A long-distance commuter line serving UCLA is hitting the road and curbing air pollution. Long Beach Transit’s (LBT) battery-electric commuter coaches have officially arrived on campus.
LBT’s new set of wheels, the first-ever zero-emission buses for the system headed here, were introduced at a dedication event in the city on Friday, Jan. 24, with the inaugural ride first thing Monday, Jan. 27.
Launched in the spring of 2019, Route 405 connects Long Beach to Westwood Village and UCLA, intending to ease the burden of driving the congested 405 freeway for campus community members and others headed in this direction. That covers a close to 60-mile roundtrip distance. The route's introduction offered a sustainable, less stressful, and more affordable commute option for the around 2,000 Bruins residing in the beach city.
Pick-up locations are at the Long Beach Airport and Willow Station — where free parking is offered for commuters — with drop-offs at UCLA Gateway Plaza, Medical Plaza, and Kinross Ave in Westwood.
Faculty and staff can purchase a discounted pass to ride. Special passes are provided to undergraduate and select graduate students, granting fare-free trips. During the 2023-2024 academic year, there were 18,429 rides on Route 405, with close to 4,000 by student passengers. That adds up to a lot of eliminated drive-alone commutes, helping to reduce traffic, and with alternatively-fueled buses, a lot of eliminated harmful tailpipe exhaust, helping improve air quality.
Zero-emission commuter buses further LBT’s mission of connecting communities and moving people to make everyday life better and UCLA Transportation’s mission of supporting the campus community by providing safe and efficient access and mobility in an environmentally responsible manner.
This latest ride joins a fleet of other battery-electric buses serving the campus, including Santa Monica Big Blue Bus and UCLA’s BruinBus, all contributing to lessening air pollution, improving public health, and mitigating climate change by lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
