Seated comfortably on the right about six rows from the front. I witness the drivers change shifts. As they exchanged pleasantries, the departing driver fled as quickly as possible. While the new driver set up his things and teasingly called out to the departing driver 'part timer'. The new driver begin pushing buttons, adjusting mirrors, his seat, and other. Sounds like a long drawn out process but actually we were on our way rather quickly. After a short time, while at a stop, the driver unbuckled his seat belt, opened the door and meticulously repositioned a mirror on the external of bus. At the next stop he did the same only this time he meticulously positioned things around his seat / work station. In that moment I thought to myself, 'I wonder is this guy meticulous about everything in life.' There were various other thoughts about this meticulous driver going through my mind but mostly in that moment the greatest feeling I felt was safe. If this driver was this meticulous about everything, even his water, I was convinced he too would be as meticulous and mindful about his driving. Thankfully, my inclination regarding the driver was on point. He turned out to be a very safe and conscientious driver. I enjoyed a very beautiful, scenic, (still new to the area) and safe ride. Sending a big thank you to the Big Blue Bus Team! Thanks Big Blue Bus team for getting us around comfortably and safely. read more

This was one of the most alarming encounters I've had with a public transit driver. While traveling north near Santa Monica Beach, the driver of the large blue bus was weaving through traffic and maneuvering around vehicles in a way that seemed completely unnecessary. This wasn't an empty road--there were pedestrians, tourists, and families all over the area. What was most frustrating was the complete lack of concern afterward. When we ended up ahead of the bus, the driver looked over at us with an attitude and made dismissive gestures as if our concerns meant nothing. Instead of acknowledging the situation, he acted like everyone else on the road was the problem. Operating a vehicle that carries passengers should come with a higher level of care and awareness. A bus is not something that can stop on a dime, and careless decisions behind the wheel can have devastating consequences. The driver's behavior displayed poor judgment and a disregard for the safety of both passengers and the public. I sincerely hope this matter is taken seriously before someone's luck runs out and a preventable tragedy occurs. read more

The most UNRELIABLE, UNDEPENDABLE bus co. No route 7 East service after 6 pm on weekends. Waited for HOURS at Pico / Lincoln. If you take multiple buses, a 10 mile trip can take over 2 hours because BBB buses simply DON'T SHOW UP. You will WAIT ALL NIGHT, NO BUS. read more

Big Blue Bus leadership, including its executive director, Anuj Gupta, is allowing operators to repeatedly deny rides to disabled veterans. Over the past six months I have been passed up or refused service nearly ten times. This appears coordinated and influenced by external law-enforcement or fusion center activity. Management has failed to intervene, investigate, or correct this conduct, effectively enabling discrimination and abuse of riders who depend on public transit.https://www.linkedin.com/in/anujkguptasm read more

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I'm here as a tourist in LA I'm trying to go to Santa Monica now I am based in Atlanta and I know how to ride trains and busses my knowledge is very clear now I'm at the bus stop right at this moment and the lady driving on the public transportation bus drove right past me and my family there are about 10 people at this stop and didn't even stop to tell us what's going on I clearly don't live here Big Blue Bus please do better I recommend to never use this bus again for the attitudes of the bus drivers as well!!! read more

I have to give a shout out to the drivers. In our experience they do a great job managing both the riders and their driving. The buses are generally right on schedule and 9 times out of 10 the two of us can get seats together. Buses seem to be well maintained and for the most part clean inside and out. We don't use the buses to commute, but to get around the city for chores and pleasure. We both have cars but when traveling locally we can use the bus to avoid the inconvenience and cost of parking. This past weekend we took the bus from Wilshire to Venice. Had friends in from out of town that wanted to visit the canals and the boardwalk. Since were weren't driving we were able to have cocktails which otherwise would not have been able to. We walked about 5 miles around Venice and down the boardwalk back towards Santa Monica. About an hour past sunset we hopped on the #2 back to Wilshire and Fourth. So convenient! I highly recommend Big Blue for anyone visiting Santa Monica. read more

On 2/5/25 I left my purse on the #2 bus. I had a medical appointment and asked a co-worker to call the company to ask the driver of the #2 bus to look for it. The person who answered the phone told her how to intercept the driver on his return run. He had found my purse and after checking that it was OK to release it to her returned it to her (and me) gave her the purse. That was service above and beyond and I am so grateful to all of them read more

