.87
• Rising operational costs
• Currently $182 per revenue hour; Pre-pandemic $150
• Uncertainty of future federal funding
• New Federal Administration
Planned Customer Experience Enhancements
• Implementation of Brighter Blue 5-Year Service Plan
• Ongoing MotorCoach Operator Recruitment & Retention
• Safety Initiatives (e.g., Transit Safety Officers, Prohibition Orders)
Recent Fare
Changes
• Fare Change in 2022
• Conclusion of Contactless Pilot
• Introduction of Free BBB to BBB Transfers
• Introduction of 10 Rides Pass
• Elimination of paper passes
• Increase age for free rides from 4 to 5 years old
• Fare Change in 2017
• Contactless fare (i.e., TAP) reduced to $1.10 (from $1.25) • Introduction of Annual Pass
• Fare Change in 2016
• Last fare increase
• Increased Regular Single Ride fare from $1.00 to $1.25 • Other fare increases across the board
Proposed Fare Changes
Increase cost of Regular and Senior/Disabled/
Medicare (SDM):
• Single Ride
• 1-Day Pass
• 7-Day Pass (Available only for Regular)
• 10 Rides Pass
• 30-Day Pass
Eliminate:
• Annual Pass (Regular)
• Youth 30-DayPass
Maintain:
• Free BBB to BBB transfers
• Cheaper fares on TAP and Mobile
Proposed Fare Changes: 2025-2027 – Regular
Regular Fares Current
August 10,
2025
Summer
2027
Single Ride (Tap & Mobile) ^ $1.10 $1.25 $1.50
Single Ride (Cash) $1.25 $1.50 $1.75
1 Day Pass $4 $4.50 $5
7 Day Pass $14 $16 $18
10 Rides Pass^ $9 $10 $12
30 Day Pass $50 $55 $60
Annual Pass $500 Eliminate -
^Includes one free Big Blue Bus to Big Blue Bus transfer within 2 hours.

Proposed Fare Changes: 2025-2027 – SDM & Youth
Senior/Disabled/Medicare (SDM) Current
August 10,
2025
Summer
2027
Single Ride (Tap & Mobile) ^ $0.50 $0.60 $0.65
Single Ride (Cash) $0.50 $0.75 $0.75
1-Day Pass $1.50 $1.75 $2
10 Rides Pass^ $4.50 $5 $6
30-Day Pass $24 $27 $30
Youth Current
August 10,
2025
Summer
2027
30-Day Pass $19 Eliminate -
^Includes one free Big Blue Bus to Big Blue Bus transfer within 2 hours.

Discounted Fare Programs
• Low-Income Fare is Easy (LIFE)
• GoPass
• K-12 Schools (SMMUSD and LAUSD)
• Community Colleges (Santa Monica
College)
• UCLA Bruin U-Pass and Grad Pass
• Access Services Free Fare Program
Alternatives Considered
• No Fare Increase
• Risks not implementing full Brighter Blue service
enhancements (e.g., frequency improvements,
early/late and weekend service)
• Risks Motor Coach Operator recruitment and
retention efforts, and safety initiatives
• Elimination of Free Transfers
• Results in increase in fare revenue, but limited impact on fiscal challenges
• Decision to maintain:
• Proven to increase ridership
• Reduces burden on low-income riders
Financial & Budget Impacts
Fully implementing proposed changes:
• Increases revenue by about 13 percent or $780,000 annually • Increases Average Fare per Rider to 85 cents by 2028
• Projected ridership decline of 7 percent
• Actual ridership and revenue impacts may vary due to other factors such as:
• Economic trends
• Service quality
• Demographic changes
• Alternative transportation options
Future Enhancement: Open Payments
• Big Blue Bus participating in LA Metro’s ‘TAP Plus’Initiative • Onboard fare payment via credit/debit card or Apple/Google Pay expected in 2026
Next Steps
• Public Hearings – April2 (Virtual)and April3,2025 (In-Person) • Public Comment PeriodCloses–April 10, 2025
• Present Proposal to City Council for Approval –May 13, 2025 • Notify Ridersand Community–May to August 2025
• ImplementPhase 1 –August 10, 2025
• Implement Phase 2 –Summer 2027
Share Your Thoughts With Us
Public Comment:
• Each speaker will have 3 minutes to provide an oral comment at this hearing. • Speakers will be called in the order their speaker card was received. • Please provide your first and last name and city of residence before making your comment.

Online Survey:
• Feedback can also be shared through an online survey available in English and Spanish at:
bigbluebus.com/meetings. The survey deadline is April 10, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.

