BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 726
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB
726 (Nazarian)
As Amended July 9, 2015
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: | 77-0 | (May 7, 2015) |SENATE: | 38-0 | (July 16, 2015) |
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Original Committee Reference: L. GOV.
SUMMARY: Authorizes the Los Angeles County Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (MTA) to operate articulated buses that
do not exceed 82 feet on the Orange Line in Los Angeles County.
The Senate amendments:
1)Require MTA to establish a route review committee prior to the
operation of an articulated bus that is greater than 60 feet
in length.
2)Require the route review committee to perform a review of the
Orange Line route and any necessary routes from the Orange
Line to maintenance and storage yards upon which MTA proposes
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to operate a bus greater than 60 feet in length, prior to the
operation of those buses.
3)Require the review to include a field review of the Orange
Line and proposed routes, and require the field reviews to
include both of the following:
a) Consultation with traffic engineers from public agencies
that have jurisdiction over the routes where the buses are
proposed to operate to ensure coordination with the
affected state and local public agencies for purposes of
public safety; and,
b) Consultation with pavement engineers from public
agencies that have jurisdiction over the routes where the
buses are proposed to operate to ensure that any impacts of
the weight of the vehicles upon the streets and roads that
are used to access the right-of-way or are crossed by the
right-of-way are considered.
4)Require the route review committee to be comprised of four
members, as follows:
a) A member representing MTA, appointed by MTA's general
manager;
b) A member who is a traffic engineer, appointed by MTA's
general manager;
c) A member appointed by the labor organization that is the
exclusive representative of the bus drivers of MTA; and,
d) A member representing law enforcement, appointed by the
law enforcement agency that has authority over the proposed
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routes.
5)Provide that the implementation of the authority granted by
this bill is subject to the determination by a majority vote
of the route review committee that the Orange Line and routes
for maintenance and storage are suitable for the safe
operation of articulated buses.
6)Require the route review committee to determine, by majority
vote, the following:
a) If the Orange Line is suitable for the safe operation of
a bus exceeding 60 feet in length, by not exceeding 82 feet
in length; and,
b) If the routes are suitable for the safe operation of the
articulated buses between the Orange Line, maintenance
facilities, and storage yards.
7)Clarify that MTA may operate the articulated buses between the
Orange Line route, terminals, and maintenance facilities.
8)Make technical and conforming changes.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Establishes MTA as the successor agency to the Southern
California Rapid Transit District and the Los Angeles County
Transportation Commission and prescribes its membership and
duties.
2)Prohibits a vehicle from exceeding a length of 40 feet and
creates a number of exemptions to that limit.
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3)Prohibits an articulated bus from exceeding a length of 60
feet.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY, this bill:
1)Provided an exemption to the vehicle length limit in existing
law to allow MTA to operate articulated buses that do not
exceed 82 feet on the route designated as the Orange Line in
Los Angeles County.
2)Specified that the authority granted by this bill to MTA is
subject to specified collective bargaining requirements.
3)Found and declared that a special law is necessary because of
the unique circumstances of a large number of riders using
buses operated by MTA on the Orange Line and the need to
reduce overcrowding on those buses.
FISCAL EFFECT: None
COMMENTS:
1)Bill Summary. This bill provides an exemption to the maximum
articulated bus length limit in current law and authorizes MTA
to use articulated buses up to 82 feet on the Orange Line
route in Los Angeles County. Additionally, this bill
specifies that MTA's use of the longer articulated buses is
subject to collective bargaining requirements, and the
majority vote of a route review committee. This bill also
requires MTA to consult with traffic and pavement engineers on
the effect of articulated buses on safety and pavement wear.
This bill is sponsored by MTA.
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2)MTA and the Orange Line. MTA was created pursuant to AB 152
(Katz), Chapter 60, Statutes of 1992, through the
consolidation of the Los Angeles County Transportation
Commission and the Southern California Rapid Transit District.
MTA is now the third-largest public transportation system in
the United States by ridership, serving a 1,433 square mile
area. After purchasing and converting an abandoned railroad
line parallel to the Ventura Freeway (United States Route
101), MTA opened the Orange Line in the San Fernando Valley in
October of 2005. The Orange Line opened as a 14-mile route
consisting of two-lane dedicated busways for 60 foot
articulated buses. The Orange Line crosses 34 streets and
five midblock pedestrian crosswalks, and at signalized
intersections, loop detectors give Orange Line buses traffic
signal priority. Adjacent to the dedicated busways there are
eight miles of bicycle and pedestrian paths, with designated
on-street bike lanes for the remaining six miles. In 2012 MTA
did a four-mile northern extension of the Orange Line,
connecting four new stations.
3)Author's Statement. According to the author, "In order to
effectively address the growing public transportation needs of
the San Fernando Valley, alleviate congestion and take
advantage of available transportation resources, this bill
will offer MTA the flexibility they need to operate buses up
to 82 feet in length along the Orange Line."
4)Prior Legislation. There is extensive legislative history
surrounding the discussion of bus length limits. This bill is
not MTA's first attempt to gain the authority to use larger
articulated buses on the Orange Line. SB 650 (Padilla) of
2007 would have authorized transit agencies to operate
articulated buses up to 65 feet subject to a number of
restrictions, including limiting the buses to operate on a
dedicated right-of-way, and the establishment of a route
review committee. The provisions relating to bus length were
eventually amended out of SB 650.
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5)Arguments in Support. Supporters argue that this bill will
give the necessary local flexibility to address the growing
demands of public transportation in the greater San Fernando
Valley.
6)Arguments in Opposition. None on file.
Analysis Prepared by:
Misa Lennox / L. GOV. / (916) 319-3958 FN:
0001280