Antelope Valley Transit Authority

Antelope Valley Transit Authority is the transit agency serving the cities of Palmdale, Lancaster and Northern Los Angeles County. Antelope Valley Transit Authority is operated under contract by MV Transportation, and is affiliated with and offers connecting services with Metro and Metrolink. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 1,523,700, or about 5,900 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023.

Antelope Valley Transit Authority
The first all electric zero emission bus built in Lancaster, California; layover at Sgt. Steve Owen Memorial Park, July 13, 2017.
ParentCities of Palmdale, Lancaster and Metro.
Founded1992
LocaleAntelope Valley
Service typebus service, paratransit
AllianceLos Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Metrolink (California)
Routes20
Fleet94 buses
Daily ridership5,900 (weekdays, Q4 2023)[1]
Annual ridership1,523,700 (2023)[2]
Fuel typebattery electric
OperatorMV Transportation
Websitewww.avta.com

Routes

Local routes
Route Terminals Via Notes
1

[3]

 Lancaster

The Boulevard Transit Center

 Palmdale

South Valley Transit Center

 10th St
  • Serves Owen Memorial Park, Antelope Valley Mall and Palmdale Transportation Center
2

[4]

 Palmdale

Antelope Valley Mall

 Palmdale

South Valley Transit Center

 Avenue R
3

[5]

 Palmdale

Antelope Valley Mall

 Palmdale

South Valley Transit Center

 Avenue S
  • Serves Palmdale Transportation Center
4

[6]

 Lancaster

The Boulevard Transit Center

 Lancaster

Owen memorial Park

 20th St
5

[7]

 Palmdale

67th St & Ave L-15

 Lancaster

Owen memorial Park

 Avenue L
7

[8]

 Palmdale

Palmdale Transportation Center

 Lancaster

The Boulevard Transit Center

 Rancho Vista Bl
  • Serves Antelope Valley Mall, Antelope Valley College and Lancaster Metrolink Station
8

[9]

 Lancaster

Antelope Valley College

 Palmdale

Palmdale Bl & 25th St

 Sierra Hwy
  • Serves Palmdale Transportation Center
9

[10]

 Lancaster

Owen memorial Park

 Lancaster

Quartz Hill High School

 Avenue I
  • Serves Lancaster Metrolink Station
11

[11]

 Lancaster

Owen memorial Park

 Lancaster

Avenue J & 20th St

 Avenue I
12

[12]

 Lancaster

Owen memorial Park

 Lancaster

Avenue J & 20th St

 Avenue J
  • Serves Antelope Valley College
50

[13]

 Lancaster

Owen memorial Park

 Lake Los Angeles

170th St & Avenue O

 Avenue K
51

[14]

 Palmdale

Palmdale Transportation Center

 Lake Los Angeles

170th St & Avenue O

 Palmdale Bl
52

[15]

 Palmdale

South Valley Transit Center

 Pearblossom

Avenue V-10 & 121st St

 Pearblossom Hwy

School Supplementary routes

Services operate weekdays only

Route Terminals Via Notes
94

[16]

 Lancaster

Owen memorial Park

 Lancaster

Antelope Valley High School

 Avenue K
97

[17]

 Lancaster

Quartz Hill High School

 Palmdale

Palmdale transportation Center

 Rancho Vista Bl
  • Serves Antelope Valley College
98

[18]

 Palmdale

Knight High School

 Palmdale

Palmdale transportation Center

 Avenue K, Avenue S

Commuter routes

Commuter services operate weekdays only in the peak direction. As of 04/09/2024, service has been temporarily suspended until further notice due to issues with the batteries in AVTA's commuter buses.

Route Terminals Via Notes
785
[19]		 Lancaster
Owen Memorial Park		 Downtown Los Angeles
Union Station		 I-5, SR 14, US 101
  • Serves Palmdale Transportation Center, Civic Center/Grand Park, and Grand Avenue Arts/Bunker Hill stations
786
[20]		 Lancaster
Owen Memorial Park		 Hollywood
Santa Monica Bl & La Brea Av		 SR 14, I-405
  • Serves Palmdale Transportation Center, UCLA, and Century City
  • One trip serves West Los Angeles VA Medical Center
  • The last Hollywood stop is one mile away from the Hollywood/Highland station.
787
[21]		 Lancaster
Owen Memorial Park		 Tarzana
Ventura Bl & Reseda Bl		 SR 14, SR 118
790
[22]		 Palmdale
Palmdale Transportation Center		 Santa Clarita
Newhall station		 SR 14