Two buses went by and refused to pick me up. Also some of the drivers are very rude and obnoxious

I have started taking buses again after COVID. I don't take them every day as I used to and one reason is the drivers on BBB. Every single one has been rude and awful. Angry, really angry. Hey - it's not an easy job; certainly not one I could ever do, but these drivers have chosen to provide this service in turn for their paychecks and benefits, so why do they seem so resentful and mean? I always greet the driver and thank them for their service. I no longer get any reply - they just stare straight ahead. The first time I got on the bus with my new TAP card, I didn't know where to tap, so of course I asked. The driver didn't look at me, he just grunted out, "just get on and sit down." Wow - what the hell? I have watched person after person get on #3 and #2 and none of them treated with kindness when they've greeted the driver or asked for any kind of help. I've seen elderly passengers with canes and walkers have to asked over and over to have the ramp put down so they can exit safely. On my first ride home after work, I asked the driver if I had gotten on the wrong bus, because we bypassed a large portion of the route, and went straight to LAX. He barely acknowledged me and said under his breath, "there were signs up all last week." Well, I said, I didn't take the bus last week - why wasn't there a sign up at the bus stop about this detour? Of course, he didn't reply to me at all at that point. In years past, and I go all the way back to the 70s riding the BBB, one thing you could always count on was the helpful friendliness of the drivers. I guess an era comes to an end. On a positive note: I do believe that transfers are back, which is good news for those who may have been really struggling to pay all the extra fares. read more

The bus ride COUL D HAVE BEEN ALOT BETTER ! I was discrimination against on the vehicle by the chauffeur who rudely told me "I can't be waiting for you you are making me late" after I was waiting for him at the right stop when he parked his bus a block before ??? Crazy psycho I am never riding the BBB again read more

I was on bus #8 going toward Santa Monica 10/26/2021 @ 3:00pm. I noticed someone whom I assumed working for BigBlueBus monitoring the time it took drivers to swap. I really appreciated this because it didn't take near as long as it would usually take. Thank you Big Blue Bus for caring. 5 stars if this can continue. Btw my professor did allow me to take my midterm during his office hours. read more

Love the big blue bus. Been taking it since i was a teenager and still take it on till this day.

I have missed the bus one too many times because they keep changing the time and no matter how frequently I check I'll still miss it. Then when I try to catch the next one that one doesn't come early but rather get DELAYED by like 30 minutes. So unreliable and absolutely ridiculous. I can't rely on public transport in LA at all. I'm specifically speaking about bus #2 i can't speak for the other ones. Like you can't just keep adding time to delay the bus, you can't keep the riders to be anxiously waiting because we never know when the departure time is going to change last minute. I stood outside in the freezing cold waiting for almost an hour because the bus kept delaying. Why is there a bus lane if the bus is never going to be on time?? read more

I'm really surprised to see a lot of negative reviews :( But I can understand the frustration, as I have been ignored & passed by a couple of their buses (but then again, that happens a lot with all buses- so life in the big city, with so many people & being overlooked:( Anyhow.... I normally take the 10 Rapid Express from DTLA to SM. I've also done the #3 bus from LAX to SM and maybe the one that runs on Santa Monica Blvd. I'd have to say, the 10 Express is by far the best bus services running - for me. I've never had any issues and it's a far better experience that Metro Rapid (red 720) - ewwww! If you've dealt with taking any of the Metro buses (and for that matter Municipal buses - eg Montebello Bus lines) Santa Monica Big Blue Buses are by far the best - even when they pass me up, I rather wait for another one than have to ever go back to riding those "other" crappy buses ever again. read more

