Riding the Big Blue Bus (BBB) is about to become more expensive, particularly for heavy users and students as the service has announced plans to increase fares across multiple ticket types and eliminate certain pass options in what would be the transit agency's first fare adjustment in nearly a decade.
Under the two-phase proposal, regular single-ride fares using TAP cards or mobile payment would increase from the current $1.10 to $1.25 in August 2025, then to $1.50 in July 2027. Cash fares would rise from $1.25 to $1.50, and eventually to $1.75 by the second phase.
Senior, disabled, and Medicare riders would also see increases, with their discounted TAP/mobile fares climbing from $0.50 to $0.60 in August 2025 and to $0.65 by July 2027. Cash fares for these groups would jump from $0.50 to $0.75 in the first phase, with no additional increase planned for the second phase.
The proposal also includes the complete elimination of the Annual Pass, currently priced at $500, and the Youth 30-Day Pass, which now costs $19. Other multi-ride options would see incremental increases, with the Regular 30-Day Pass rising from $50 to $55 in the first phase and $60 in the second.
"At Big Blue Bus, we are committed to maintaining affordable fares and high-quality transit service," said Anuj Gupta, Santa Monica's Department of Transportation Director in a statement. "The proposed fare adjustments will help us offset rising costs while investing in the recruitment and retention of our workforce and providing meaningful customer experience improvements."
According to transit officials, despite the rising cost of fuel, utilities, and supplies in recent years, the agency has managed to avoid fare increases for almost a decade. The new revenue would help address inflation and increasing operational costs, including offering competitive wages and benefits to Motor Coach Operators.
The agency plans to maintain some customer-friendly policies, including one free intra-agency transfer within two hours, discounts for contactless fare payments, and continued participation in regional fare discount programs such as LIFE and GoPass.
Community members will have multiple opportunities to provide feedback on the proposed changes. The transit agency has scheduled two public hearings: a virtual session on Wednesday, April 2, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and an in-person hearing on Thursday, April 3, during the same hours at the Santa Monica Main Library's Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium.
Those unable to attend either hearing can complete an online survey available at bigbluebus.com/meetings until Thursday, April 10. After gathering public feedback, the department will present the final proposal to the Santa Monica City Council for consideration, with a decision expected in May 2025.
Transit officials emphasized that fare adjustments would help fund customer experience improvements, including the Transit Safety Officer program and the Brighter Blue service plan, which aims to expand access to safe, affordable, reliable, and convenient transit services for the community.
The proposed changes come amid positive ridership trends for the transit system. According to the Department of Transportation's 2024 report, Big Blue Bus ridership increased 11% during the 2023-2024 fiscal year, reaching just over 8.6 million total passengers. Weekday ridership showed the strongest growth at 12%, while Saturday and Sunday passenger counts increased by 6% and 9% respectively.
The most popular routes were Route 7 (Pico Blvd), Route 1 (Main St & Santa Monica Blvd), Route 3 (Lincoln Blvd), and Rapid 12 (UCLA/Westwood to Expo). Despite its popularity, Rapid 12 maintained the best on-time performance of all routes at 79%. Overall system punctuality held steady at 69%, unchanged from the previous year. Safety metrics also improved, with preventable accidents per 100,000 miles dropping from 3.1 in 2022-23 to 2.6 in 2023-24.
For those planning to attend the in-person public hearing, Big Blue Bus routes 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 18 serve the Santa Monica Main Library. The venue is ADA-accessible, and disability and interpretation accommodation requests can be made at least three days prior to the hearing by calling (310) 458-1975, ext. 2386. Parking is available in the library garage, with entrance on 7th Street north of Santa Monica Boulevard.
More details about the proposal can be found at bigbluebus.com/meetings.
