Southern California Rapid Transit District
| Company type | Public agency |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Predecessor | Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Founder | Thomas M. Rees |
| Defunct | 1993 |
| Fate | Merged into Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Area served | Greater Los Angeles (Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, and Riverside counties) |
Key people | Thomas M. Rees (founder), Kenneth Hahn (supporter of Metro Rail) |
| Products | Bus services, Metro Rail services |
The Southern California Rapid Transit District (commonly referred to as RTD or SCRTD) was a public transit organization founded in 1964 to serve the Greater Los Angeles region. It was established as the successor to the original Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA). Initiated through the efforts of California State Senator Thomas M. Rees (D-Beverly Hills), RTD was formed to remedy the shortcomings of the MTA and assumed control of all MTA bus operations on November 5, 1964. The agency managed an extensive bus network and later expanded into Metro Rail services before merging with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) in 1993.
Creation
On August 18, 1964, RTD was created to provide transit services across the urbanized areas of Southern California, encompassing Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, and Riverside counties. It replaced the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority and consolidated eleven struggling bus companies under its operation. RTD’s responsibilities included developing a heavy rail transit system alongside enhancing bus service quality. In 1974, it inaugurated the El Monte Busway, initially designated for buses only before being converted into a high-occupancy vehicle lane. By 1973, RTD transferred operations outside Los Angeles County to agencies such as the Orange County Transit District (now Orange County Transportation Authority), Omnitrans, and Riverside Transit Agency, although it maintained inter-county routes to Riverside and San Bernardino until the establishment of LACMTA.
Downtown terminal
Between 1967 and 1982, RTD’s primary downtown terminal was located in the basement level of the Greyhound bus terminal at 6th and Los Angeles Streets, which Greyhound utilized until 1991. The terminal featured an unusual traffic pattern: buses entered via the left side of the ramp and were directed by illuminated signals to one of fifteen berths, circulating clockwise around a central zone to prevent collisions—this contrasted with standard American traffic flow.
At this terminal, cash payments were not accepted on departing buses; passengers were required to use monthly passes or prepaid tickets purchased either on the terminal’s ground floor or at various regional outlets. These tickets were valid across all RTD routes. This policy was similarly enforced at RTD’s Long Beach downtown terminal until the introduction of a consolidated transit mall reinstated cash payment options for buses departing from there.
By the late 1980s, RTD ceased operations at the Greyhound terminal and redirected bus transfers to nearby downtown streets.
Animosity
As Southern California’s principal public transit provider, RTD claimed in a 1983 promotional video that its service area was larger than those of Miami, Buffalo, Atlanta, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. combined.
RTD operated all bus routes within Los Angeles and several adjacent cities. Local transit agencies within the county—mostly municipally owned—had varying relationships with RTD ranging from cooperative to adversarial. A notable rivalry existed with Long Beach Transit, which RTD attempted to partially or fully integrate. Critics expressed concern that RTD might prioritize lucrative routes ("cream skimming") while neglecting less profitable neighborhoods such as Watts. This tension fostered petty disputes; for example, while all local agencies permitted employees of other agencies to deadhead free when in uniform, RTD and Long Beach Transit uniquely withheld this courtesy from each other’s drivers.
Extensive employee benefits
RTD distinguished itself by providing complimentary transportation not only to its workforce but also extended this privilege to their spouses and children under the age of 18. This level of benefit was unparalleled among regional transit providers in the area, including Long Beach Transit.
Operational limitations and network growth
Two principal constraints influenced transit operations in Southern California: the local service restriction and the prohibition south of Willow Street in Long Beach.
The local service restriction prevented private carriers such as Greyhound and Continental Trailways from offering tickets for trips confined entirely within RTD’s coverage area. For instance, Greyhound could sell a ticket from Long Beach to Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia only if passengers transited through Downtown Los Angeles; direct tickets for travel solely within RTD’s jurisdiction were not permitted.
The South of Willow restriction originated from a conflict between RTD and Long Beach Transit. Only Long Beach Transit was authorized to pick up passengers traveling exclusively within the portion of Long Beach located south of Willow Street. RTD and other operators were barred from both boarding and alighting passengers entirely within that zone. Buses entering south of Willow were allowed to drop off riders but could not pick up new passengers until reaching north of Willow or leaving the city limits.
RTD expanded its service area strategically through acquisitions. In 1974, RTD acquired the historic Long Beach to Santa Monica route, originally operated by Western Greyhound Lines since 1923. RTD divided this corridor by maintaining service between Long Beach and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) while transferring the LAX to Santa Monica segment to the City of Santa Monica Municipal Bus system. This arrangement enabled RTD buses to operate from Downtown Los Angeles into Santa Monica. Consequently, travelers moving between Long Beach and Santa Monica transferred at LAX between RTD and Santa Monica Municipal buses.
