Los Angeles Metro operates a vast fleet of buses for its Metro Bus and Metro Busway services. , Metro has the third largest bus fleet in North America with 2,086 buses.
Overview Metro and its predecessor agencies (LAMTA, 1951–64; RTD, 1964–93) have ordered buses from many manufacturers, including GM, Flxible, Grumman, AM General, Transportation Manufacturing Corporation (TMC), Neoplan USA, New Flyer Industries, ElDorado National, Orion Bus Industries, Thomas Built Buses, Blue Bird Corporation, and North American Bus Industries (NABI).
Emissions reduction Metro has purchased buses using alternative fuels to diesel, generally consuming compressed natural gas (CNG), since the mid-1990s. The CNG fleet reduces emissions of particulates by 90%, carbon monoxide by 80%, and greenhouse gases by 20%. Alternative fuel buses have logged more than of operation since 1993, an industry record.
In 2015, a battery electric BYD K11M demonstrator was used on the G Line. Metro has committed to move the entire fleet to zero emissions by 2030, ahead of the California Air Resources Board's Innovative Clean Transit requirement for California transit operators to transition by 2040. Since then, the deadline has been pushed back to 2032. Metro board members subsequently rejected a move to delay fleet electrification until 2035. As a first step, the G (formerly Orange) Line will move to full zero-emissions operation by 2020, followed by the J (formerly Silver) Line as soon as possible after that. The G/Orange Line transitioned to all-electric operation by October 2021, using a fleet of 40 New Flyer Xcelsior XE60 Charge NG buses. Each bus has a range of approximately , and rapid overhead charging stations were installed at the North Hollywood, Canoga, and Chatsworth stations.
As of the end of June 2024, due to heat stress and reliability issues with on route charging equipment, Metro has begun using CNG powered buses to supplement the G Line's dedicated battery-electric fleet. This undoes the G Line's electrification achievement, a long-standing Metro-touted victory in its troubled history of attempting to electrify its bus fleet. The de-electrification of the G Line is despite the board's recent direction to devise a new plan for electrification as soon as possible. Though many of Metro's previous failures have been attributed to its dealings with BYD, the problematic charging equipment on the G Line is manufactured by Siemens, and the buses on the G Line are manufactured by New Flyer.
Vehicle technology
Metro has also increased its use of on-board vehicle technology. Many buses were equipped with monitors to display real-time bus maps to show the location through GPS navigation starting in 2004; this the first of its kind in the United States. Later, the screens began showing Transit TV broadcasts, including local news programs, starting in August 2006.
The screens were shut off and Transit TV service was discontinued in early 2015, as more passengers were relying on their personal mobile devices, such as cell phones, smartphones, and electronic tablets, for entertainment while riding the buses. The increased use of personal mobile devices by passengers led to the implementation of WiFi on all buses by April 2017. Also, as part of Metro's Advanced Transportation Management System (ATMS) project, most buses include a marquee displaying the date and time, Automatic Voice Annunciation (AVA) for audio and visual announcements of each stop, and an audio and visual "Stop Requested" announcement was added to all buses in 2008. A supplemental audio announcement of "For your safety, watch your step when exiting the bus" was added to all buses on February 28, 2013, and changed voice in March 2015.
Bus fleet When it was formed in 1993, Metro inherited a large fleet of GM/TMC RTS diesel buses; these were initially replaced by Neoplan USA Transliner buses as they aged and retired. Starting in the early 2000s, the primary supplier to the Metro bus fleet was NABI, over a period of approximately 15 years. As one of its largest clients, Metro had considerable influence on NABI designs, including its bus rapid transit vehicles, the 60-BRT designed for the G Line and the composite-bodied Metro 45C, which was named after the agency and shared with Valley Metro.
After NABI's closure in 2015, several variants of the New Flyer Xcelsior and the ENC Axess were purchased to replace the NABI fleet.
, Metro has the third largest bus fleet in North America with 2,320 buses, behind New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (5,825) and New Jersey's NJ Transit (3,003). Metro operates the nation's largest fleet of compressed natural gas powered buses.
Metro electrified its G line BRT in 2021 using New Flyer XE60 vehicles along with on-route charging at the line's termini. This was undone in June 2024. It is in the process of receiving BYD K9M-ER vehicles which are undergoing delivery procedures and acceptance testing, slated to be used on the J line. These buses have been subject to numerous delays, technical noncompliance, and quality control issues, which has led Metro levying liquidated damages against BYD for failure to meet contract terms.
In April 2024, Metro released a procurement Request for Proposals for zero-emissions buses including hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and battery electric vehicles. The board also approved a motion directing Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins and her staff to report to the board in September with an updated, more comprehensive and accountable plan to decarbonize the agency's bus fleet. These efforts were followed by the reversal of the G line's electrification, which had been a significant achievement in the agency's troubled history of attempting to electrify its bus fleet. Metro staff canceled the bus procurement in November 2025 due to safety, schedule, and cost concerns.
Metro is slated to receive buses over the next few years from five sources. Firstly, Metro is relying on donated vehicles from other agencies to support increased transit operations for the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, with ambitions to more than double its fleet size. However, as of June 2025, Metro has only received commitments from donor agencies for up to 650 of the 2700 buses that would be needed to support the Olympic games.
