Big Blue Bus
Encyclopedia
Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines, more commonly known as the Big Blue Bus, is a municipal bus operator in the Westside region of Los Angeles
, providing both local and bus rapid transit
service in Santa Monica
and adjacent neighborhoods of Los Angeles
(including LAX
). Express service is also provided to Downtown Los Angeles
and Union Station
.
trains between Santa Monica and Los Angeles. The Santa Monica bus would connect with the Los Angeles Railway
streetcars at Pico and Rimpau Boulevards in the Mid-City section of Los Angeles. That historic terminus point has become an important transit center in Los Angeles simply because it is the point where thousands of bus riders along Pico Boulevard must transfer to continue their trips eastward to Downtown Los Angeles or westward to the Westside.
The Big Blue Bus is considered one of the best bus services in the Los Angeles area. The system won the American Public Transportation Association
’s Outstanding Transportation System award in 1987, 1992, 1997 and 2000. The Big Blue Bus did not raise its regular fare above 50 cents until 2002, when it became 75 cents. In contrast, most public bus lines in California were charging fares of a dollar or more well before 2000. On the other hand, there is no monthly pass except for the EZ Pass; Despite being part of the EZ Pass program, Metrolink
tickets are invalid on Big Blue Bus. Schedules for the buses are also less frequent when compared to some Metro lines (especially the Rapids). However, allowing for the inevitability of traffic delays on weekday afternoons, the Big Blue Bus system provides frequent and convenient service to most neighborhoods in its service area. Its usefulness to UCLA students is outstanding, as so many of its routes terminate there.
The Big Blue Bus was one of the last transit agencies using the GMC New Look buses; they were retired in 2005. The only remaining New Look in the fleet is #5180, which was the last bus built by GM.
The system was started by former Brentwood resident Ruldolph F. Brunner, who later sold the system thinking it wouldn't amount to any more than a few dollars a week.
article, as they are part of the Metro Rapid network.
The bus operator in the movie is called the Santa Monica Intercity Bus Lines, a barely fictionalized version of the Big Blue Bus's official name, the Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines. Even more tellingly, the bus in the film is a General Motors "New Look" bus, introduced in 1959 but kept in prominent and active service by Santa Monica until early 2005, long after most other American cities had retired the retro-looking bus.
In another effort to differentiate the movie's bus from any real-world bus, the headsign
s on the Speed bus display:
However, number 33 buses are operated by Metro, not Big Blue, and run on Venice Boulevard, not the Santa Monica Freeway
. The closest thing to the movie bus's routing is Santa Monica's number 10 express route.
The bus number was 2525, not within any equipment number range operated by the real company at that time.
It should also be noted that at the time the movie was released, Santa Monica's GM New Look fleet were the Canadian-built versions with wheelchair lifts; the US-built version were retired in 1990 to make room for the Classics
.
late-night show, Jimmy Kimmel Live
, was filmed on a New Flyer L40LF model LNG bus. In this episode, titled Jimmy Kimmel Live on a Bus, Kimmel sat behind the desk, which was rigged to fit in a bus. This particular Santa Monica Big Blue Bus that was used in the episode was driven by veteran bus driver Erskins Robinson, who picked up unsuspecting passengers along his route. The celebrity guests who appeared in the Jimmy Kimmel Live on a Bus episode were Paula Abdul
, Flavor Flav
, and musical guest Feist
.
's classic 1967 song "The End
", when singer Jim Morrison
says "The blue bus is calling us", and "Meet me at the back of the blue bus".
's novel "Farewell, My Lovely
", first published in 1940, he writes as protagonist Philip Marlowe
, describing a scene in Bay City (Chandler's version of the City of Santa Monica):
"Outside the narrow street fumed, the sidewalks swarmed with fat stomachs. Across the street a bingo parlor was going full blast and beside it a couple of sailors with girls were coming out of a photographer’s shop where they had probably been having their photos taken riding on camels. The voice of the hot dog merchant split the dusk like an axe. A big blue bus blared down the street to the little circle where the street car used to turn on a turntable. I walked that way."
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, providing both local and bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
service in Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
and adjacent neighborhoods of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
(including LAX
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
). Express service is also provided to Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area...
and Union Station
Union Station (Los Angeles)
Los Angeles Union Station is the main railway station in Los Angeles, California. The station has rail services by Amtrak and Amtrak California and Metrolink; light rail/subways are the Metro Rail Red Line, Purple Line, Gold Line. Bus rapid transport runs on the Silver Line...
.
History
In 1928, the City of Santa Monica launched their first route. Choosing a blue livery, it was originally called Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines. It kept their base fare at 10 cents for an extensive period of time. The impetus for the creation was a fare increase on the Pacific Electric interurbanInterurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
trains between Santa Monica and Los Angeles. The Santa Monica bus would connect with the Los Angeles Railway
Los Angeles Railway
The Los Angeles Railway was a system of streetcars that operated in central Los Angeles, California and the immediate surrounding neighborhoods between from 1901 and 1963. Except for two short funicular railways it operated on tracks...
streetcars at Pico and Rimpau Boulevards in the Mid-City section of Los Angeles. That historic terminus point has become an important transit center in Los Angeles simply because it is the point where thousands of bus riders along Pico Boulevard must transfer to continue their trips eastward to Downtown Los Angeles or westward to the Westside.