Bus fleet

Active fleet
Make/Model[24] Type Fleet Numbers Year Notes
GPMC EV Star 25’ cutaway van 27901-27908 2019
BYD K7M-ER 30’ 30301-30308 2023
BYD K8M 35’ 35301-35303 2023
BYD K9S 35 35601-35603 2016
35604 2017
BYD K9 40’ 40450-40451 2013
BYD K9M 40’ 40089-40090 2020
40301-40310 2023
40856-40875 2018
407L1-407L3 2017
40976-40988 2019
MCI D45 CRT LE CHARGE 45’ coach 45101-45124 2021 Removed from service as of April 9th, 2024 due to safety issues found with XALT high-voltage batteries [25]
BYD K11M 60’ articulated 60314-60318 2023
60701-60705, 60707-60711 2017
60906, 60912-60913 2017

History

The cities of Palmdale and Lancaster and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works jointly created the Antelope Valley Transit Authority in 1992 to meet the growing need for public transportation in the Antelope Valley. AVTA began local transit service on July 1, 1992, with three types of services: Transit, Commuter and Dial-A-Ride. A fourth service, Access Services, was created in 1996 to provide the disabled with a local complementary paratransit service in line with the Americans with Disabilities Act. AVTA opened a larger facility in 2004 to accommodate increased demand.

On March 17, 2017, AVTA drivers struck. The dispute was between the driver's union Teamsters Local 848 and the system operator Transdev. After making their statement, the drivers elected to return to service by March 19 while negotiations between the parties continued.[26] However the drivers went on strike again, May 3 was the third walkout which lasted at least a week.[27] As the dispute continued, drivers were locked out on August 22.[28]

In 2017, AVTA became the first transit agency in the United States to operate a 60-foot, articulated electric bus, manufactured by BYD in Lancaster.[29][30]

In 2018, the Antelope Valley Transit Authority began to charge its electric buses on special wireless charging pads located along bus routes.[31]

In January 2019, AVTA began commuter service to Edwards Air Force Base. Later that year, AVTA celebrated two significant milestones in its conversion to an all-electric fleet, achieving both a one million (May), then two million (December), zero emission miles driven. The service has been suspended since the start of the pandemic.

In May 2022, AVTA drivers struck. The dispute was about unfair labor practices with Teamsters Union 848 and Transdev. The contract expired and MV Transportation took over operations as of June 2022.

Discounts

Senior citizens, people with disabilities, active military, and veterans may ride AVTA local buses free of charge with proper ID. Up to 4 children up to 44 inches tall may ride with an adult free of charge.[32]

Awards

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recognized AVTA as an “Efficient Transit System”. The California Transit Association gave a “Transit Innovation Award” to AVTA in 1998 and a “Transit Image Award” in 1999.

References
  1. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  2. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  3. "Route 1 - Lancaster/Palmdale". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  4. "Route 2 - East/West Palmdale via Avenue R". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  5. "Route 3 - East/West Palmdale via Avenue S". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  6. "Route 4 - Eastside Lancaster". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  7. "Route 5 - Quartz Hill via Avenue L". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  8. "Route 7 - Rancho Vista/Lancaster". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  9. "Route 8 - Antelope Valley College". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  10. "Route 9 - Quartz Hill via Avenue H". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  11. "Route 11 - East/West Lancaster via Avenue I". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  12. "Route 12 - East/West Lancaster via Avenue J". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  13. "Route 50 - Lake LA/Lancaster". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  14. "Route 51 - Lake LA/Palmdale". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  15. "Route 52 - Littlerock/Pearblossom". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  16. "94 Special - AV High School/Eastside High School". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  17. "97 Special - Highland High School". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  18. "98 Special - Pete Knight High School". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  19. "Route 785 - Downtown Los Angeles". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  20. "Route 786 - Century City/West Los Angeles". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  21. "Route 787 - West San Fernando Valley". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  22. "790 Commuter". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  23. https://www.avta.com/790-transporter-schedule.php
  24. "About Our Fleet". www.avta.com. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
  25. "Antelope Valley Transit Authority Temporarily Suspends Commuter Services". Retrieved 2024-04-09.
  26. "After strike, bus service will resume in the Antelope Valley Sunday". dailynews.com. 19 March 2017.
  27. Nelson, Laura J. "Antelope Valley transit service stalls as bus operator strike continues". latimes.com.
  28. "AVTA local service suspended indefinitely". theavtimes.com.
  29. Heild, Colleen (January 20, 2018). "ART is a victim of the 'new bus blues'". Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, NM: Journal Publishing Company. Retrieved January 21, 2018.
  30. "BYD : First 60-Foot Articulated Battery-Electric Bus in North America Hits the Streets in Antelope Valley". 4-traders. May 6, 2018. Retrieved January 21, 2018.
  31. "Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA)". Wave. 2018-06-04. Retrieved 2019-12-08.
  32. "Local transit fares", AVTA website
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