Fleet of the LACMTA

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (hereinafter referred to as "LACMTA" or "Metro") operates a vast fleet of transit vehicles, consisting of both buses and trains. As of 2007, the LACMTA operated the third-largest bus fleet in North America [http://www.metro-magazine.com/top100_2007.pdf] , with a total of 2,686 buses.

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Overview

Metro and its predecessor agencies have ordered buses from a variety of manufacturers over the years, including GMC, Grumman, Flxible, AM General, Transportation Manufacturing Corporation (TMC), Neoplan USA, New Flyer Industries, El Dorado National, Orion Bus Industries, Thomas Built Buses, Blue Bird, and North American Bus Industries (NABI). The LACMTA has ordered over 1,000 buses from NABI in recent years and has plans to order even more, including adding a expanded fleet of 45-foot buses, which they will use to phase out their traditional 40-foot vehicles.

Alternative fuels and vehicle technology

Metro is a major player in alternative fuel technologies, notably CNG, and the text "Nation's Largest Clean Air Fleet" appears on the sides of many buses. The CNG fleet reduces emissions of particulates by 90%, carbon monoxide by 80%, and greenhouse gases by 20% over the 500 remaining diesel powered buses in the fleet. Alternative fuel buses have logged more than 450 million operating miles since 1993, an industry record.

Metro has also demonstrated a major commitment to on-board vehicle technology. Most buses are equipped with monitors for [http://www.transitv.com/ Transit TV] broadcasts and to display real-time bus maps to show the location through GPS navigation; the latter is the first of its kind in the United States. Also, as part of Metro's [http://www.metro.net/projects_programs/atms/default.htm ATMS] project, most buses include a marquee displaying the date and time, Automatic Voice Annunciation (AVA) for audio and visual announcements for each stop, and an audio and visual Stop Requested announcement.

Branding schemes

Metro currently designates its buses in one of three branding schemes: Metro Local, Metro Rapid, and Metro Express, which were formally adopted in 2004. Currently, Metro's buses are undergoing a massive repainting program to apply this branding fleetwide. Metro Local buses are painted orange (which Metro dubs "California Poppy"), Metro Rapid buses are painted "Rapid Red", and Metro Express buses are painted "Business Blue." The lower half of each repainted bus is painted silver with large "Local", "Rapid" or "Express" text.

In addition to the these three schemes, the articulated buses assigned to the Metro Orange Line feature "Metro Liner" branding. This livery, adopted in 2005, is a two-tone silver paint scheme with orange "Metro Liner" text. As there is only one Metro Liner route, these buses are only seen in Orange Line service.

Metro Local buses acquired prior to the adoption of these colors in 2004 are white with a gold stripe around the bus, with yellow "Metro Bus" text and smaller "Travel Smart...Take Metro" inscriptions. These buses will be painted orange during their mid-life rehabilitation (except for the 5300-series New Flyer buses assigned to Metro Rapid lines, which were repainted in red livery in 2004-05). The 7000- and 7600-series buses acquired for Metro Rapid service in 2000 and 2002 are red with a white stripe along the top (7102-7112, 7617-7618, 7628, 7643, 7646 were white with a red Metro Rapid logo on all sides and some of these buses have been repainted to standard red and white and a few have been converted to Metro Local service), but some have been repainted to the current red and silver livery. Most are likely scheduled for repainting beginning in 2007; some have been repainted either in the updated Metro Rapid scheme or in Metro Local colors.

Bus Fleet

Active

Notes:
C=Contracted: FT=First Transit; TC=Transportation Concepts; MV=Mid Valley Transportation ; ATE=Ex ATE (Now First Transit, Compton.).
¹ Originally methanol fueled, then ethanol fueled, and finally converted to diesel.
² LACMTA acquired these buses from OCTA on auction.
³ These busses were originally from the SCRTD.
⁴ Currently operated by Southland Transit and is used on Lines 266 and 270

Rail fleet

Notes:
¹ Cars 109 and 148 are in the current livery, which is sleek silver and these cars were originally painted red for the anniversary of the Pacific Electric Railway ( [http://images.nycsubway.org/i17000/img_17111.jpg109] , [http://images.nycsubway.org/i33000/img_33384.jpg148] ) Car [http://www.thebergennetwork.com/na/ca/lacmta/105.jpg105] is in current livery, which is all-white with black lettering. The LACMTA is planning to retire these trains and replace them with some of the 200 - 250 and 301-302 cars.
² The P2020 vehicle was originally purchased for the Green line, and although carrying a different model number than the P850 they are nearly identical, except for the difference in age. These cars were added to the Metro Blue Line in 2000.
³ Originally intended to run on the Green Line, it is capable of fully automated operation which is only possible on the Green Line since it is fully grade separated, the vehicle does not run automatically on the Gold line. Car 302 is the only Gold Line car in the current livery, which is all white with black lettering.
⁴ The entire order is expected to be delivered around June 2007. During June 2005 two vehicles (701 and 705) were delivered for system compatibility testing in Los Angeles. Currently, ten cars have been delivered ( [http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?41297 701] , 704-706, 710, 712 and 1 unmarked) and are all at the Metro Gold Line yard. When delivered the vehicles will be capable of running on Blue, Green, Gold, and the future lines (e.g. Expo Line) without any modification when switching between lines. [http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?41296 Another photo of 701]
⁵ Metro Blue Line (added in 2007), Green Line, and Gold Line (added in 2004) trains feature automated station announcements while operators announce stops on Red and Purple lines.
⁶ Cars 603 and 604 are in new livery, which is all silver and has the white "Metro Rail" printing on the cars. These cars are similar to Metro Rail vehicles 105, 302, and the 700 series cars.
⁷ Car 243 is out of service after sustaining burns from an accident on September 21, 2007.