The Big Blue Bus is considered one of the best bus services in the Los Angeles area. The system won the American Public Transportation Association
American Public Transportation Association
The American Public Transportation Association is a non-profit organization which serves as an advocate for the advancement of public transportation programs and initiatives in the United States. Since its founding in 1882, APTA has educated the public about the benefits of public transportation...
’s Outstanding Transportation System award in 1987, 1992, 1997 and 2000. The Big Blue Bus did not raise its regular fare above 50 cents until 2002, when it became 75 cents. In contrast, most public bus lines in California were charging fares of a dollar or more well before 2000. On the other hand, there is no monthly pass except for the EZ Pass; Despite being part of the EZ Pass program, Metrolink
Metrolink (Southern California)
Metrolink is a commuter rail system serving Los Angeles and the surrounding area of Southern California; it currently consists of six lines and 55 stations using of track....
tickets are invalid on Big Blue Bus. Schedules for the buses are also less frequent when compared to some Metro lines (especially the Rapids). However, allowing for the inevitability of traffic delays on weekday afternoons, the Big Blue Bus system provides frequent and convenient service to most neighborhoods in its service area. Its usefulness to UCLA students is outstanding, as so many of its routes terminate there.
The Big Blue Bus was one of the last transit agencies using the GMC New Look buses; they were retired in 2005. The only remaining New Look in the fleet is #5180, which was the last bus built by GM.
The system was started by former Brentwood resident Ruldolph F. Brunner, who later sold the system thinking it wouldn't amount to any more than a few dollars a week.
Some popular destinations
Big Blue Bus provides service to the following popular destinations:- Century City
- Downtown Los Angeles
- Downtown Santa Monica
- Los Angeles Convention Center
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Metro Green Line Aviation Station
- Rimpau Transit Center
- Santa Monica Civic Center
- Santa Monica College
- UCLA
- Union Station
- Venice Beach
- Will Rogers State Beach
Routes
The Rapid 3 and Rapid 7 are listed in the Metro RapidMetro Rapid
Metro Rapid is a bus rapid transit service in Los Angeles County, California that operates in mixed traffic environments and has fewer stops than the Metro Local service. The system is mainly operated by LACMTA. Two routes are operated by Santa Monica Transit and one by Culver City Transit...
article, as they are part of the Metro Rapid network.
| Route | Terminals | via | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses... UCLA Transit Center (weekdays) |
Venice Venice, Los Angeles, California Venice is a beachfront district on the Westside of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is known for its canals, beaches and circus-like Ocean Front Walk, a two-and-a-half mile pedestrian-only promenade that features performers, fortune-tellers, artists, and vendors... Venice Boulevard and Walgrove Avenue (weekdays) |
Santa Monica Boulevard |
|
|
| UCLA Ackerman Terminal (evenings and weekends) |
Venice California Avenue and Frederick Street (weekends) |
|||
| UCLA UCLA Transit Center (weekdays) |
Santa Monica Hill Street and Main Street |
Wilshire Boulevard |
|
|
| UCLA Ackerman Terminal (evenings and weekends) |
||||
| UCLA UCLA Transit Center (weekdays) |
Aviation Station Aviation (LACMTA Station) Aviation/LAX is a Los Angeles County Metro Rail station on the Green Line. It is located on Aviation Boulevard at Imperial Highway, just south of Century Freeway in El Segundo, California. A free shuttle bus connects this station to Los Angeles International Airport... |
Montana Avenue, Lincoln Boulevard |
|
|
| UCLA Ackerman Terminal (evenings and weekends) |
||||
| Santa Monica Santa Monica, California Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and... Santa Monica City Hall |
West LA West Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California West Los Angeles is a district in Los Angeles, California, within a larger region known as the "Westside."-Geography and transportation:... Westside Pavilion Westside Pavilion The Westside Pavilion is a shopping mall located in West Los Angeles. It is owned and operated by The Macerich Company. It is a three story urban-style shopping mall with 150 shops and is anchored by a Macy's and a Nordstrom... |
San Vicente Boulevard, Carlye Avenue |
|
|
| Santa Monica Arizona Avenue and 5th Street |
Mid-City Mid-City, Los Angeles, California Mid-City is a district in Los Angeles, California. It is 2.5 miles south of Hollywood and 3.5 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. The Lafayette Square, Victoria Park, Wellington Square, and Vineyard neighborhoods are part of the district.-Geography and history:Mid-City's boundaries are roughly... Pico Boulevard and Rimpau Boulevard |
Olympic Boulevard, Colorado Avenue |
|
|
| Santa Monica College Santa Monica College Santa Monica College is a two-year, public, junior college located in Santa Monica, California.Santa Monica College was first opened in 1929 as Santa Monica Junior College. Current enrollment is over 30,000 students in more than 90 fields of study... Main Campus |
