California Transit Association

1988

Foothill Transit was originally formed as a Joint Powers Authority, creating a new transportation agency in Los Angeles County designed to be more responsive to its communities and more efficiently managed through public-private partnerships. Both the administrative management and service operations functions were contracted out to transit industry professionals. Veolia Transportation held the contract for administrative management services for 13 years. In 2013, the agency established its first ever in-house management team and transitioned most of the management team to Foothill Transit's direct employ.

Foothill Transit is governed by a Joint Powers Authority of 22 member cities and the County of Los Angeles. The larger Governing Board is divided into five regional clusters that elect representatives once a year at the agency's annual meeting to serve on a five-member Executive Board.

In response to service cuts and fare increases announced by the Southern California Rapid Transit District (RTD), 22 member cities in the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys create Foothill Transit to assume control of bus operations in the area. The Los Angeles County Transportation Commission (LACTC) approved Foothill Transit's application to assume operation of 14 lines previously operated by the RTD and fixed-route bus service begins in December 1988 with operation of Lines 495 and 498. Since then, Foothill Transit has grown to 36 bus lines and serves 14.9 million customers each year.

Pete Schabarum – Often called the "father of Foothill Transit" was a member of the California State Assembly and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and a key member of the team of local politicians that petitioned for the creating of the Foothill Transit joint powers authority to serve the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys.

Judy Wright – Often called the "mother of Foothill Transit" was a community leader and historian in the city of Claremont. Her civic accomplishments include playing a leading role in bringing Metrolink service to Claremont and successfully pushing to turn a historic railway depot into a transit hub. She was one of the first executive board members of Foothill Transit and oversaw its early growth.

2010 Unveiling of all-electric Ecoliner which produces zero tailpipe emissions and charges in just 10 minutes. First transit agency in U.S. to bring fast-charge electric bus into service.

2014 Agency begins operating Line 291 using only Ecoliner buses. First all-electric bus line in the U.S.

800

14.9 million per year

36

Foothill Transit plans to invest in electric buses and infrastructure to continue to enhance and expands its electric bus lines. Foothill Transit was the first public transit agency in the nation to put the, fast-charging all electric bus in service and the first to have a fast-charging all electric bus line (Line 291) in the state.

Based on the success of this technology Foothill Transit plans to purchase more electric vehicles and build more fast charging infrastructure. In addition, Foothill Transit is anticipating significant ridership growth in the next decade as the population increases.

Service additions and enhancements are already in progress and include additional service to local colleges, Downtown Los Angeles, and other major commerce centers.