Transfer policies
Local transit agencies issued transfers that allowed passengers to switch between routes within their systems. Most agencies utilized a standard transfer slip that was punched with details such as route number, direction of travel, and date to prevent misuse. Long Beach Transit provided preprinted transfers specifying route numbers, whereas RTD printed fresh transfers daily, incorporating the precise date.
"Interagency transfers" facilitated passenger transfers across different bus operators (for example, from Torrance Transit to Orange County Transit). RTD issued a single transfer valid system-wide and accepted by other agencies for fare credit. Other transit providers issued their own unique interagency transfers. It has been reported that RTD produced and sold these interagency transfer slips to other bus companies. In the early 1980s, Long Beach Transit equipped buses with ticket printers capable of issuing both local and interagency transfers, backed up by paper forms in case of printer malfunctions.
During the mid-1970s, a county-wide subsidy significantly lowered bus fares (reducing costs from 60¢–$1.25 down to 25¢ on weekdays and 10¢ on Sundays), during which time all agencies temporarily ceased issuing transfers. After this subsidy period ended, fares returned to previous levels, and RTD reinstated its transfer issuance program.
Route renumbering
Initially, bus routes throughout the county displayed inconsistent numbering due to multiple system mergers—for example, Pasadena routes bore numbers 107–110, while others such as 106 and 111 served different areas. The express route connecting Long Beach to Los Angeles along former State Route 7 was designated as route 36F ("Freeway Flyer").
In the mid-1970s, RTD reorganized routes based on geographic regions: numbers in the 400s served San Gabriel Valley, while those in the 800s covered southern Los Angeles County. Routes were restructured into a coherent grid aligned with major thoroughfares and linked termini to facilitate efficient transfers, ensuring that most residents lived within a quarter-mile radius of service.
A comprehensive renumbering took place in 1983 while preserving this grid pattern:
- 1–99 — Local routes terminating in downtown Los Angeles
- 100–199 — East-west routes avoiding downtown
- 200–299 — North-south routes avoiding downtown
- 300–399 — Limited service lines
- 400–499 — Express routes serving downtown
- 500–599 — Express routes bypassing downtown
- 600–699 — Special services excluding downtown
Under this scheme, route 36F was redesignated as route 456; the Long Beach-to-downtown local remained as route 60; the Long Beach-to-LAX line changed from 66 to 232. The Pasadena-to-Pomona corridor formerly numbered 440 became route 187; a parallel line numbered 434 was renumbered as route 177.
Inspired by RTD’s successful renumbering strategy, Long Beach Transit updated its numbering system along similar lines. Foothill Transit preserved line numbers inherited from RTD and subsequently from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Los Angeles County Transportation Commission
Established in 1976, the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission (LACTC) was responsible for managing transportation funds across Los Angeles County, overseeing both transit and highway initiatives. It operated alongside the RTD, with a governing board composed of the Los Angeles mayor, city council members, county supervisors, and delegates from various local municipalities.
Metro Rail
In 1980, voters passed Proposition A, introducing a half-cent sales tax designed to finance a regional transit network after previous unsuccessful attempts. This plan outlined ten transit corridors, highlighting the Wilshire subway line as the central feature. Spearheaded by Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, the measure sought to rejuvenate rail transit in the region. The LACTC’s inaugural light rail route followed the former Long Beach Red Car path, later known as the Metro Blue Line.
Federal funding for subway construction was suspended in 1985 due to safety concerns stemming from an unrelated methane gas explosion. By 1986, a compromise permitted funding to resume except for the Wilshire corridor; consequently, the Metro Red Line was redirected northward toward Hollywood. This adjustment left a one-mile Wilshire segment isolated until the D Line Extension is scheduled to open in 2025.
An independent assessment conducted in 2005 determined that methane gas posed no significant threat, prompting Congressman Henry Waxman to successfully advocate for lifting the federal prohibition on Wilshire subway construction by 2007. Despite this development, local regulations restrict using Metro’s sales tax funds for new underground subway projects. Nevertheless, the Metro E Line Eastside Extension incorporates a 1.8-mile tunnel section.
Subsequent rail lines launched include the Metro Blue Line light rail in 1990 and the initial portion of the heavy rail Metro Red Line in 1993, running from Union Station to MacArthur Park and extended to Wilshire/Western by 1996.
The RTD also explored alternative fuel buses early on, operating vehicles powered by ethanol, methanol, various diesel blends, and compressed natural gas. However, proposals for battery-powered buses and trolleybuses never advanced into regular service.
Merger
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) was created following the April 1, 1993 merger of RTD and the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission (LACTC). Initially preserving the former agencies’ offices in Downtown Los Angeles, LACMTA moved in 1995 to the 25-story Gateway Plaza Building adjacent to historic Union Station. Known for its expensive Italian marble finishes, this building earned the nickname Taj Mahal. It contains the Dorothy Gray Transportation Library—one of the largest transportation archives nationwide—which remains accessible to the public.