Metro Rapid (Los Angeles County)

Metro Rapid

One of the busiest lines, high capacity 60-foot buses operate on the 761, pictured here on the way to Westwood.
Founded	June 24, 2000
Locale	Los Angeles County, California
Service type	bus service, bus rapid transit
Operator	Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA)

Metro Rapid system map, January 2009

Metro Rapid is a bus rapid transit service in Los Angeles County, California that operates in mixed traffic environments and has fewer stops than the Metro Local service. The system is mainly operated by LACMTA. Two routes are operated by Santa Monica Transit and one by Culver City Transit. The Rapid program attempts to speed up commuter travel time on Los Angeles' county streets, complementing the Metro Local bus network operated by the LACMTA as well as other bus routes operated by smaller agencies.

To accomplish this, the buses are equipped with special transmittal devices that cause traffic signals to favor the bus, with green lights held longer and red lights shortened. Metro Rapid buses also stop less frequently than Metro Local buses, with Rapid stops located only at major intersections and transfer points. The frequency of Metro Rapid buses is increased as well, as more buses on a line translates to less wait time at each station. All Metro Rapid buses are low-floor CNG buses for faster boarding and alighting.

Inspiration for the program partly came from the transportation network of Curitiba in Brazil, although the concept in nascent form was first broached in a restructuring study long before local officials' famous trip there.

As a result of a recent federal court consent decree ruling, almost all rapid routes have started to operate since in June 2006 from at least 5 am to 9 pm, five days a week, with a maximum of 10 minute peak headways and 20 minute midday and evening headways. Many Rapid routes operate on weekends as well.

Overview

Metro bus stop sign for Local line 4 and Rapid line 704 in Santa Monica.

The Metro Rapid Program was implemented in June 2000-December 2002 with the goal of improving bus speeds within urbanized Los Angeles County. Lines 720 (Wilshire), 745 (Broadway), 754 (Vermont), and 750 (Ventura) were the pilot routes of the program, and began using next bus technology at most stops. Metro claims travel times have been reduced by as much as 29%.

Metro Rapid stop demonstrating the new design and NextBus technology

The Metro Rapid Program currently operates 26 routes across a network of 450 miles (720 km). Simple routes are designed to interface with the region's urban rail network.

Metro Rapid buses are distinguished by their Red and Silver livery. Older Rapid buses have a Red and White livery and a few had all-white livery (buses 7102-7112, 7617-7618, 7628, 7643, and 7646) until July 2002 when some were repainted to a red and white livery and some converted to Metro Local service. Some rapid stops are equipped with next bus technology which indicate the wait time before the next bus arrives, which is mostly on Lines 720 and 750.

Metro Rapid Lines 720, 770, and 780 are the only lines that complement multiple lines (the 720 runs alongside the 18 and 20; 770 runs alongside 68 and 70; and the 780 runs alongside the 180, 181 and 217); Lines 720 and 780 are the longest routes in the Metro Rapid system.

NABI Metro 45C #8084 on the 780 on the way to Hollywood

The Metro Rapid Fleet consists exclusively of Low Floor buses manufactured by both North American Bus Industries, and New Flyer. Buses include: 40-foot New Flyer buses (numbered 5300-5500), 40-foot NABI buses (numbered 7000-7999), 45-foot NABI Metro 45Cs (numbered 8000-8099), and 60-foot articulated buses, the NABI 60-BRT (9200-9399, 9500-9599). 40-foot buses are mainly used, but some routes use high capacity vehicles, which are mentioned below.

Lines 720, 754, 757, and 761 are the busiest Metro Rapid lines and 60-foot NABI articulated buses are used. Lines 754 and 757 are the pilot routes using 60-foot NABI buses, making their debut in December 2005. Line 720 started using the 60-foot NABI buses in May 2006 with 78 buses. The buses are assigned to divisions SB-5 (Arthur Winston/Midcities), WSC-7 (West Hollywood), WSC-10 (Gateway), SFV-15 (East Valley), SGV-3 (North Los Angeles), and GC-1 (Central City). Recently, with the delivery of 100 60-foot NABI articulated buses (9500-9599), Lines 704, 728, and 740 have begun using the buses since December 16, 2007. As of June 2008, Line 710 began using the 60-foot NABI articulated buses.

Based on availability of equipment, lower capacity buses may be placed into service on lines that normally use the 60-BRTs. Occasionally, Metro Local painted buses are put into rapid service. Some Metro Local buses break the Metro Rapid criteria of having low floor buses, since some are high floor models.

