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{{Short description|Bus service serving Santa Monica and surrounding region in Los Angeles, California}}
{{other uses of|Blue Bus}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox Bus transit
| name             = Big Blue Bus
| logo             = Big Blue Bus Logo.svg
| logo_size        = 
| image            = Big Blue Bus (Santa Monica, CA) Route 1 GILLIG Low Floor EV 40' Santa Monica Blvd @ 4th St. (48942543638).jpg
| image_size       = 
| image_caption    = Big Blue Bus route 1 on [[Santa Monica Boulevard]], en route to UCLA
| company_slogan   = Ride Blue. Go Green.
| parent           = [[Santa Monica, California|City of Santa Monica]], Department of Transportation
| founded          = 1928 (as Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines)
| headquarters     = [[Santa Monica, California]]
| locale           = [[Santa Monica, California|Santa Monica]], [[Westwood, Los Angeles, California|Westwood]], and [[Venice, California|Venice]], [[California]]
| service_area     = 
| service_type     = {{unbulleted list|[[Public transport bus service|Local bus]]|[[Limited-stop#Buses|Limited-stop bus]]}}
| routes           = 19<ref name="Routes and Schedules">{{Cite web |title=Routes and Schedules |url=https://www.bigbluebus.com/Routes-And-Schedules/ |access-date=June 10, 2025 |website=Big Blue Bus}}</ref>
| destinations     = 
| stops            = 
| hubs             = 
| stations         = 
| fleet            = 195
| ridership        = {{American transit ridership|CA Santa Monica total daily}} ({{American transit ridership|dailydate}}){{American transit ridership|dailycitation}}
| annual ridership = {{American transit ridership|CA Santa Monica total annual}} ({{American transit ridership|annualdate}}){{American transit ridership|annualcitation}}
| fuel_type        = [[Compressed natural gas|CNG]], [[Battery electric bus|Electric]]
| operator         = 
| ceo              = Anuj Gupta
| website          = {{URL|https://www.bigbluebus.com/|bigbluebus.com}}
}}

'''Big Blue Bus''' (stylized in lowercase) is a public transit agency that provides public bus services for the city of [[Santa Monica, California|Santa Monica]] and the greater [[Westside (Los Angeles County)|Westside]] region of [[Los Angeles County, California]]. The service, operated by the city of Santa Monica, was founded on April 14, 1928 and throughout its existence has used a blue color scheme for its buses, leading to the Big Blue Bus nickname that would later become the official name of the agency. In {{American transit ridership|annualdate}}, the system had a ridership of {{American transit ridership|CA Santa Monica total annual}}, or about {{American transit ridership|CA Santa Monica total daily}} per weekday as of {{American transit ridership|dailydateasof}}. Big Blue Bus receives funding from the [[Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority]] (Metro) and offers connections to its [[Metro Local|Metro Bus]] and [[Los Angeles Metro Rail|Metro Rail]] systems, but is operated independently from Metro.

== History ==
[[File:GMC New Look Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines.jpg|thumb|A now-retired GMC "New Look" bus in service for what was then-called the "Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines".]]
The agency was founded on April 14, 1928 as the '''Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines''' and the agency picked a unique blue color scheme for its buses, later leading to the Big Blue Bus nickname.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our History |url=https://www.bigbluebus.com/About-BBB/Timeline/Historical-Info/Our-History.aspx |access-date=October 7, 2019 |website=Big Blue Bus}}</ref> It holds the distinction of being the second oldest public transit bus system still operating in Los Angeles County; only the neighboring [[Culver CityBus]] (founded March 4, 1928) is older.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |title=Public Transit Ridership, Los Angeles County, California |url=http://www.laalmanac.com/transport/tr15.php |access-date=October 7, 2019 |website=Los Angeles Almanac}}</ref>

Santa Monica established the bus line in response to a fare increase on the [[Pacific Electric]] [[interurban]] trains between Santa Monica and Los Angeles.<ref name="Hobbs 2011">{{Cite web |last=Hobbs |first=Charles P. |date=September 6, 2011 |title=Big Blue Bus Breakthrough |url=http://morethanredcars.com/?p=213 |access-date=2020-12-14 |website=More Than Red Cars |language=en-US}}</ref>

