About Us

LBT provides public transportation to more than 23 million annual boarding customers in southeastern Los Angeles County and northwestern Orange County. With a service area covering over 100 square miles across 14 cities, LBT annually runs more than 6.9 million service miles over 700,000 service hours, using 250 fixed-route buses. LBT also operates water taxi and demand-responsive paratransit services.

For more information view our LBT At-A-Glance.

Long Beach Transit is dedicated to connecting communities and moving people…making everyday life better.

Our vision is to be a leading provider of transportation options delivering innovative and high-performing services within a multi-modal network that transforms the social, environmental and economic well-being of the diverse communities we serve.

As an organization we are focused on our strategic priorities to

• Improve safety and service quality;
• Exercise financial accountability;
• Foster employee engagement;
• Enhance customer experience and
• Promote community and industry focus

March 1963
Articles of Incorporation for Long Beach Public Transportation Company are approved and the Board of Directors conducts its first meeting.

May 1963–1977
William (Bill) Farrell becomes first general manager of the Long Beach Public Transportation Company.

1963
The first bus procured by Long Beach Public Transportation Company was the Dreamliner model bus.

May 1974
Grand opening of new Long Beach Transit offices and maintenance department at 1300 Gardenia Avenue.

1975
Dial-A-Lift begins services for customers with disabilities who are unable to use the LBT fixed-route bus system.

1977–1980
Gerald (Jerry) Haugh served as the second general manager of Long Beach Transit.

1980–2013
Lawrence (Larry) Jackson hired as the third general manager of Long Beach Transit. He would lead the company for the next 33 years.

August 1982
Long Beach Transit Mall is dedicated.

Mid 1990s
Instituted downtown shuttle service called the Runabout, and later the Pine Avenue Link.

September 1998
A second operating facility is opened in North Long Beach, giving LBT an opportunity to expand its fleet.

1998
AquaBus service begins with two 40-foot boats skippered by Catalina Express boat captains.

2001
The Pine Avenue Link is re-branded The Passport and continues its service of downtown Long Beach venues.

2004–2009
LBT adds 89 gasoline-electric hybrid buses to the fleet introducing production model gasoline-electric hybrid buses into revenue service.

2009
The U-Pass program begins at CSULB. The U-Pass program funded by the university provides complimentary bus service for students, faculty and staff.

2011
AquaLink service begins with a high-speed catamaran that adds express service and a stop at Belmont Pier.

Winter 2013
LBT added 64 new 40-foot Gillig compressed natural gas (CNG) buses to the fleet.

2013
LBT celebrates 50 years of moving the community forward.

August 2013
Kenneth McDonald becomes the fourth President and Chief Executive Officer of Long Beach Transit.

March 2017
LBT adds 10 Battery-Electric Buses to its fleet.