Metro Rapid articulated bus in downtown Los Angeles

A year after Metro introduced SmartBus technology on most of their buses, marquees were modified on most Metro Rapid buses in which the "STOP REQUESTED" portion scrolls across the marquee instead of staying in place and "PLEASE USE REAR EXIT" scrolls slowly. Months later, marquees were switched back to their original format.

The fare is the same as other Metro bus and rail service. Routes are numbered in the 700 series (7xx).

Some Metro Rapid buses have been converted to Metro Local service. Buses 7111 and 7112 were originally Metro Rapid buses in all-white livery with a red Metro Rapid logo. Bus 7006 was converted to Metro Local service after being one of the first 40-foot NABI buses to be in the current Metro Rapid livery (red and sleek silver).

Criticism

Critics see the Metro Rapid system as not sufficient to meet Los Angeles' growing transit needs. Limited funds, they say, would be better spent on growing the region's rail network. Rapid buses do not have the capacity or efficiency of light or heavy rail technology.

Other critics claim that Metro Rapid is a triumph of marketing over substance. For many years, Metro and its predecessor, the SCRTD, operated limited stop routes, which were similar to Metro Rapid service in the middle of their routes (serving only transfer points and major stops), but made local stops at each end. Rapid buses do not change traffic signals outside of the City of Los Angeles because only the City has tied the transponders to the signal network. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works is working on rectifying the problem for all the other cities where rapid buses pass through, but individual signals have to be reprogrammed to give signal priority to rapid buses. In addition, only red buses have transponders, which causes problems when not enough red buses are available (or conversely, red Rapid painted buses are used on local service).

Another complaint concerns the placement of Local and Rapid stops at separate locations at the same intersection. This was done to eliminate the backing up of buses at stops, but has resulted in a dangerous move called the "Rapid Bus Shuffle", in which a rider waiting at a Local stop runs to a Rapid stop, or vice versa, if the other bus arrives first. In response, some Rapid stops are placed adjacent to local bus stops.

In addition, civil rights organizations like the Bus Riders Union complain about cutbacks in local service required to implement Rapid service. Generally, between 25 and 50% of local service is cut and replaced by Rapid service. Thus, riders not living or working near a Rapid stop must walk a longer distance to an intersection with both local and Rapid stops, or wait longer for a local bus. The Special Master of the consent decree between Metro and the BRU has ordered that no more than 33% of the resources for Rapids come from local service.

It should be noted that the MTA staff has never considered Metro Rapid a substitute for rail service, but is instead a pragmatic interim measure given current budgetary constraints.

Another major complaint is the lack of Saturday, Sunday, and holiday service on several of its high-volume routes like the 705, 710 & 740 where many patrons commute from inner-city suburbs, Downtown LA or the South Bay to major cities for their jobs and local shopping.

Routes

Current Metro Rapid Routes

All service operated by Metro, unless otherwise noted. Sector abbreviations are described here.