I'm sorry, but to be a successful public transit operation there has to be some semblance of set schedule or consistency of arrivals. After waiting about 35 minutes for a bus this morning for the second day in a row, when I finally got on I asked the bus driver how often I should expect a #12 bus. He said "About every 15 minutes" which I found amusing, again after waiting over a half hour at 8:15AM which I'd think would be a peak transit hour. It's just frustrating, taking the bus is cost effective and helps the environment so I always preach the good word of the bus or train. But when it's expected to approach the bus stop 45 minutes earlier than you need just because there is a chance you'll wait that long is ridiculous. No matter what you pick it's a crap shoot, you may be late to work or if you give yourself an extra 45 minutes you may be crazy early. I'd understand arrivals few and far between at say 5am or 10pm, but 8AM is travel time, beef up the frequency. The female bus driver of a #8 bus even laughed at me when I asked when I could expect a bus. After having the third #8 pull up to the stop with no #12s, I just asked her quickly when I could expect a bus. Were they every 10, 20, 30 minutes, what? I don't care what it is, as long as I know I can plan accordingly. At the very word "schedule" she laughed, shrugged her shoulders, and I went back to waiting. At $1 a ride the Big Blue Bus is very cost effective, they're clean and rarely so packed you have to stand. But if you enjoy having any set schedule to your life the BBB may not be for you. I've seen them show up two on top of each other, two 12s right in a row. Or I've seen them not show up for 45 minutes. Scheduling: Figure it out! read more

In order to get to the Santa Monica Twilight Dance Series held at the SM Pier in the summer, I usually take bus #2. On those evenings I tug along my trusty cooler on wheels, loaded with picnic goodies and drinks for the concert. Strapped to my back is my brightly striped beach chair and backpack. In anticipation of the upcoming summer, I hopped aboard this week and found the price increased. It was 75 cents last year, now it is a $1.00. I plunked down 4 quarters. They traveled to the slot below. The sound reminded me of the sounds at a casino. Now if I could just get that machine to go in reverse and quarters popped back up! Ding ding ding ding $$$$, like popcorn that be awesome. A couple years ago, an aberration occurred. A surly female driver enjoyed or so it seemed, to slam on the brakes. She alternated this with gunning the accelerator. Then repeated this pattern over and over. A predilection, bound and determined to torture us passengers. It was the fastest bus ride of my life. In her haste, at my stop, she even dropped us off in front of larger than me sized trash receptacles. In front of me a man just pushed them aside, as if he were Moses in the Bible, and just parted the Red Sea. Most of the bus drivers are the opposite. Friendly, smiling and respectful. I am grateful for them. The bus driver this week happened to be alert and on the ball. She carefully monitored the passengers, and deftly handled the traffic as best she could. With a good sized package in one hand, I stepped down from the rear doors and onto the sidewalk. Then I heard some unfamiliar cracking sound One of my backpack straps got caught on the rear door handle. Got caught meaning my backpack was now wedged in the middle of the doors as it closed. I yelled as I was afraid the bus was going to start dragging me on the along side as it went on it's merry way down the street. The respectful bus driver immediately opened up the rear doors. I got out, a little shaken but relieved and ok. That will be the last time I wear only 1 strap of my back pack attached to my shoulder. Luckily the bus driver was alert. More than anything else I gave myself quite a fright. It is time for me to try out the light speed rail. read more

Rapid 10.. I have to say that the quality of this bus has diminished. If you are going against traffic, for the most part your bus will be on time but if you are going with traffic then prepare to add +/- 15 mins to your wait time. What bothers me is that this bus is CLEARLY over the limit of people they can legally have in a bus but they still pack them in like sardines. I think they need to add more busses during rush hour so people can sit during crazy hour long traffic to downtown LA. It's not safe having people stand while a bus is on the freeway for more than an hour. Plus with all those people they SHOULD turn on the AC or something.. it gets so hot and smelly inside it's pretty gross. However, there are always entertaining conversations that people talk about on the bus so that definitely makes the commute somewhat enjoyable. If only the rail system finishes by this year... read more

Last night, the driver of the #12 bus I was on did not make a stop where she was supposed to. I caught the #12 bus from the Westwood area and anticipated to get off at National & Venice, but the bus driver dropped me off at National & Robertson instead. When the bus driver passed my stop I told her and she replied saying, "I don't stop there." The #12 has a stop at National & Venice (the Big Blue Bus sign is still on the street there and I pulled the cord on the bus when the automated electronic message on the bus said that the bus was approaching National & Venice). I was disappointed that I had to walk more than I had planned once off the bus. I did not like the demeanor of this particular bus driver. For the record: I only truly take Big Blue Bus lines because I genuinely like the aesthetics of the buses, the routes, and the fact that if you are a student at a particular school your boarding fee is waived. Note: I give the Big Blue Bus a 1-star Yelp review based on my negative experience yesterday. read more

