Calif.'s OCTA celebrates 40 years of service

Began bus service in 1972 with eight buses along three routes. Forty years later, the agency operates a fleet of 550 buses along 77 routes throughout Orange County, California.

Staff Writer・Editorial

Read Staff's Posts

June 14, 2012

Calif.'s OCTA celebrates 40 years of service — OCTA CEO Will Kempton addressed employees that have been with the agency for 35-plus years.

1 min to read

OCTA CEO Will Kempton addressed employees that have been with the agency for 35-plus years.

Orange, Calif.-based Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is celebrating its 40th year of bus service with free bus rides the week of June 18.

In 1972, OCTA began bus service with eight buses along three routes. Forty years later, the agency operates a fleet of 550 buses along 77 routes throughout Orange County.

“On a daily basis, 170,000 people board an OCTA bus and we look forward to continuing to serve Orange County by getting our residents and visitors where they need to go for another 40 years,” said OCTA Chair Paul Glaab, also the mayor of Laguna Niguel.

OCTA CEO Will Kempton with some of OCTA's long-time employees celebrating the agency's 40th anniversary.

As part of the anniversary celebration, the public is encouraged to take part in Dump the Pump week, June 18 to 22 by pledging online to forgo the gas pump and take the bus, train, carpool, ride a bike, walk or telecommute. Those who pledge will receive a coupon for a free one-day bus pass.

“The success of this agency is driven by our loyal customers and we want thank them, and encourage new riders, by offering the opportunity to ride the bus for free,” said Glaab.

You can find more information on OCTA’s 40th Anniversary here.

Topics:anniversary OCTA public transportation Bus

More Bus

Measuring the True Cost of Paratransit Fleets

What truly drives the cost of a paratransit fleet? Beyond the purchase price, seven operational factors quietly determine maintenance frequency, downtime, and long-term service reliability. This whitepaper explores how these factors shape lifecycle cost and what agencies should evaluate when selecting paratransit vehicles.

Bus•by Alex Roman•March 13, 2026

Inside The Bus Coalition’s Push for Stronger Federal Transit Investment

In this conversation, TBC’s Executive Director Ed Redfern, President Corey Aldridge, and Washington Representative Joel Rubin outline the coalition’s key policy priorities, the challenges facing transit agencies, and how industry stakeholders can work together to strengthen the voice of bus transit at the federal level.