Route	Terminals		via	Days of Operation	Notes
Rapid 3 [1]	Santa Monica 4th Street and Wilshire Boulevard	Aviation Station	Lincoln Boulevard	Weekdays (5:45a-9:30a; 1:30p-8:30p)	Operates alongside Big Blue Bus Line 3, known internally by the MTA as Line 703 [1] Uses New Flyer L40LFs Operated by Santa Monica Transit
704 [2]	Santa Monica 2nd Street and Santa Monica Boulevard	Downtown LA Union Station	Santa Monica Boulevard	Daily (Mon-Sat: 5:00a-9:00p; Sun: 7a-8p)	Service began June 2007, replaced Line 304 and operates alongside Line 4 Uses NABI 60-BRTs Operated by WSC-7
	Westwood Santa Monica Boulevard and Sepulveda Boulevard
705 [3]	West Hollywood West Hollywood Library	Vernon Vernon Avenue and Santa Fe Avenue	La Cienega Boulevard, Vernon Avenue	Weekdays (5a-9p)	Service began June 2004, operates alongside Line 105 Uses a mix of New Flyer C40LFs and Metro NABI 45Cs vehicles Operated by GC-1
Rapid 6 [4]	UCLA	Aviation Station	Sepulveda Boulevard	Weekdays (5:50a-9:57a; 2:20p-7:35p)	Operates alongside Culver City Bus Line 6 Uses New Flyer C40LFR Operated by Culver City Transit
Rapid 7 [5]	Santa Monica Broadway and 5th Street	Mid-City Pico Boulevard and Rimpau Boulevard	Pico Boulevard	Weekdays (5:35a-11:10p)	Operates alongside Big Blue Bus Line 7; known internally by the MTA as Line 707 Uses New Flyer L40LFs Operated by Santa Monica Transit
		Wilshire/Western Station
710 [6]	Wilshire/Western Station	South Bay Galleria Artesia Boulevard and Kingsdale Street	Crenshaw Boulevard	Weekdays, Saturday (M-F: 5:30a-9:30p; S: 6a-8:30p)	Service began February 2004, replaced Line 310 and operates alongside Line 210 Uses NABI 60-BRTs Operated by SB-18
720 [7]	Santa Monica 4th Street and Colorado Avenue	Commerce Commerce Center	Wilshire Boulevard, Whittier Boulevard	Daily (M-F: 4:30a-2:00a; Sa/Su: 5:00a-1:30a)	Service began June 2000, one of the two original routes, replaced Lines 318, 320 and 322, and operates alongside Lines 18 and 20 Uses NABI 60-BRTs Operated by WSC-10
	Westwood Wilshire Boulevard and Westwood Boulevard	Downtown LA Main Street and 6th Street
728 [8]	Century City Constellation Boulevard and Century Park West	Downtown LA Union Station	Olympic Boulevard	Weekdays (5:00a-9:00p)	Began December 2007, replaced Line 328 and operates alongside Line 28 Uses mix of NABI 40-LFW, NABI 45C-LFW, and NABI 60-BRTs Operated by SGV-3
730 [9]	Mid-City Pico Boulevard and Rimpau Boulevard	Little Tokyo/Arts District Station	Pico Boulevard	Weekdays (5:00a-9:00p)	Began June 2008, replaced Line 330 and operates alongside Line 30 Uses NABI 40-foot LFWs Operated by WSC-10
733 [10]	Santa Monica Ocean Avenue and Arizona Avenue	Downtown LA Union Station	Venice Boulevard	Daily (5:00a-11:00p)	Began June 2010, replaced Line 333 and operates alongside Line 33 (which replaces service during late evening and early morning hours) Uses NABI 60-BRTs Operated by WSC-6 and WSC-10
734 [11]	Sylmar Station	Sherman Oaks Galleria	Sepluveda Boulevard, Brand Boulevard	Weekdays (5a-9:45p)	Began June 2006, operates alongside Line 234 Uses NABI 40-foot LFWs Operated by SFV-8 and SFV-15
740 [12]	Downtown LA Union Station	South Bay Galleria	Hawthorne Boulevard, Crenshaw Boulevard, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard	Weekdays, Saturday (M-F: 5a-9:15p; Sa: 5:45a-9:15p)	Began December 2004, replaced Line 340 and operates alongside Line 40 Uses a mix of 45 and 60-foot NABI vehicles Operated by SB-18
741 [13]	Northridge Reseda Boulevard and Devonshire Street	Encino Ventura Boulevard and Reseda Boulevard	Reseda Boulevard	Weekdays (5:15a-9:30p)	Began December 2006, operates alongside Line 240 Uses NABI 40-foot LFWs Operated by SFV-15
745 [14]	Downtown LA Union Station	Harbor Freeway Station	Broadway	Daily (M-F: 5a-9p; Sa: 5:30a-8p; Su: 6a-8p)	Began December 2002, replaced Line 345 and operates alongside Line 45 Uses a mix of New Flyer C40LFs and Metro NABI 45Cs vehicles Some morning peak service begins at Florence Avenue Operated by GC-1
750 [15]	Warner Center Transit Hub	Universal City Station	Ventura Boulevard	Weekdays (5a-10:30p)	Began June 2000, one of the two original routes, operates alongside Line 150 Uses NABI Metro 45Cs Operated by SFV-8 and SFV-15
751 [16]	Cypress Park Avenue 28 and Idell Street	Huntington Park Palm Place and Seville Avenue	Soto Street	Weekdays (4:30a-8:30p)	Began June 2004, replaced Line 350 and operates alongside Line 251 Uses a mix of 40 and 45-foot NABI vehicles Operated by SGV-3
754 [17]	Hollywood Vermont Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard	Athens 120th Street and Vermont Avenue	Vermont Avenue	Daily (M-F: 5:00a-9:30p; Sa: 6:00a-9:15p; Su: 6:00a-8:30p)	Began December 2002, replaced Line 354 and operates alongside Line 204 Uses NABI 60-BRTs Operated by SB-5
757 [18]	Hollywood/Western Station	Crenshaw Station	Western Avenue	Weekdays (5:00a-9:30p)	Began December 2005, replaced Line 357 and operates alongside Line 207 Uses NABI 40-LFWs Operated by SB-5
760 [19]	Downtown LA 5th Street and Beaudry Avenue	Long Beach Station	Santa Fe Avenue, Long Beach Boulevard	Weekdays, Saturday (M-F: 5:00a-8:45p; Sa: 5:00a-8:40p)	Began June 2007, replaced Line 360 and operates alongside Line 60 Mixed use of New Flyer C40LFs and NABI 40-foot LFWs Operated by GC-1, GC-2 and SB-18
761 [20]	Pacoima Van Nuys Boulevard and Glenoaks Boulevard	Westwood Federal Building	Van Nuys Boulevard	Daily (M-F: 5:00a-10:30p; Sa: 5:15a-10p; Su: 5:45a-10p)	Began June 2003, replaced part of Line 561 and operates alongside Line 233 (which replaces service during late evening and early morning hours) Uses NABI 60-BRTs Operated by SFV-15
762 [21]	Pasadena Fair Oaks Avenue and Washington Street	Artesia Station	Fair Oaks Avenue, Atlantic Boulevard	Weekdays (5:00a-9:00p)	Began June 2008, replaced Line 361 and operates alongside Line 260 Uses NABI 40-foot LFWs Operated by SGV-3 and SGV-9
	Pasadena Fair Oaks Avenue and Colorado Boulevard	Lynwood Imperial Highway and Atlantic Boulevard
770 [22]	Downtown LA Broadway and Venice Boulevard	El Monte Station	Garvey Avenue, Cesar E. Chavez Avenue	Weekdays, Saturday (M-F: 5:00a-9:00p; Sa: 6:15a-7:15p)	Began December 2007, replaced Lines 368 and 370 and operates alongside Lines 68 and 70 Uses NABI 40-foot LFWs Operated by SGV-9
780 [23]	Pasadena City College Colorado Boulevard and Hill Avenue	Hollywood/Vine Station	Fairfax Avenue, Hollywood Boulevard, Colorado Boulevard	Weekdays (5:00a-8:45p)	Began December 2004, replaced Line 317, 380 and 717 and operates alongside Lines 180, 181 and 217 Uses a mix of 40 and 45-foot NABI vehicles Operated by SGV-3
		Washington/Fairfax Transit Hub
794 [24]	Sylmar Station	Downtown LA Hill Street and Venice Boulevard	San Fernando Road	Weekdays (4:45a-9:20p)	Began June 2008, replaced Line 394 and operates alongside Lines 94 and 224 Uses a mix of 40 and 45-foot NABI vehicles Operated by SFV-15