On the weekends, I take a break from driving, especially if I'm drinking. The Big Blue Bus is reliable and is ubiqutous in the west side. The drivers are gracious. The riders can be quite interesting. It's entertainment on the cheap. read more

Big Blue Bus - Public Transportation Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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I ride the bus to work everyday, Palms to UCLA, and love it! It takes me less time to take the bus to work than if I were to drive in. Have you tried looking for a parking spot at UCLA? ugh. Plus, parking rates are rising ($10 per day!!) and I'd just be a fool to get a pass when there's a door-to-door route available for me. I ride the 12 that picks me up 20 feet from my doorstep and drops me off at my building. I put on my make-up, catch up on email, read, daydream, listen to my ipod, whatever. Buses are clean and well maintained. They are 99.9% on time, too! (except the Super 12 that is a hit and miss!) There are sometimes bus drivers who drive real crazy and feels like I'm on a ride at Magic Mountain. Just hold on!!! read more

They allow the homeless to ride with bottles of open alcohol. I've never been more scared for my life riding this bus, and the drivers won't help you. I've called the hotline before and they stated "it is a public bus, I don't know what to tell you". Don't you need to protect the public as well, big blue bus? read more

After a year plus of riding the metro downtown I'm back on the westside and missing the metro. Yes the buses are cleaner and cheaper (something that's a bit maddening at times when you think of the cost of living over here) but you have far more rude and snappy drivers and it's less on time than the metro. Never thought I'd be saying that but wow... read more

This bus driver refused to open his doors to me and allow me to enter bus. He was just a few feet from the bus stop and parked against the curb, also was halted at the parking arm due to trains passing. This driver has zero sense of good-will. read more

Aside from never being on time, it doesn't even stop when it passes. Horrible transportation system

Big Blue Bus is a Big effin joke. I've had drivers on both lines #1 and #14 pass right by me, while I had my hands outstretched. One driver actually stopped and waited for me further down the street. Once I finally caught up, his excuse was "I thought you were just waiting for the traffic light". GTFO... I don't thing of this operation as a service, more of it as a donation-based third world private bus outfit. read more

if you aren't as fast as forest gump, Don't trust this bus! Expo / sepulveda (depending on what time of day) always has a detour, the bus will pass that stop & the next one‼ be aware‼ again 4 months later another outrageously rude driver! If they're changes in fare such as transfer changes etc. It'll be smart to let riders know before they pay!! Don't get an attitude after the fact. Route 17 black driver who has a manicured beard & wears mirror sun shades . I never really see this driver & hope I never have to ever again. I would have taken his photo, but that would've been just as rude as he was. After being on the bus for at least 10mins he runs the recording of "fare changes" smh, after I paid cash for a transfer. I really wish I could rate no stars‼ read more

I was in Santa Monica with my son crossing the street and bus number 1338 went through the cross walk while we were crossing and then screamed out "dumb ass" to us as he almost hit us! We actually had to run out of the way! I want this driver written up and I want to make sure he is reprimanded for this behavior! He was driving recklessly and this was very dangerous and put our lives at risk as well as the people on the bus!!!! read more

Big Blue Bus - Public Transportation Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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I had the most horrible experience tonight by a driver for the number 2 bus. I just started a new job and don't have a tap card. Buses no longer take cash. This driver let me on last night but was extremely nasty towards me about it. My commute home is 2 buses and well over 70 min. I've mostly been using Lyft and Uber which is not affordable. Tonight the same driver refused me. The next bus that came let me on. I tried to buy a tap card in Westwood at 7-11 but they were out or only load cards. My second bus came and again I was let on. When I finally got to my stop close to an hour later I told her what had happened. She said drivers are not allowed to turn riders away. I have literally spent most of these last 2 hrs crying and tomorrow the BIG BLUE BUS company will be hearing from me about the driver who is clearly a hater as I watched him last night allow others come on the bus with struggles with their cards or no cards after giving me a nasty attitude. I'm not a kid either I'm a 62 yr old woman trying to get home with a long commute ! read more

The service for the BBB is getting worst..over the last 10 years bus arrivals are changed without notice, buses are late and about 75% are not driver friendly....case in point, today, Thursday the 25th eastbound number 7 and R7 on the Pico/Lincoln line had the stop point changed without notice at the bus stop, I called BBB and was told that they were not aware of anychanges, but yet the buses were stoping at a different location...I never did get an straight answer ...big changes need to happen or BBB will start losing more customers...maybe SM needs a new service friendly bus line.....competition maybe read more