Big Blue Bus
Cambios de
tarifas
propuestos
2025-2027
Audiencia pública
Big Blue Bus propone cambiosenlas tarifaspara:
• Abordardesafíosfiscales
• Apoyarlas mejorasenexperienciadel clienteplanificadas Los cambiospropuestosenlas tarifasincluyen:
• Incrementode loscostesenviajessencillosy pases
• Eliminación de pasesinfrautilizados
• Implementaciónendos fasesenun periodode dos años
No hay cambiosen:
• TransbordosBBB gratuitose incentivoscontactless
• Acceso a tarifascon descuentoenBigBlueBuscon programasregionales LIFE (bajosingresos) y GoPass(estudiantesde K-12)
Resumen
Desafíosfiscales
• Reducciónde losingresosportarifasporpasajero
• Actualmente, $0,70; antes de la pandemia, $0,87
• Aumentode loscostesoperativos
• Actualmente, $182 poringresoporhora; antes de la pandemia, $150 • Incertidumbreante losfuturosfondosfederales
• Nueva Administración Federal
Mejorasenexperienciadel clienteplanificadas
• Implementacióndel Plan de servicioquinquenalBlighter Blue • Contratacióny retenciónencursode conductoresde autobuses • Iniciativasde seguridad(p. ej., Oficialde seguridadde tránsito, Órdenesde prohibición)
Recent Fare
Changes
• Cambiosenlas tarifasen2022
• Finalizacióndel plan pilotoContactless
• Introducciónde transbordosgratuitosde BBB a BBB
• Introduccióndel pasede 10 viajes
• Eliminación de lospasesenpapel
• Incrementarla edadde viajesgratuitosde 4 a 5 años
• Cambiosenlas tarifasen2017
• Tarifa Contactless (p.ej., TAP) reducidaa $1,10 (desde$1,25) • Introduccióndel paseannual
• Cambiosenlas tarifasen2016
• Últimasubidade tarifas
• Incrementode la tarifaregular de $1,00 a $1,25
• Otrosincrementosde tarifasgenerales
Cambiosde tarifas propuestos
Incrementarelcostedel billeteregular y
sénior/discapacidad/ Medicare (SDM):
• Viaje sencillo
• Pasede 1 día
• Pasede 7 días(solo disponible para billeteregular)
• Pasede 10 viajes
• Pasede 30 días
Eliminar:
• Paseanual(regular)
• Pasejuvenilde 30 días
Mantener:
• Transbordosgratuitosde BBB a BBB
• TarifasmásbaratasenTAP y móvil
Cambios de tarifas propuestas: 2025-2027 – Regular
Tarifas regulares Actual
10 de
agosto, 2025
Verano
2027
Viaje sencillo (con TAP y móvil)^ $1,10 $1,25 $1,50
Viaje sencillo (en efectivo) $1,25 $1,50 $1,75
Pase de 1 día $4 $4,50 $5
Pase de 7 días $14 $16 $18
Pase de 10 viajes^ $9 $10 $12
Pase de 30 días $50 $55 $60
Pase anual $500 Eliminar -
^Incluye un transbordo gratuito de Big Blue Bus a Big Blue Bus en el plazo de 2 horas.

Cambios de tarifas propuestos: 2025-2027 – SDM y Juvenil Sénior/Discapacidad/Medicare
(SDM) Actual
10 de
agosto, 2025
Verano
2027
Viaje sencillo (con TAP y móvil)^ $0,50 $0,60 $0,65
Viaje sencillo (en efectivo) $0,50 $0,75 $0,75
Pase de 1 día $1,50 $1,75 $2
Pase de 10 viajes^ $4,50 $5 $6
Pase de 30 días $24 $27 $30
Juvenil Actual
10 de agosto,
2025
Verano
2027
Pase de 30 días $19 Eliminar -
^Incluye un transbordo gratuito de Big Blue Bus a Big Blue bus en el plazo de 2 horas.

Programas de tarifas con
descuento
• Tarifa de bajosingresoses fácil(Low-Income
Fare is Easy) -(eninglés, LIFE)
• GoPass
• Escuelasde K-12 (SMMUSD y LAUSD)
• Colegios comunitarios(Santa Mónica
College)
• PasesUCLA Bruin U-Pass y Grad Pass
• Programatarifasgratis de Access Services
Alternativas consideradas
• Si no aumentamoslas tarifas
• Hay riesgode no poderimplementarensutotalidadlas
mejorasdel servicioBrighter Blue (p.ej., mejorasenlas
frecuencias, serviciotemprano/tardíoy de fin de semana). • Se arriesgala contratacióny retenciónde losconductores de autobúsy las iniciativasde seguridad.
• Eliminación de lostransbordosgratuitos
• Resultaríaenun incrementode losingresosportarifas,
perotendríaun impactolimitadoenlosdesafíosfiscales.
• Decisiónde mantener:
• Estáprobadoque incrementaelnúmerode pasajeros.
• Reduce la carga enlospasajeroscon bajosingresos.

Impactos financieros y
presupuestarios
Si se implementanporcompletoloscambiospropuestos:
• Se incrementanlosingresosalrededordel 13 porciento, o $780 000 anualmente.
• Se incrementala tarifamedia porpasajerohasta los85 céntimospara 2028.
• Se prevéunadisminucióndel númerode pasajerosdel 7 porciento. • El impactoenelnúmeroactual de pasajerosy enlosingresos puede variardebidoa otrosfactorescomo:
• Coyunturaeconómica
• Calidad del servicio
• Cambiosdemográficos
• Opcionesde transportealternativas
Futuras mejoras: Pagos abiertos
• Big Blue Bus participaenla iniciativa“TAP Plus” de LA Metro. • Se prevéelpagode losbilletesa bordocon tarjetasde
crédito/débito, o con Apple/Google Pay en2026.

Próximos pasos
• Audiencias públicas: 2 de abril(virtual) y 3 de abrilde 2025 (en persona)
• El periodo de audiencias públicastermina el20 de abrilde 2025. • Presentarla propuestaal ayuntamientopara suaprobación:13 de mayo de 2025.
• Notificacióna lospasajerosy a la comunidad: desdemayo hasta agostode 2025.
• Implementaciónde la fase1: 10 de agostode 2025
• Implementaciónde la fase2: Verano de 2027

Santa Monica City CouncilSeptember 30, 2025

Santa Monica City Council
September 30, 2025