AB 726
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 726 (Nazarian)
As Amended September 1, 2015
Majority vote
ASSEMBLY:
77-0
(May 7, 2015)
SENATE:
40-0
(September 9, 2015)
Original Committee Reference: L. GOV.
SUMMARY: Authorizes the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
(MTA) to operate articulated buses that do not exceed 82 feet on the Orange Line in Los Angeles
County.
The Senate amendments:
1) Require MTA to establish a route review committee prior to the operation of an articulated
bus that is greater than 60 feet in length.
2) Require the route review committee to perform a review of the Orange Line route and any
necessary routes from the Orange Line to maintenance and storage yards upon which MTA
proposes to operate a bus greater than 60 feet in length, prior to the operation of those buses.
3) Require the review to include a field review of the Orange Line and proposed routes, and
require the field reviews to include both of the following:
a) Consultation with traffic engineers from public agencies that have jurisdiction over the
routes where the buses are proposed to operate to ensure coordination with the affected
state and local public agencies for purposes of public safety; and,
b) Consultation with pavement engineers from public agencies that have jurisdiction over
the routes where the buses are proposed to operate to ensure that any impacts of the
weight of the vehicles upon the streets and roads that are used to access the right-of-way
or are crossed by the right-of-way are considered.
4) Require the route review committee to be comprised of four members, as follows:
a) A member representing MTA, appointed by MTA's general manager;
b) A member who is a traffic engineer, appointed by MTA's general manager;
c) A member appointed by the labor organization that is the exclusive representative of the
bus drivers of MTA; and,
d) A member representing law enforcement, appointed by the law enforcement agency that
has authority over the proposed routes.
5) Provide that the implementation of the authority granted by this bill is also subject to the
following:
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a) Determination by a majority vote of the route review committee that the Orange Line and
routes for maintenance and storage are suitable for the safe operation of articulated buses;
and,
b) Determination by the Department of the California Highway Patrol and the Department
of Transportation, if portions of the proposed routes are on highways under the
jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation, that those portions of the routes are
suitable for the operation of buses, as specified.
6) Require the route review committee to determine, by majority vote, the following:
a) If the Orange Line is suitable for the safe operation of a bus exceeding 60 feet in length,
by not exceeding 82 feet in length; and,
b) If the routes are suitable for the safe operation of the articulated buses between the
Orange Line, maintenance facilities, and storage yards.
7) Clarify that MTA may operate the articulated buses between the Orange Line route,
terminals, and maintenance facilities.
8) Make technical and conforming changes.
EXISTING LAW:
1) Establishes MTA as the successor agency to the Southern California Rapid Transit District
and the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission and prescribes its membership and
duties.
2) Prohibits a vehicle from exceeding a length of 40 feet and creates a number of exemptions to
that limit.
3) Prohibits an articulated bus from exceeding a length of 60 feet.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY, this bill:
1) Provided an exemption to the vehicle length limit in existing law to allow MTA to operate
articulated buses that do not exceed 82 feet on the route designated as the Orange Line in Los
Angeles County.
2) Specified that the authority granted by this bill to MTA is subject to specified collective
bargaining requirements.
3) Found and declared that a special law is necessary because of the unique circumstances of a
large number of riders using buses operated by MTA on the Orange Line and the need to
reduce overcrowding on those buses.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, pursuant to Senate
Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
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COMMENTS:
1) Bill Summary. This bill provides an exemption to the maximum articulated bus length limit
in current law and authorizes MTA to use articulated buses up to 82 feet on the Orange Line
route in Los Angeles County. Additionally, this bill specifies that MTA's use of the longer
articulated buses is subject to collective bargaining requirements, and the majority vote of a
route review committee. This bill also requires MTA to consult with traffic and pavement
engineers on the effect of articulated buses on safety and pavement wear. This bill is
sponsored by MTA.
2) MTA and the Orange Line. MTA was created pursuant to AB 152 (Katz), Chapter 60,
Statutes of 1992, through the consolidation of the Los Angeles County Transportation
Commission and the Southern California Rapid Transit District. MTA is now the thirdlargest public transportation system in the United States by ridership, serving a 1,433 square
mile area. After purchasing and converting an abandoned railroad line parallel to the
Ventura Freeway (United States Route 101), MTA opened the Orange Line in the San
Fernando Valley in October of 2005. The Orange Line opened as a 14-mile route consisting
of two-lane dedicated busways for 60 foot articulated buses. The Orange Line crosses 34
streets and five midblock pedestrian crosswalks, and at signalized intersections, loop
detectors give Orange Line buses traffic signal priority. Adjacent to the dedicated busways
there are eight miles of bicycle and pedestrian paths, with designated on-street bike lanes for
the remaining six miles. In 2012 MTA did a four-mile northern extension of the Orange
Line, connecting four new stations.
3) Author's Statement. According to the author, "In order to effectively address the growing
public transportation needs of the San Fernando Valley, alleviate congestion and take
advantage of available transportation resources, this bill will offer MTA the flexibility they
need to operate buses up to 82 feet in length along the Orange Line."
4) Prior Legislation. There is extensive legislative history surrounding the discussion of bus
length limits. This bill is not MTA's first attempt to gain the authority to use larger
articulated buses on the Orange Line. SB 650 (Padilla) of 2007 would have authorized
transit agencies to operate articulated buses up to 65 feet subject to a number of restrictions,
including limiting the buses to operate on a dedicated right-of-way, and the establishment of
a route review committee. The provisions relating to bus length were eventually amended
out of SB 650.
5) Arguments in Support. Supporters argue that this bill will give the necessary local
flexibility to address the growing demands of public transportation in the greater San
Fernando Valley.
6) Arguments in Opposition. None on file.
Analysis Prepared by: Misa Lennox / L. GOV. / (916) 319-3958
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