While independent from other agencies in the Los Angeles area, the Big Blue Bus has always offered connections to the other systems, most notably near the intersections of [[Pico/Rimpau|Pico and Rimpau Boulevards]] in the Mid-City section of Los Angeles. The historic transfer point was established by Santa Monica, the [[Los Angeles Railway]] and Pacific Electric Railway and is known today as the [[Pico/Rimpau Transit Center]] and is used the Big Blue Bus and Metro Bus.<ref name="Hobbs 2011" />

In 1978, Santa Monica became the first transit operator in California to operate a bus with a wheelchair lift, the Grumman-[[Flxible]] [[Flxible Metro|Model 870]]. It was the third agency to order the bus after Atlanta's [[Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority|MARTA]], and Connecticut's [[CT Transit]]. The Big Blue Bus was one of the last transit agencies using the iconic [[GMC New Look]] "fishbowl" bus, the last of which was retired in 2005.

The Big Blue Bus has been honored with the [[American Public Transportation Association]]’s ''Outstanding Transportation System'' award in 1987, 1992, 1997, 2000 and 2011.<ref name="APTA Awards">{{Cite web |date=October 4, 2011  |title=2011 APTA Awards Program |url=https://www.apta.com/wp-content/uploads/Resources/members/memberprogramsandservices/awards/Documents/APTA-Awards-Program-2011.pdf |pages=25–26}}</ref>

== Routes ==
Big Blue Bus operates 18 bus lines: 12 regular routes, 4 rapid routes, and 2 circulator routes. On weekends and holidays with weekend service, the agency operates 10 bus lines: 9 regular routes and 1 rapid route.<ref name="Routes and Schedules" />

In 2024, the agency underwent a COA (Comprehensive Operational Analysis) which will inform service and route changes over the next five years. These aim to help the agency better connect with future Metro Rail extensions, most notably the D and K lines, adjust to new travel patterns, increase service frequency, and make service blocks compatible with a zero emissions bus fleet. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Brighter Blue: Improving transit service for riders in Santa Monica & West LA. |url=https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/62ad3b005e914852b0f90d5b28ecf7e2 |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=Big Blue Bus|date=July 12, 2024 }}</ref>

