Comprehensive Operational Analysis

The City of Santa Monica, (referred to hereafter as "the City") is inviting proposals for the purpose of studying and developing appropriate responses to significant changes in recent years which have impacted Big Blue Bus (BBB) service, namely: 1) the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on public transit; 2) the evolution of land use and transportation options in the region; and 3) Big Blue Bus’s ongoing transition to a zero-emission fleet. This study will provide a review of existing conditions of Big Blue Bus’s service, considering that ridership has not fully rebounded from the pandemic, and the reality that BBB has not yet returned to running pre-pandemic service levels due to labor shortages. The study will create a series of projections, demand estimates, and needs expected as a result of the impending changes and formulate a plan to meet those needs with an adjusted and appropriate service model, as well as technologies and customer experience innovations that improve service quality and are proven to attract ridership.