As of November 2025, Metro is pursuing four additional sources of bus deliveries as opposed to its initially planned procurement, including
Procuring forty 40-foot battery-electric buses through a cooperative State purchase agreement in use in either Washington or Colorado for more immediate delivery Re-issuing its RFP with updated specifications and to a wider market audience of potential bidders for 240 battery electric buses and options for 1600 more Pilot with an international bus manufacturer for ten 40-foot extended-range battery electric buses, and ten 60-foot extended-range battery electric buses, with options for sixty additional buses Procure 20 hydrogen fuel cell electric buses through a separate procurement or cooperative State purchase agreement
Active fleet
Make/ModelFleet numbersPictureYearEngineTransmission NotesNABI 60-BRT CNG9500–95942007–2008Cumnins Westport ISL-GAllison B500R1, 5, 7, 13, 15, 18NABI 31-LFW CNG3100–31492010Cummins Westport ISL-GAllison B300RMV, STI Some units sold and others scrapped; soon to retire completely Strictly contractor operatedNABI Metro 45C CNG8100–8400 2008-2009Cummins Westport ISL G NZ Cummins Westport L9NAllison B400R1, 7, 8, 9, 15, 18, STIAll 8100s retired Most 8200s retired except 8217 Half of the 8300s are retired
Some units in Metro liner livery 8401–8491 2010–2011Cummins Westport L9NAllison B400R3, 7, 8, 13, 18, STIUnit 8463 is the only bus with its original Cummins Westport ISL G engine8500–86492012–2013Cummins Westport L9NAllison B400R1, 3, 7, 13, 18 Unit 8648 is in Metro Liner Livery (Sliver Line)NABI Metro 40C CNG (40CLFW-NOH)8650 2012Cummins Westport ISL GAllison B400RCMF Used for training The only Metro 40C model ever produced New Flyer XN405600-56032013Cummins Westport ISL G Cummins Westport L9NAllison B400R5, 7, MV5604–60002014Cummins Westport ISL G Cummins Westport L9NAllison B400R1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 13, 15, 18, MV, STI Some units have begun their mid-life rehab 3850–4199 6001–6149 2015–2016Cummins Westport ISL G Cummins Westport L9NAllison B400R1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 13, 15, 18, MV Some units have begun their mid-life rehab 4172 no longer has its ISL-G NZ Engine Some units in the Metro Liner LiveryNew Flyer XN60 8700–87642018–2019Cummins Westport L9NAllison B500R13, 15, 188765–8834 2020–2021Cummins Westport L9NAllison B500R1, 5, 7, 13, 15, 18 Unit No. 8825 was destroyed in a fire on October 31, 2024, and has been retiredENC Axess BRT 40’ CNG 1505–17992018–2020Cummins Westport L9NAllison B400R1, 3, 8, 9, 15, 18, MV Units 1565, 1568, and 1569 sustained severe damage on May 27, 2020, in a fire inside a bus yard and have been retired Unit 1614 sustained severe damage in a collision with an SUV in Chatsworth on September 15, 2026, which resulted in two fatalities1800–20612020–2022Cummins Westport L9NAllison B400R1, 3, 8, 9, 15, 18, MVNew Flyer XE6019500–195392019–2020Siemens ELFA2XALT Energy8 Used on G Line Replaced all Metro Liner NABI 60-BRT units BYD K11M19000–1900420208 Used on G LineBYD K9MD10000–1000420219, 18 Used on J Line and local service10005-1009920241, 2, 3, 9, 18 42 units to be assigned to the J line Some units being delivered, others entering service currently or undergoing acceptance testing These units are extended range ER models 10000-10049 painted in silver Metro Liner livery, 10050-10099 in poppy orange Metro Bus livery 10056 made its debut on route 2 on December 19, 2025 D1, D2, D3, and D15 each have 5 50kW slow overnight chargers for these buses
Future
Temporary fleet for 2028 Summer Olympics Make/ModelFleet numbersYearEngineTransmission NotesNew Flyer XN40(10 buses)2011Cumnins Westport ISL-GVoith D864.5 Donated by the Centre Area Transportation Authority in 2025. Buses 3 and 10 are confirmed to have been donated.
Bus acquisitions Make/ModelQuantityLengthPowertrainStatus/TimelineNotesEbusco 3.0140 footBattery ElectricShadow service pilot launching March 2026 First international OEM pilot First new composite-bodied bus for LA Metro since 2012 NABIsNew Flyer XE401940 footBattery ElectricIn process of being donated to LA Metro Ex Lane Transit District 22101-22119 donated due to cold weather challenges in Oregon These buses are 2022 and 2023 model years Metro to repaint and refit these buses for revenue serviceTBD22040 footBattery ElectricAward to be issued by April 2026, delivery in 2027 Funding secured Authorized purchase through Washington or Colorado state cooperative procurement contracts New Flyer, Gillig, and BYD are qualified vendors producing 40-ft electric transit buses in WA NFI and Gillig are preferred in WA contract NFI has a multi-year backlog of nearly 16,000 buses which may not meet Metro's schedule requirements for Olympics service and CNG bus retirement BYD likely disqualified due to poor performance and schedule adherence in previous Metro procurementTBD240TBDBattery ElectricAward to be issued by July 2026 Funding secured Re-issued procurement based on April 2024 RFP New technical specs Two bidding opportunities Base purchase quantity of 240 buses with options of up to 1600 BEBsTBD1040 footBattery ElectricNot funded Extra long range technology pilot Polish bus manufacturer Solaris is in the process of entering the US market and is piloting its 40-foot Urbino 12 and its 60-foot Urbino 18 with Washington's King County Metro and San Francisco's MUNI1060 footTBD20TBDHydrogen Fuel Cell ElectricNot Funded Either separate procurement or cooperative procurement contracts
Preserved Legacy Fleet