Well my crap car began leaking coolant. This was a problem so easy to identify even I knew what was wrong with it. So I figured why keep leaking coolant all over town until I had the money to fix it? I can take the bus instead. My commute was serviced by line #1. So for two weeks I began a daily routine to get to and from the office. The busses are clean and well maintained. The male staff was much nicer than the female staff... one lady completely ignored me when I said thank you and told her to have a great day :(. A ride on the bus is only 75 cents so you really cannot beat the price. They seem to run on time but sometimes will arrive early... which sucks when it happens. But all in all, I had a great time taking the bus and eventhough my car is fixed I will probably take it to work sometimes! read more

Why? Why is it that when you're running super late, the bus takes its sweet ass time to arrive, the bus driver is in the worse of shitty moods for the week, there are no seats available, you can't find your freakin quarter, and to top it all off, the alternate route leaves you way on the other side of your intended destination? Why, dammit? Why?!?!?!?! Story of my life on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You see, being the cheap skate that I am, I decided to go True-Grad-Student-Cheap Route and not buy a parking permit that 1) would not guarantee me a parking space anyway, 2) would probably grate my nerves just as bad by making me drive through Westwood Blvd at 8am, 3) almost $300 a quarter and 4) when the Big Blue Bus is $0.25 with my student Id. The Big Blue Bus seemed like the lesser of two evils. And it is, if: 1) you have no other means of transportation 2) have all the time in the world 3) are never running late 4) you are Sofia M and have no choice But enough bashing on the Big Blue. I'm a firm believer that all things, no matter how unpleasant, have to have some strengths associated with their existence. The Big Blue Bus' Strengths include: a) Cheap! $.75 and .25 for students. b) Clean c) Safe d) ( ...i'm really struggling here to make another positive remark) Alright: cheap, clean and safe. Three stars (i'm feeling generous now that I started thinking of some positives). read more

Happy Earth Day 2010! It seems appropriate that I'm writing a review for the Big Blue today! Every time I take the bus I save on gas and I save the earth from more pollution! I usually take the 12, so this is based off that line. Just a few reasons to love the big blue: For 75 cents a ride, I save a lot of money each time. It's so much cheaper than LA Metro. With gas prices these day too...and I save wear and tear on my car. And my parking spot sucks and takes a lot of careful maneuvering to get out. Riding the bus contributes less pollution as one car is taken off the road, also makes for less traffic congestion.They are already running...so why not just hop on? These buses are also pretty new so burn fuel cleaner. Cleaner too than the MTA. And less crowded...only been crowded when leaving the UCLA book fair. Tired of large trucks and suv's trying to bully you out on the road? The bus is way way bigger than all of them! So move out of the way or get plowed over! Not that they would...but bus drivers can get pretty aggressive to stay on schedule. I don't have to drive! Dealing with other cars in LA is horrendous. Everyday someone always does something stupid like pull out right in front of you. I just ride the bus and watch them all go by. Pre-paid cards you can get in the mail. That way you can just swipe a card and refill money whenever. Don't need to always carry exact change on you. UCLA students and senior citizens also get cheaper fare...or is it free for UCLA students? Not sure, but that's pretty awesome. Expert bus drivers! While the other bus lines stay on the wide major roads, the big blue zig zags all over small roads, covering more ground and requiring more driving expertise. They literally get within inches of running over cars when they are turning onto narrow streets, or just simply driving forward. I wouldn't want to be one of those drivers who drive on the line...you'll find a bus right next to you. You can tell when the driver has been around for a while since they only slow down enough to turn, beginner bus drivers stop and slowly turn. It's kinda fun watching people's faces in the cars as they wonder if the bus will hit them. Haven't seen it! Nicest drivers too! They are always super nice! Say hello and smile and they will smile right back! Also they will look around to see if there are people trying to catch the bus and will wait if you are close enough. Easy to use since they announce every stop. Culver City bus sometimes doesn't. They are usually on schedule or off by a few minutes too. So thats more than a few...now reasons to not love the big blue: Never sit at the front of the bus...since the big blue gets less crowded...different types of people ride on the bus. You're less likely to end up next to strange people if you sit farther back. They don't have as many buses running and late at night not really at all. Usually during the day its 20 minutes apart...then 30...then they stop round 8 or so. Unless you really know the lines, it can be hard to tell where they stop and transfer as the lines turn a lot. In the summertime...it can get icky inside...especially if there's a lot of people...but I'm sure this if for all buses. read more