=== Local routes ===
Sunday schedules are operated on [[New Year's Day]], [[Memorial Day]], [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]], [[Labor Day]], [[Thanksgiving Day]] and [[Christmas Day]].
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;" |
!Route
! colspan="2" |Terminals
!Via
!Days of Operation<sup>[[#Days of Operation|#]]</sup>
!Notes
|-
!{{anchor|1}}1
|'''[[Westwood, Los Angeles|Westwood]]'''<br>[[UCLA]]
|'''[[Venice, Los Angeles|Venice]]'''<br>Grand Bl & Riviera Av
|Santa Monica Bl, Main St
|Daily
|
* Operates alongside LA Metro {{LA Metro route|4}} (24{{nbhyph}}hour service)
* Serves [[Downtown Santa Monica station]]
|-
!{{anchor|2}}2
|'''Westwood'''<br>UCLA
|'''[[Santa Monica, California|Santa Monica]]''' <br>Main St & Olympic Dr
|Wilshire Bl
|Daily
|
* Operates alongside LA Metro {{LA Metro route|20}} (24{{nbhyph}}hour service)
* Operates alongside LA Metro Rapid&nbsp;{{LA Metro route|720}}
* Serves Downtown Santa Monica station
|-
!{{anchor|3}}3
|'''Santa Monica'''<br />Arizona Av & 5th St
|'''[[Westchester, Los Angeles|Westchester]]'''<br>[[LAX/Metro Transit Center]]
|Lincoln Bl
|Daily
|
*Operates alongside Rapid 3
|-
!{{anchor|5}}5
|'''Santa Monica'''<br>Main St & Olympic Dr
|'''[[Palms, Los Angeles|Palms]]'''<br />[[Palms station]]
|Colorado Av, Olympic Bl, Motor Av
|Weekdays
|
* Operates hourly
* Serves Downtown Santa Monica station, [[17th Street/SMC station]], [[26th Street/Bergamot station]], [[Expo/Bundy station]] and [[Westfield Century City]]
|-
!{{anchor|7}}7
|'''Santa Monica'''<br />7th St & Olympic Bl
|'''[[Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles|Mid-Wilshire]]'''<br />[[Wilshire/Western station]]
|Pico Bl
|Daily
|
*Operates alongside [[#R7|Rapid 7]]
*Serves [[Santa Monica College]], Expo/Sepulveda station and Rimpau Transit Center 
*Three trips westbound in the morning and three trips eastbound in the afternoon deviate from Pico Bl to serve Beverlywood
|-
!{{anchor|8}}8
|'''Santa Monica'''<br />7th St & Olympic Bl
|'''Palms'''<br>Overland Av & Venice Bl 
|Ocean Park Bl, National Bl, Overland Av 
|Daily
|
|-
!{{anchor|9}}9
|'''[[Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California|Pacific Palisades]]'''<br />Sunset Bl & Marquez Av
|'''Santa Monica'''<br>Main St & Olympic Dr
|Sunset Bl, Chatauqua Bl, 4th St
|Daily
|
* Service suspended January 7th, 2025 due to [[Palisades Fire]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2025-01-09 |title=Wildfire Impacts on Bus Routes - Big Blue Bus |url=https://www.bigbluebus.com/Newsroom/Service-Alerts/Wildfire-Impacts-on-Bus-Routes.aspx?type=Alerts |access-date=2025-01-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250109040146/https://www.bigbluebus.com/Newsroom/Service-Alerts/Wildfire-Impacts-on-Bus-Routes.aspx?type=Alerts |archive-date=January 9, 2025 }}</ref> Service restored January 21st, 2025 with modified route and schedule.[https://www.bigbluebus.com/Newsroom/Service-Alerts/Route-9--Modified-Service-Begins-1/21.aspx?type=Alerts]
|-
!{{anchor|14}}14
|'''[[Brentwood, Los Angeles|Brentwood]]'''<br>Bringham Av & Gorham Av
|'''[[Westfield Culver City|Culver City Mall]]'''<br>Culver City Transit Center
|Bundy Dr, Centinela Av
|Daily
|
* Select trips extend from Brentwood north to Paul Revere Middle School
* Serves Expo/Bundy station and Santa Monica College Bundy Campus
* Serves Culver City Transit Center<ref>{{Cite web |title=Route 14 - Bundy Dr & Centinela Ave - Big Blue Bus |url=https://www.bigbluebus.com/routes-and-schedules/route-14.aspx |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=www.bigbluebus.com}}</ref>
|-
!{{anchor|15}}15
|'''Brentwood'''<br>Barrington Pl & Chayote St
|'''[[West Los Angeles|West LA]]'''<br>Expo/Bundy station<br>{{Small|(Pico Bl & Bundy Dr)}}
|Barrington Av
|Weekdays
|
|-
!{{anchor|16}}16
|'''[[Playa del Rey, Los Angeles|Playa del Rey]]'''<br>Culver Bl & Vista Del Mar
|'''West LA'''<br>Saltair Av & Wilshire Bl
|Walgrove Av, 23rd St, 20th St
|Weekdays
|
* Serves 26th Street/Bergamot station, Expo/Bundy station and [[Westfield Century City]]
|-
!{{anchor|17}}17
|'''Westwood'''<br>UCLA<br>{{Small|(Macgowan Hall)}}
|'''[[Culver City, California|Culver City]]''' 
[[Culver City station]]
|Sawtelle Bl, Palms Bl
|Daily
|
* Serves Expo/Sepulveda station and Palms station
|-
!{{anchor|18}}18
|'''Westwood'''<br />UCLA<br>{{Small|(Gateway Plaza)}}
|'''[[Marina del Rey, California|Marina Del Rey]]'''<br />Via Marina & Admiralty Wy
|Montana Av, 4th St
|Daily
|
* Serves Downtown Santa Monica Station
|-
!{{anchor|41}}41
|colspan="2" |'''Santa Monica'''<br>Santa Monica College
|14th St, 20th St
|Weekdays
|
*Service operates in a clockwise loop and terminates at 14th St & Pico Bl
*Serves 17th Street/SMC station
|-
!{{anchor|43}}43
|'''Santa Monica'''<br>Santa Monica College
|'''Santa Monica'''<br />San Vicente Bl & 14th St
|26th St, San Vicente Bl
|Weekdays, peak hours
|
* Select eastbound trips serve Paul Revere Middle School
* Serves 26th Street/Bergamot station
|-
!{{anchor|44}}44
|'''Santa Monica'''<br />17th Street/SMC station
|'''West LA'''<br>Santa Monica College Bundy Campus
|Bundy Dr, Ocean Park Bl, 17th St
|[[Santa Monica College|SMC]] School Days
|
*Connects 17th Street/Santa Monica College station, Santa Monica College Main Campus, and Santa Monica College Bundy Campus
*Limited service when Santa Monica College is not in session
*Suspended between March 2020 and August 2024
|}

