BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING
Senator Jim Beall, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 726 Hearing Date: 6/30/2015
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Author: |Nazarian |
|----------+------------------------------------------------------|
|Version: |6/16/2015 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |No |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Consultant|Randy Chinn |
|: | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SUBJECT: Vehicles: Los Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority
DIGEST: This bill authorizes the Los Angeles County
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) to operate
articulated buses that do not exceed a length of 82 feet on the
Orange Line in the County of Los Angeles under specified
conditions.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law generally limits vehicle length to 40 feet, with a
specific limit for articulated buses of 60 feet.
The Orange Line in the County of Los Angeles is a two-lane,
18-mile, dedicated busway. It crosses more than 34 streets and
has several mid-block pedestrian crosswalks, with loop detectors
installed at each of the signalized intersections to give Orange
Line vehicles traffic signal priority. According to the author,
Orange Line ridership is almost double initial predictions,
making it one of the most successful bus rapid transit projects
in the country.
This bill authorizes the LACMTA to operate articulated buses
that do not exceed a length of 82 feet on the route designated
as the Orange Line in the County of Los Angeles, subject to:
1)a safety review of the use of such buses by a route review
committee, and
2)the collective bargaining agreements between LACMTA and its
AB 726 (Nazarian) Page 2 of ?
employee unions.
COMMENTS:
Purpose of the bill. The author notes that ridership on the
Orange Line is almost double initial estimates and continues to
grow rapidly each year. Headway restrictions limit the number
of standard articulated buses that can operate on the line. In
order to increase capacity to meet the demand, LACMTA needs to
allow bi-articulated buses, increasing carrying capacity by
20-30%, according to the author. These buses are enormous, up
to 82 feet long, more than 1/3 longer than standard articulated
buses, with three segments and four axles.
A little heavy. There is an ongoing concern with the damage
that overweight vehicles, and in particular overweight buses,
impart on streets, highways, and bridges. At a time when
California's transportation infrastructure is declining rapidly
and revenue sources are shrinking, it is more important than
ever to ensure that only vehicles that comply with California's
maximum weight standards be allowed on our roads.
These larger articulated buses operate in South America and
Europe, but not in North America. It will take several years
for these buses to be designed, approved, and built for service
in California. They will need to comply with the weight
limitations in place at that time, or else seek a waiver which
will require legislation. The author has agreed to accept
amendments in the committee requiring consultation with pavement
engineers in the effected local jurisdictions before authorizing
the use of these vehicles.
Assembly Votes:
Floor: 77-0
Trans: 16-0
LGov: 9-0
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local:
No
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on
Wednesday,
June 24, 2015.)
AB 726 (Nazarian) Page 3 of ?
SUPPORT:
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Mayor Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles
OPPOSITION:
None reported
-- END --