Los Angeles Metro bus fleet

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The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (also known as "Metro ", "MTA", or "LACMTA") operates a vast fleet of buses. As of September 2019, Metro has the third largest bus fleet in North America with 2,320 buses.

Overview[]

Metro and its predecessor agencies have ordered buses from a variety of manufacturers over the years, including GM, Flxible, Grumman, AM General, Transportation Manufacturing Corporation (TMC), Neoplan USA, New Flyer Industries, ElDorado National, Orion Bus Industries, Thomas Built Buses, Blue Bird Corporation, and North American Bus Industries (NABI). LACMTA has ordered over 1,500 buses from NABI in recent years, including purchasing an expanded fleet of 45-foot (14 m) buses. In 2015, a BYD K11M demonstrator was used on the G Line.

Alternative fuels and vehicle technology[]

Metro is a major player in alternative fuel technologies, notably compressed natural gas (CNG). The CNG fleet reduces emissions of particulates by 90%, carbon monoxide by 80%, and greenhouse gases by 20%. Alternative fuel buses have logged more than 450 million operating miles since 1993, an industry record.

Metro has also increased its use of on-board vehicle technology. Most buses were equipped with monitors for Transit TV broadcasts and to display real-time bus maps to show the location through GPS navigation was added in 2004; the latter was the first of its kind in the United States. The screens have been shut off and discontinued service as of early 2015, due to the frequent influx of passengers relying on using their personal mobile devices while on buses; such as cell phones, smartphones, and electronic tablets for entertainment while riding.^[1] The increased use of personal mobile devices by passengers lead to the result of Metro implementing WiFi on all buses by April 2017. Also, as part of Metro's ATMS project, most buses include a marquee displaying the date and time, Automatic Voice Annunciation (AVA) for audio and visual announcements of each stop, and an audio and visual "Stop Requested" announcement was added to all buses in 2008. A supplemental audio announcement of "For your safety, watch your step when exiting the bus" was added to all buses on February 28, 2013 and changed voice in March 2015.

Bus fleet[]

As of September 2019, Metro has the third largest bus fleet in North America with 2,320 buses, 2 behind New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New Jersey's NJ Transit.^[2] Metro operates the nation's largest fleet of compressed natural gas powered buses.^[3]

Active[]

Make/ Model	Length	Picture	Year	Numbers (quantity ordered)	Current Paint Schemes	Engine	Transmission	Propulsion	Divisions	Notes
NABI 31-LFW	31 feet		2009-2010	3100–3149 (50 buses)	Metro Local	Cummins Westport ISL-G 8.9L	Allison B300R6 Gen-IV	CNG	MV Transportation, Southland Transit and Transdev (contractors)	Strictly operated by bus contractors.
ElDorado National Axess BRT	40 feet		2018–2020	1505–2099 (595 buses)	Metro Local Metro Rapid	Cummins Westport L9N 8.9L	Voith D864.6 4 speed		1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 15, 18 and MV Transportation (contractor)	Currently being delivered and entering service.
NFI XN40			2015–2016	3850–4199 (350 buses)	Metro Local Metro Liner	Cummins Westport ISL-G 8.9L	Allison B400R6 Gen-V		1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 13, 15 and Transdev (contractor)	4172 is Powered by Cummins Westport ISL-G NZ Engine.
			2013–2015	5600–6149 (550 buses)	Metro Local Metro Rapid				1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 13, 15, 18, MV Transportation, Southland Transit and Transdev (contractors)	Currently being repainted and repowered with Cummins Westport L9N engines.
NABI 45C-LFW	45 feet		2008–2009	8100–8400 (301 buses)	Metro Local Metro Liner	Cummins Westport ISL-G 8.9L Cummins Westport ISL-G NZ Cummins Westport L9N	Allison B400R6 Gen-IV		1, 7, 8, 9, 13, 15, 18, Southland Transit and Transdev (contractors)	Currently being repainted and repowered with Cummins Westport L9N engines. 8650 is a 40-foot demonstrator used for training only.
			2010–2011	8401–8491 (90 buses)	Metro Local	Cummins Westport ISL-G 8.9L Cummins Westport L9N			3, 7, 15 and 18
			2012–2013	8500–8650 (151 buses)					3, 5, 7, 15 and 18
NFI XN60	60 feet		2018–2020	8700–8836 (137 buses)	Metro Local Metro Rapid	Cummins Westport L9N	Allison B500R6-V Allison B3400 xFE		1, 5, 7, 13, 15 and 18	Currently being delivered, entering service, and replacing NABI 60-BRTs.
NABI 60-BRT			2006–2007	9400–9495 (96 buses)	Metro Local Metro Rapid Metro Liner	Cummins Westport ISL-G 8.9L	Allison B500R6 Gen-IV		1, 5, 13 and 18	9495 was a 65-foot demonstrator; converted from a regular 60-BRT bus by NABI. Currently being retired.
			2007–2008	9500–9594 (95 buses)					5, 13 and 18	2007 Models Buses that has “Metro Liner” livery was being transferred to Division 18 until June 2021 for Metro Silver Line as temporary and the decals was renamed as “Metro Local” but kept as Metro Liner livery.
NFI XE60[4]			2019–2021	19500–19539 (40 buses)	Metro Liner	Siemens ELFA	Siemens 1DB2016-2NB06	Electric	8	Replaced G Line NABI 60-BRTs.

On Order[]

Retired[]

Liveries[]

• 

  Red Stripe (Neoplan AN440)

• 

  Yellow Jacket (Gillig Phantom)

• 

  Metro Local (NABI 40C-LFW)

• 

  Metro Rapid (NABI 45C-LFW)

• 

  Metro Express (NABI 40-LFW)

• 

  Metro Liner (NABI 60-BRT)

Decals[]

Typically, bus decals are usually associated with their livery, such as Metro Local. However as of late 2020, Metro dropped the specification for newer buses. Instead, future buses are now simply labeled "Metro Bus" which calls back to the Yellow Jacket livery while retaining the modern local, rapid, and liner liveries.

Bus divisions[]

Under the Metro governance structure, the routes operating out of each division are supervised by an integrated/centralized operations division with oversight provided by Service Councils composed of elected officials, appointed representatives, and transit users from a given area served by each division. While the Councils have geographical boundaries, in practice they only define where the members come from, as most of Los Angeles is served by routes operating out of multiple sectors. For instance, the Olympic Boulevard Rapid bus is operated by buses from the San Gabriel Valley sector, despite its entire route being in the Westside or Central Los Angeles areas. Decals with service sector abbreviations and division numbers are affixed to the windows of Metro buses. A list of routes operating from each sector can be found on the Metro web site.

Division 3 in Cypress Park is the oldest bus yard owned by Metro, operating since 1907. About 200 buses currently operate out of the yard.

The following table lists all current bus divisions (rail divisions are not included):

Closed divisions[]

The following table lists all former divisions.

See also[]

• Bus transportation in California
• Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority topics
• Los Angeles Metro Rail rolling stock

References[]