Foothill Transit - Overview

Overview

The impetus for the formation of the transit agency was Los Angeles County Supervisor Pete Schabarum. Schabarum, annoyed at the cutbacks of bus service by the SCRTD, wanted to secede from the larger agency and form his own transit agency. Schabarum, who hated the influence of trade unions, chose to use contractors to operate the service, and Foothill executives made the service essentially strike-proof by insisting that two different companies operate the two bus yards, even if it would cost more in the short term. However, due to bus industry consolidation, First Transit had operated both yards from 2001 to mid-2007. Currently, both Foothill Transit yards are represented by unions (Arcadia by the Amalgamated Transit Union and Pomona by the Teamsters Union), but past strikes at the agency have been less than successful due to the ability of one yard to operate the other yards' service. In addition, wages are less at Foothill than at other transit operators in the region.

Foothill Transit's board of directors are the only staff employed directly by the agency. All other staff are employed by contractors, and all operations are contracted out. Due to this, Foothill management have to recuse themselves from recommending changes to be made to their contracts, instead deferring to the legal counsel hired by the board. Bus service is operated by First Transit at Pomona and MV Transportation at Arcadia/Irwindale. Management is handled by Veolia. Since August 2007, MV Transportation has operated the Arcadia/Irwindale yard's service.

In 2002, Foothill Transit began purchasing Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered buses. By 2013, Foothill Transit will have a 100 percent CNG fleet.

Foothill Transit provides shuttle service to most events at the Rose Bowl from the Parsons Corporation parking lot, located on Walnut St. and Fair Oaks Avenue in Pasadena.

Foothill Transit also provides park and ride buses to the Hollywood Bowl from El Monte, Pasadena, and Arcadia.