=== Rapid & Express routes ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;" |
!Route
! colspan="2" |Terminals
!Via
!Days of Operation
!Notes
|-
!{{Anchor|R3}}Rapid 3
|'''Santa Monica'''<br>Arizona Av & 5th St
|'''Westchester'''<br>LAX/Metro Transit Center
|Lincoln Bl
|Weekdays, peak hours
|
* Operates alongside Line 3
* To be discontinued<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=2024 |title=Brighter Blue Comprehensive Operations Analysis |url=https://arellano.maps.arcgis.com/sharing/rest/content/items/6f166cad72704a6d9291b34d1061e155/data |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=Big Blue Bus}}</ref>
|-
!{{Anchor|R7}}Rapid 7
|'''Santa Monica'''<br>7th St & Olympic Bl
|'''Mid-Wilshire'''<br>Wilshire/Western station
|Pico Bl
|Weekdays
|
* Operates alongside [[#7|Line 7]]
* Serves Santa Monica College, Expo/Sepulveda station and Rimpau Transit Center
* To be discontinued<ref name=":5" />
|-
!<s>{{Anchor|E9}}Express 9</s>
|<s>'''Pacific Palisades'''<br>Sunset Bl & Marquez Av</s>
|<s>'''Santa Monica'''<br>4th & Colorado</s>
| [[California State Route 1|<s>Pacific Coast Highway</s>]]
|<s>School days</s>
|
* To/from [[Palisades Charter High School]]
* Suspended until further notice due to [[Palisades Fire]]<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Route 9: Modified Service Begins 1/21 - Big Blue Bus |url=https://www.bigbluebus.com/Newsroom/Service-Alerts/Route-9--Modified-Service-Begins-1/21.aspx?type=Alerts |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=www.bigbluebus.com}}</ref>
|-
!{{Anchor|R10}}Rapid 10
|'''Santa Monica'''<br>Broadway & 5th St
|'''Downtown LA'''<br>Main St & Alameda St
|'''In Santa Monica''': Santa Monica Bl, Bundy Dr<br>'''Express Portion''': [[Interstate 10 in California|I-10]]<br>'''In Downtown LA''': Grand Av/Olive St, Figueroa St/Flower St, Temple St
|Weekday, peak hours
|
* Operates into Downtown LA in the AM rush and into Downtown Santa Monica in the PM rush
* Serves Expo/Bundy station
|-
!{{Anchor|R12}}Rapid 12
|'''Westwood'''<br>UCLA {{Small|(Gateway Plaza)}}
|'''Culver City'''<br>Overland Av & Venice Bl
|Westwood Bl, Overland Av
|Daily
|
* Evening peak hour trips are sometimes [[Bus bunching|platooned]]
|}

== Bus fleet ==
Big Blue Bus currently maintains a fleet of 195 buses of various lengths including 29', 40', and 60' articulated, with 35-footers set to be delivered in 2025.<ref name=":3" /> In 2018, Big Blue Bus received its last ever internal combustion vehicle. 19 buses out of its total fleet are currently [[Battery electric bus|battery-electric]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Big Blue Bus Receives $22.9 Million State Grant for Fleet Electrification, Workforce Development, and Customer Experience Enhancements |url=https://www.bigbluebus.com/Newsroom/Press/Big-Blue-Bus-Receives-$22-9-Million-State-Grant-for-Fleet-Electrification,-Workforce-Development,-and-Customer-Experience-Enhancements.aspx?type=Press |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=Big Blue Bus}}</ref> All buses feature [[Destination sign|destination signs]]. Newer buses (units 1801 and later) feature white LED destination signs, while older units feature a variety of other colors. In 2024, the fleet was equipped with passenger information displays<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=We're Upgrading Our Fleet Communications System |url=https://www.bigbluebus.com/Newsroom/News/We-re-Upgrading-Our-Fleet-Communications-System.aspx?type=News |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=Big Blue Bus}}</ref> in place of the older dot-light signs. These are part of a fleet-wide communications system replacement with Clever Devices systems. The passenger displays currently feature a three-day weather forecast, upcoming stops with time to arrival, and the line's final destination. As part of this upgrade, electric buses also gain access to Clever's EV fleet integration software during the agency's transition to a zero-emissions fleet. This also enables <ref name=":0" /> vehicles to generate more frequent and accurate GPS data for tracking purposes, such as the [[Transit (app)|Transit app]]. Buses 1808-1827 and 2101-2118 came standard with free passenger Wi-Fi; this was added to the rest of the fleet with the installation of the new fleet comms systems.