Former Routes

Route	Terminals		via	Notes/History
711	Inglewood Transit Center	Bell Gardens Florence Avenue and Garfield Avenue	Florence Avenue	Discontinued in December 2010, replaced by Line 311 Operated by SB-18
714	Beverly Hills Santa Monica Boulevard and Canon Drive	Grand Station	Beverly Boulevard	Discontinued in December 2010 due to low ridership Operated by WSC-7
715	LAX City Bus Center	Downey Transportation Depot	Manchester Boulevard, Firestone Boulevard	Discontinued in December 2010 due to low ridership Operated by SB-5 and SB-18
	Inglewood Transit Center
717	Hollywood/Vine Station	West LA Transit Center Washington Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue	Hollywood Boulevard, Fairfax Avenue	Merged with Line 780 in June 2006 Operated by WSC-7
724	Sylmar Station	North Hollywood Station	San Fernando Road, Lankershim Boulevard	Discontinued in June 2009 due to low ridership Operated by SFV-15
753	Downtown LA 5th Street and Beaudry Avenue	Rosa Parks Station	Central Avenue	Discontinued in December 2010 due to low ridership Operated by GC-1
920	Santa Monica Colorado Avenue and Ocean Avenue	Wilshire/Vermont Station	Wilshire Boulevard	Former Rapid Express Line Discontinued in December 2010 due to low ridership, although riders have advocated improvements, during the service's short life Operated by WSC-10
	Westwood Wilshire Boulevard and Westwood Boulevard
940	Downtown LA Union Station	Del Amo Fashion Center	Hawthorne Boulevard, Crenshaw Boulevard, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard	Former Rapid Express Line Discontinued in June 2008 due to low ridership, although riders have advocated improvements [2], during the service's short life Operated by SB-18