75 cents a ride? yeah, okay. BBB is like the candy corn of public transportation. You get a huge bag for mere spare change, but after a while it gets boring and you want to move on to better things. But then there's the waiting around for the bus to come, which doesn't really have anything to do with candy corn, so scratch that. and candy corn is so last month! The lines are really limited, but all the essentials are on the bus routes, and the rest is really just up to how far you're willing to walk. C'mon, a couple blocks won't kill you. and think about it, how much would you be willing to pay to not worry about parking? read more

Did you know that you can get from 3rd Street Promenade to the Venice boardwalk in about 20 minutes for $1? No? Welcome to the Big Blue Bus. Compared to other Los Angeles MTA buses, the Big Blue Bus is a cleaner, more pleasant transit experience. And after a recent trip to San Francisco, where I took everything from buses to the MUNI to BART, I've come to appreciate even more how well-executed the Big Blue Bus system is. They're not always on time, but for the occasional lapse (and during high-traffic times, this can be understandable) there are the countless times that they've shown up promptly. I even used it as part of an organized "race" earlier this year that put about 50 people on Line 1 (not all at the same time). The drivers have always been helpful, and every bus is stocked with line maps and timetables. It just feels newer, clean, and seeing these big blue buses everywhere is a testament to the commitment of the city of Santa Monica to providing this essential part of city life for its residents. read more

I'm a student who commutes to campus via the big blue bus. It took me a while but I learned: 1. The morning bus is always early 2. The afternoon bus gives 0 fcks about keeping to a schedule My trial and error experience: - To catch the afternoon bus, I tried going right on time. The bus never showed but the next scheduled bus came on time. - Again I tried going on time, only to see that as I'm approaching the stop the bus is already leaving before it was even supposed to arrive at that stop. - I tried going early a few minutes. That bus never shows either, and the next bus comes a few minutes late from its schedule time. - So then I decide to go 10 minutes early. BUT OF COURSE the bus doesn't come and the next one comes 8 minutes before its scheduled time!?!?? Lesson is don't even look at the bus schedule and show up at will, because no matter what, that bus is not going to follow a schedule. Two stars because: - it's clean - it's not often overly crowded - it goes to a lot of places I want to go to - there are decent drivers out there read more

Since moving to Santa Monica and getting used to the roads here I've found that buses rule the local roads. Why? They have twice the size and mass of any SUV or passenger car on the road aka they would crush you in a second if you got in their way. They run reds and yellows like its nobody's business. Have you ever seen a bus get pulled over? They have schedules to keep! Bus drivers drive for a living and spend hours on their routes. You'd better respect their experience and habits. Been taking the BIg Blue 7 three times a week to work. Takes a little longer than driving but beats sitting in traffic and plus they run on natural gas which makes commuting a bit greener! read more

If you live in Santa Monica (especially if you go to UCLA), there's no reason you shouldn't be taking the Big Blue Bus. I've been taking the #2 about 2 or 3 days a week to UCLA, and I'm a huge, huge fan. The other patrons are always respectful and safe, and the drivers are usually friendly.. although they take crazy-ass driving to a new level. I like to sit in the seat right after the back door, and pretend that I'm on a Disneyland ride. That gives you an idea of the jerkiness/zooming/general mayhem that goes on as the drivers struggle to keep to their schedules. I would say that the only thing that keeps this from being 5 stars is the frequency of buses (it would be really nice if they ran every 10 or 15 minutes all day, even on the more minor routes), and the fact that sometimes the schedule is all shot to hell. Here's a tip: if you go to google maps and search for "transit directions" it gives you a decently good estimate of when the next bus is coming. Unless there's a lot of traffic, you usually get to your destination a lot faster than the google maps estimate, too. read more