Big Blue Bus has evaluated two main options for zero-emissions propulsion of its buses in an effort to decarbonize its fleet by 2030. Both hydrogen fuel cell and battery-electric buses have been considered.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |title=Zero-Emission Bus Rollout Plan |url=https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2020-09/Santa%20Monica%20BBB_ROP_ADA08052020.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203223100/https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2020-09/Santa%20Monica%20BBB_ROP_ADA08052020.pdf |archive-date=3 February 2022 |website=California Air Resources Board}}</ref> The agency has determined that battery-electric buses can replace their CNG buses at current service levels with a 1:1 replacement ratio.<ref name=":3" /> Big Blue Bus is installing charging for 100+ buses at its depot using a canopy with overhead reel dispensers, a project set to be complete by the end of 2024.<ref name=":2" /> 2010 and 2011 El Dorado EZR II- BRT 32' CNG models are set to be replaced with 15 35-foot Gillig Low Floor Plus EV models.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Santa Monica City Council: Approval of Agreement with Gillig LLC to Purchase Fifteen 35-foot Battery Electric Buses|url=https://santamonicacityca.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?ID=5304&highlightTerms=Gillig}}</ref> Moreover, Big Blue Bus' 2011 NABI LFW 40' and NABI BRT 60' units have already exceeded their design life.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bus Testing Procedures- GovInfo|url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2006-title49-vol7/pdf/CFR-2006-title49-vol7-part665-subpartC.pdf}}</ref> The agency has subsequently delayed its fleet electrification deadline to 2031.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Sustainable & Connected: Big Blue Bus awarded $53.3 million to accelerate fleet electrification, service enhancements, and workforce development - Big Blue Bus |url=https://www.bigbluebus.com/Newsroom/Press/Sustainable---Connected--Big-Blue-Bus-awarded-$53-3-million-to-accelerate-fleet-electrification,-service-enhancements,-and-workforce-development.aspx?type=Press |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=www.bigbluebus.com}}</ref>

=== Active fleet ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:95%;font-size:90%;"
!Manufacturer
!Model
!Length (ft)
!Fleet Numbers
!Thumbnail
!Year
!Fuel
!Notes
|-
| rowspan="4" |'''[[Gillig BRT|Gillig]]'''
| rowspan="4" |'''BRT'''
| rowspan="4" |40
|1300
| rowspan="4" |[[File:Big Blue Bus 1504.JPG|center|130x130px]]
|2012
| rowspan="9" |CNG
|
|-
|1301-1344
|2013
|
|-
|1345-1357
|2014
|
|-
|1500-1510
|2015
|
|-
|'''[[New Flyer Xcelsior|New Flyer]]'''
|'''XN60'''
|60
|1560-1566
|[[File:SMMBL NFI 1561 R7 Wilshire & Western.jpg|center|130x130px]]
|2015
|
* Used primarily on '''Rapid''' services
|-
| rowspan="7" |'''[[Gillig BRT|Gillig]]''' 
| rowspan="4" |'''BRT'''
|29
|1600-1603
|[[File:Santa Monica Big Blue Bus 1603.jpg|center|130x130px]]
|2015
|
|-
|40
|1701-1725
|
|2016-2017
|
|-
|29
|1801-1807
|[[File:Big Blue Bus (Santa Monica, CA) Route 41 GILLIG BRT CNG 29' Colorado Ave @ 17th St (48942543873).jpg|center|130x130px]]
|2018
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |40
|1808-1826
|
|2018
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |'''Low Floor Plus'''
|1827
|[[File:Big Blue Bus (Santa Monica, CA) Route 1 GILLIG Low Floor EV 40' Santa Monica Blvd @ 4th St. (48942543638).jpg|center|130x130px]]
|2018
| rowspan="3" |Electric
| rowspan="2" |
* Unit 1827 is a Gillig prototype and features the old livery and interior design
* Units 2101-2118 and newer feature the redesigned livery with dark blue on the bottom third and light blue on the top. Up until these buses, the primary livery consisted of a bottom and top section connected by a downwards facing curve, but these buses now have a straight line separating the bottom and top two thirds
* Units 1827 and 2101 are equipped with the old interior layout with forward facing seating in the low-floor section of the bus. These do not include the powered wheelchair securement devices from Quantum. The former has its interior in the green color that had been standard up until the 2100 series. 2101 is configured with the old interior layout with the new light blue color seating.
* Units 2102 and later feature the powered Quantum wheelchair securement devices and only 2 forward facing seats in the low-floor section of the bus, and instead feature more longitudinal seating. This interior configuration is always in light blue.
|-
|2101-2118
|[[File:Big_Blue_Bus_Gillig_BRT_Electric_2102.png|center|173x173px]]
|2021
|-
|35
|2501-2515
|
|2025
|
* In service as of May 14, 2025
* Features new "Zero Emissions" livery
* Replaced 30ft ENC buses
|-
| rowspan="3" |'''[[North American Bus Industries|NABI]]'''
|'''LFW'''
|40
|3868-3876
|[[File:Big_Blue_Bus_3871.JPG|center|130x130px]]
|2011
| rowspan="3" |CNG
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |'''BRT'''
| rowspan="2" |60
|5300-5310
| rowspan="2" |[[File:BigBlue bus (Santa Monica, CA) NABI 60-BRT CNG Santa Monica Blvd (48942543588).jpg|center|130x130px]]
|
|
* Used primarily on '''Rapid''' services
* To be retired within the next 2 to 3 years<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |title=Approval of Agreement #11364 Modification with Gillig LLC to Purchase Thirty 40-foot Battery Electric Buses - City of Santa Monica, California |url=https://santamonicacityca.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=1421&MediaPosition=&ID=5805&CssClass= |access-date=2025-01-20 |website=santamonicacityca.iqm2.com}}</ref>
|-
|5311-5320
|
|
* Used primarily on '''Rapid''' services
* To be retired within the next 2 to 3 years<ref name=":8" />
|}