Proposed/Future Routes

Route	Terminals		via	Notes
702 [25]	Downtown Los Angeles Broadway and Venice Boulevard	Pacific Palisades Sunset Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway	Sunset Boulevard	Proposed to replace Line 302 and operate alongside Line 2 Could start service by 2012 Fiscal Year Would be operated by WSC-6 and WSC-7
712 [26]	Hollywood/Vine Station	Hawthorne Station	La Brea Avenue	Proposed to replace Line 312 and operate alongside Line 212 Could start service in the future Would be operated by SB-5 and SB-18
716 [27]	Century City Constellation Boulevard and Century Park West	Downtown LA 5th Street and Wall Street	3rd Street	Proposed to replace Line 316 and operate alongside Line 16 Could start service in the future Would operate by GC-1, WSC-7 and WSC-10
722 [28]	Hollywood	Sun Valley	Hollywood Way, Barham Boulevard	Proposed to operate alongside Line 222 Could start service in the future Would be operated by SFV-15
752 [29]	Wilshire/Vermont Station	Artesia Transit Center	7th Street, San Pedro Street, Avalon Boulevard	Proposed to replace Line 352 and operate alongside Lines 51 and 52 Could start service by 2013 Fiscal Year Would be operated by GC-2
758 [30]	Marina Del Rey Washington Boulevard and Palawan Way	Pico Rivera Paramount Boulevard and Slauson Avenue	Slauson Avenue	Proposed to replace Line 358 and operate alongside Line 108 Could start service in the future Would be operated by SB-5

Other Los Angeles Area Rapids

Torrance Transit Line 3 will have Rapid version, but there is currently no launch date. [3]

Foothill Transit's Silver Streak made its debut on March 18, 2007, using the El Monte Busway and the San Bernardino Freeway. This route is not part of the official Metro Rapid program.

References

1. ^ http://www.bigbluebus.com/busroutes/schedule.asp?bus_route=33&dayofweek=weekdays Rapid 3 schedule
2. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/704.pdf 704 schedule
3. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/705.pdf 705 schedule
4. ^ http://www.culvercity.org/Government/Transportation/Bus/~/media/Files/Bus/BusStops/Rapid_Line6_Effective_01042010.ashx Rapid 6 Map/Schedule
5. ^ http://www.bigbluebus.com/busroutes/location/index.asp?routeid=77 Rapid 7 schedule
6. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/710.pdf 710 schedule
7. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/720.pdf 720 schedule
8. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/728.pdf 728 schedule
9. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/730.pdf 730 schedule
10. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/733.pdf Line 733 schedule
11. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/734.pdf 734 schedule
12. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/740.pdf 740 schedule
13. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/741.pdf 741 schedule
14. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/745.pdf 745 schedule
15. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/750.pdf 750 schedule
16. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/751.pdf 751 schedule
17. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/754.pdf 754 schedule
18. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/757.pdf 757 schedule
19. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/760.pdf 760 schedule
20. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/761.pdf 761 schedule
21. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/762.pdf 762 schedule
22. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/770.pdf 770 schedule
23. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/780.pdf 780 schedule
24. ^ http://www.metro.net/riding_metro/bus_overview/images/2011-06/794.pdf 794 schedule
25. ^ http://www.metro.net/board/Items/2009/03_March/20090318OtherMeasureRItem24Handout.pdf Measure R Implementation Bus Operation Projects March 19, 2009, Page 3
26. ^ http://www.metro.net/board/Items/2009/02_February/20090218MeasureRItem7.pdf Measure R Bus System Improvement Plan, Page 4
27. ^ http://www.metro.net/board/Items/2009/02_February/20090218MeasureRItem7.pdf Measure R Bus System Improvement Plan, Page 4
28. ^ http://www.metro.net/board/Items/2008/03_March/20080305OtherSectorSFV_Item7.pdf Metro San Fernando Valley Governance Council, Page 30
29. ^ http://www.metro.net/board/Items/2009/03_March/20090318OtherMeasureRItem24Handout.pdf Measure R Implementation Bus Operation Projects March 19, 2009, Page 3
30. ^ http://www.metro.net/board/Items/2009/02_February/20090218MeasureRItem7.pdf Measure R Bus System Improvement Plan, Page 4

External links

• Metro Rapid Homepage
• Metro Rapid timetable page
• Rapid Bus increases door-to-door travel time (op-ed)
• Route 704 proposal hearings
• Metro Rapid 754 Operator entertains passengers
• Metro Rapid System Map