Update: 5/31/07 I am deducting a star from this truly horrible bus service. TWICE this week I have been on the bus when the bus has gotten into an accident with another car. What a great idea for a public service; we pay them money so they can hit private vehicles and drop everyone off wherever they happen to be. Whenever I get on this bus now I feel like I am living Grand Theft Auto. Only not in the fun way. This is by far the worst bus service I have ever patronized. When I move next year, I will be specifically looking for a place that allows me to find other methods of public transit. --------------------------------- In my youth, I once wrote a research paper on how local governments could use public transportation as a means to both boost revenue while at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The poster child for a successful program was provided by the Big Blue Bus, which, at the time, was apparently causing quite a commotion not only for its disarmingly literal name, but also for its low low prices and excellent service amidst the wasteland that is Los Angeles public transportation. Fast forward a few years later, to when I move to Los Angeles. The move was met with very mixed feelings, but I found solace in the fact that at least I could rely upon the Big Blue Bus to transport me around West LA in comfort and style. How misguided I was. From what I can tell, the Big Blue Bus now dwells in the shadow of its former glory. I am late during my morning commute at least once a week due to the Big Blue Bus. They have gone through the trouble of creating bus schedules, with most buses running on a fairly regular 15 minute pattern during peak commute hours. However, I have often times found myself waiting upwards of 40 minutes for a bus, standing at the stop long enough for three buses to have passed, according to their timetable of lies. The bus drivers also seem to forget that they are driving in Los Angeles, and as a result have a habit of slamming on the brakes and sending passengers flying forward. I have witnessed this on several occassions. Perhaps this is what we get for not having cars and living in LA, but I've ridden my share of buses in my day, and I've never been in buses that were driven so erratically so consistently since I started riding the Big Blue Bus. I understand that LA is a large place, and there are certain inherent difficulties in designing a public transit system for such a sprawl. But the Big Blue Bus really only services West LA/Santa Monica. If you can't get your act together, Big Blue Bus, don't lie to me with your schedules. Just come clean, admit your weaknesses, and together we can work through this hardship. It is your stubbornness that makes me wish for a violent and sudden uprising that will lead to your demise. Two stars because the fare is cheap, although I would be willing to shell out some extra change for service that was reliable. read more

The Big Blue Bus Web site is horrible. It is either slow or just does not work. They use Microsoft Active Server Pages (ASP), which explains their level of competence in developing Web sites (low). I love the Big Blue Bus itself, but this morning I was not able to lookup the Line 3 schedule online using the Big Blue Bus Web site to tell my friend what time to catch the bus to LAX. The pages did not load. I found a link to a PDF file of the Route 3 schedule but when I clicked on that, it wanted me to login to something, I don't know what. They have a "Wizard" that just does not work, and, I don't want a Wizard, I want a schedule. I can read. read more

Last experience on the BBB will most likely will be last trip on the bus. I'd say that majority of the drivers are rude, bad drivers, when busses get its max capacity they still let people on, and don't even pay attention. Last time on the bus on Sunday October 19, 2014 around 3:15 pm to 3:25 pm from Culver City to Santa Monica on the Rapid 3 I was walking to the rear door of the bus, basically a 1ft in front of the door and the driver shuts the door right in front of my face and it took about 4-5 people to tell the driver to stop. If I was quicker I would of got stuck in the door. When we called them a few times in the past to make complaints and they make-up lame excuses ("there was a lot of traffic" when clearly there aren't no cars around, or "bus was full" when only 10 people are on the bus, or get that one "run in front of the bus acting crazy" and when we say no to all those lame excuses then they have the courage to tell us "it's our fault and not there's". Most time the drivers brake and throttle over & over again and it gets annoying and with back injuries it hurts it even more. And are very reckless. Once there was an traffic accident that was blocking the road with medical vehicles, cars, and people and the driver (a slightly older woman) pushed her way through and nearly hit people and cars and almost ran over some injured people that were on the ground and almost went past our stop. Lots of drivers are rude. You can ask a simple question and they don't answer or give you an answer that is totally wrong. A few will greet you when you get on & off the bus and will help with the exact stops (but that's only a few). Most times (98% of the time) the bus is so filled that people are basically face to face or are squished against other person. And they still let people on. And all the time people hog up a seat when 2 people go on there (they see a seat vacant behind them and instead of moving to that seat, they look at you with a disgusting look). My point is that they want more people to take the BBB and make it easier to take the bus and want to hear feedback from riders, and they don't want to do those things. read more