=== Awaiting Delivery ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Manufacturer
!Model
!Length (ft)
!Year
!Quantity (Fleet Numbers)
!Drive
!Notes
|-
|'''[[Gillig]]'''
|'''Low Floor Plus'''
|40
|2027
|30 (2701–2730)
|Electric
|
* Purchased in December<ref name=":8" />
* Set to replace all NABI units
* Upon delivery, the fleet will be entirely [[Gillig]] buses with the exception of 7 [[New Flyer]] [[New Flyer Xcelsior|XN60s]]
|}

=== Retired ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Manufacturer
!Model
!Length (ft)
!Fleet Numbers
!Thumbnail
!Notes
|-
|ENC
|'''E-Z Rider II BRT'''
|30
|2900-2914
|[[File:Big Blue Bus 2900-1.jpg|frameless]]
|
* Replaced by 35-footers as of May 2025
* Originally powered with a gasoline electric hybrid system. Later converted to CNG.
|}

=== Future and Electrification ===
Following the success of Big Blue Bus' pilot with a prototype Gillig/Cummins BEB (unit 1827), the agency committed to only purchasing zero-emission vehicles moving forward. Big Blue Bus charges its electric fleet with 100 percent [[renewable energy]]. The second batch of battery-electric buses are expected in 2025. The agency has set itself a 2030 deadline for full conversion to zero-emissions operation, which as of February 2023, it has determined it can achieve with exclusively [[Battery electric bus|battery-electric buses]].<ref name=":3" />

The agency is slated to replace vehicles as they reach the end of their useful service lives. Next to be replaced are El Dorado 32' BRT models, with delivery of replacement Gillig 35' Low Floor EVs slated for 2025. The agency's fleet of remaining NABI vehicles is the next group of buses to be replaced.

Due to dynamic service changes, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and ridership changes, amongst other factors, the agency is pursuing a more dynamic fleet replacement timeline than that which was outlined in their original [[California Air Resources Board|CARB]] document. The agency has delayed its fleet electrification commitment to 2031.<ref name=":7" />

