Long Beach Transit Deputy CEO Debra Johnson becomes the first female to lead the agency in its half-century history.
The project includes a cosmetic rehabilitation and engine replacement.
The agency purchased its first BYD buses in 2015.
Will rehab 72 Gillig buses for Long Beach Transit, the second-largest public transit agency in Los Angeles County.
With many early pioneers now moving to larger implementation, advances are making it more possible for the vehicles to be used in a variety of service applications, although how to install the infrastructure necessary for large-scale operations is a task that needs to mastered.
Using advanced API technology to access available buses all over the Los Angeles area, the company has effectively streamlined the booking, tracking, and fleet-management process and has completed thousands of in-state and out-of-state trips.
Agency heads from Baltimore; Long Beach, Calif.; Tampa, Fla.; Austin, Texas; Oakland, Calif.; Ann Arbor, Mich.; Orange County, Calif.; and Indianapolis weigh in on this hot topic.
The vehicles, manufactured by BYD, are in service on the downtown Long Beach Passport route.
Rolando Cruz brings more than two decades of experience in public transportation to Big Blue Bus, most recently serving as executive director and VP, maintenance and facilities, at Calif.’s Long Beach Transit.
The Sheriff’s Department, the sole agency policing the Metro transit system since 2003, has “poor system-wide visibility” and struggles to schedule enough deputies to meet required staffing levels, MTA says.