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

On June 7, 2013, Bus 4057 of Big Blue Bus was among several vehicles fired at during [[2013 Santa Monica shootings|a thirteen-minute killing spree]] that left six people dead, including the gunman, and four others wounded. Three women suffered minor injuries aboard the bus, one from [[Fragmentation (weaponry)|shrapnel]]-type injuries and the other two from injuries unrelated to the gunfire.<ref name="June 7, 2013, 11:57 PM">{{cite news |date=2013-06-07 |title=Santa Monica shootings leave multiple victims, gunman killed |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57588276/santa-monica-shootings-leave-multiple-victims-gunman-dead/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609183105/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57588276/santa-monica-shootings-leave-multiple-victims-gunman-dead/ |archive-date=2013-06-09 |access-date=June 10, 2013 |work=CBS News |publisher=}}</ref> Approximately two dozen people were inside the bus at the time of the shooting. The attack on Bus 4057 marked the first time a Big Blue Bus came under attack by a gunman in its 85-year service.<ref name="City of Santa Monica: July 7th, 2013 Shooting Incident After-Action Report">{{Cite web |date=March 2014 |title=City of Santa Monica: June 7th, 2013 Shooting Incident |url=http://www.smgov.net/uploadedFiles/Departments/OEM/Video_Archive/Santa%20Monica%20Shooting%20Experience%20verFeb%202014.pdf |access-date=October 7, 2019 |website=City of Santa Monica Office of Emergency Management}}</ref>

On the morning of January 7th, 2025, service on Route 9 was discontinued due to the [[Palisades Fire]].<ref name=":4" /> Service was truncated to San Vicente with a modified schedule and restored Tuesday, January 21st, 2025.<ref name=":6" /> Express service remains discontinued.

== In popular culture ==

=== ''Speed'' ===
{{Main|Speed (1994 film)}}
Two humorous slogans Santa Monica Bank used on Big Blue Buses appeared in the film ''[[Speed (1994 film)|Speed]]''.<ref name="pool19991201">{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-dec-01-me-39410-story.html |title=Bus Line's One-Liners to Stop |last=Pool |first=Bob |date=1999-12-01 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=2018-02-02 |language=en-US |issn=0458-3035}}</ref> The bus operator in the movie is called the ''Santa Monica Intercity Bus Lines'', a fictionalized version of the Big Blue Bus's official name, the Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines.

=== Raymond Chandler ===
In [[Raymond Chandler]]'s novel ''[[Farewell, My Lovely]]'', first published in 1940, he writes as protagonist [[Philip Marlowe]], describing a scene in Bay City (Chandler's version of the City of Santa Monica):
:"Outside the narrow street fumed, the sidewalks swarmed with fat stomachs. Across the street a bingo parlor was going full blast and beside it a couple of sailors with girls were coming out of a photographer's shop where they had probably been having their photos taken riding on camels. The voice of the hot dog merchant split the dusk like an axe. A big blue bus blared down the street to the little circle where the street car used to turn on a turntable. I walked that way."

=== ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' ===
In the ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]'' episode ”[[List of Curb Your Enthusiasm episodes|Namaste]]" (season 9, episode 7), [[Larry David]] is forced to catch a bus, an activity he is not accustomed to. The endeavor ends with Larry being kicked off the bus.
The bus station is the [https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/384836756 Montana/San-Vincente] station in Brentwood which serves lines 14 and 18.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theringer.com/tv/2017/11/13/16643556/curb-your-enthusiasm-season-9-episode-7|title=Who Won 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' Week 7?|first=Miles|last=Surrey|date=November 13, 2017|website=The Ringer|access-date=October 7, 2019}}</ref>

===The Doors===
The lyric from [[The Doors]] song “The End” “The blue bus is calling us” is sometimes said to refer to the Big Blue Buses but according [[Ray Manzarek]] this is [[apocryphal]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=SongFacts: "The End" by The Doors |url=https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-doors/the-end}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==

* {{Cite book |last=Ayer |first=Bob |title=History of Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus |date=1992 |publisher=City of Santa Monica |location= |oclc=30725056}}
* {{Cite AV media |title=Big Blue Bus: 80 Years in 8 Minutes |date=2009 |publisher=Azbri Productions |location=Venice, CA |oclc=714646781}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://www.bigbluebus.com/ }}
* [https://www.bigbluebus.com/routes-and-schedules/ Big Blue Bus Routes & Schedules]

{{Santa Monica, California}}
{{Southern California Transit}}
{{Greater Los Angeles Area Public Transit}}
{{USBRT}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Bus transportation in California]]
[[Category:Transportation in Santa Monica, California]]
[[Category:Public transportation in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Public transportation in Los Angeles County, California]]
[[Category:Transit authorities with alternative-fuel vehicles]]
[[Category:Bus rapid transit in California]]