Palms Palms, Los Angeles, California Palms is a community founded in 1886 in West Los Angeles, California, and was the oldest neighborhood annexed to the city of Los Angeles, in 1915. The 1886 tract was marketed as an agricultural and vacation community... Venice Boulevard and Culver Boulevard |
Bundy Drive, Centinela Avenue, Palms Boulevard |
|
|
| Santa Monica Santa Monica Place Santa Monica Place Santa Monica Place is a shopping mall in Santa Monica, California. The mall is located at the south end of the famous Third Street Promenade, and is also two blocks from the Santa Monica Pier and the beach... |
Mid-City Pico Boulevard and Rimpau Boulevard |
Pico Boulevard |
|
|
| Santa Monica Santa Monica Place |
UCLA UCLA Transit Center (weekdays) |
Ocean Park Boulevard, National Boulevard, Westwood Boulevard |
|
|
| UCLA Ackerman Terminal (evenings and weekends) |
||||
| Pacific Palisades Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California Pacific Palisades is an affluent neighborhood and district within the U.S. city of Los Angeles, California, located among Brentwood to the east, Malibu and Topanga to the west, Santa Monica to the southeast, the Santa Monica Bay to the southwest, and the Santa Monica Mountains to the north. The... Sunset Boulevard and Marquez Avenue |
Santa Monica Colorado Avenue and 2nd-4th Streets |
Sunset Boulevard, Entrada Drive |
|
|
| Santa Monica 2nd Street and Colorado Avenue (daily) |
Downtown LA Downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area... Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and Vignes Street |
In Santa Monica: Santa Monica Boulevard Express Portion: Santa Monica Freeway In Downtown LA: Grand & Olive Streets |
|
|
| Ocean Park Main Street and Marine Street (rush hours) |
||||
| UCLA UCLA Transit Center (weekdays) |
Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together... Olympic Boulevard and La Cienega Boulevard |
Westwood Boulevard, Palms Boulevard |
|
|
| UCLA Ackerman Terminal (evenings and weekends) |
||||
| UCLA Ackerman Terminal |
Palms Venice Boulevard and National Boulevard |
Westwood Boulevard, Palms Boulevard |
|
|
| West LA Westside Pavilion |
Mid-City Pico Boulevard and Rimpau Boulevard |
Pico Boulevard, Motor Avenue |
|
|
| Brentwood Brentwood, Los Angeles, California Brentwood is a district in western Los Angeles, California, United States. The district is located at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains, bounded by the San Diego Freeway on the east, Wilshire Boulevard on the south, the Santa Monica city limits on the southwest, the border of Topanga State... Sepulveda Boulevard and Moraga Drive |
Culver City Culver Boulevard and Centinela Avenue |
Bundy Drive, Centinela Avenue |
|
|
| Veterans Administration Medical Center Building 66 |
Mid-City Pico Boulevard and Rimpau Boulevard |
Sawtelle Boulevard, Olympic & Pico Boulevards |
|
|
| Santa Monica 20th Street and Montana Avenue |
Ocean Park 14th Street and Pearl Street |
14th &20th Streets (service operates in a loop) |
|
|
| Santa Monica Colorado Avenue and 20th Street |
Santa Monica Airport Santa Monica Airport Santa Monica Airport , also known as Santa Monica Municipal Airport, is a general aviation airport located largely in Santa Monica, California, United States. The airport is located about from the Pacific Ocean and north of LAX... Bundy Drive and Airport Avenue |
Ocean Park Boulevard |
|
|
Fares
| Fare Type | General | Student | Senior/Disabled/Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way | $1.00 | $0.50 | |
| Express Upgrade | $1.00 | $0.50 | |
| Transfer | $0.50 | $0.25 | |
| Day Pass | $4.00 | $1.50 | |
| 13 Ride Pass | $12.00 | $6.00 | |
| Local 30 Day Pass | $60.00 | $40.00 | $24.00 |
| Express 30 Day Pass | $80.00 | $40.00 | |
Current
| Fleet number(s) | Picture | Year | Manufacturer | Model | Fuel | Engine | Transmission | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4801-4821 | 1995 | Nova Bus Nova Bus Nova Bus is a Canadian bus manufacturer in North America, owned by Volvo Buses, and headquartered in Saint-Eustache, Quebec, Canada.- History :The factory was originally a General Motors plant for building city transit buses intended for the Canadian market... |
TC40-102A Classic Classic The word classic means something that is a perfect example of a particular style, something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality. The word can be an adjective or a noun . It denotes a particular quality in art, architecture, literature and other cultural artifacts... |
Diesel Diesel engine A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber... |
Detroit Diesel Detroit Diesel As a corporation, Daimler Trucks North America has decided to rename the company "DETROIT".Detroit Diesel Corporation is an American-based diesel engine producer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, USA... Series 50 |
Allison Allison Transmission Allison Transmission is an American manufacturer of commercial duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems. Allison products are specified by over 250 of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers and are used in many market sectors including bus, refuse, fire, construction,... B400R |
|
|
| 3801-3867 | 1997-98 | NFI New Flyer Industries New Flyer Industries Inc. is a bus manufacturer in North America, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It also has factories in Crookston and St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA.-History:... |
D40LF | Diesel Diesel engine A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber... |
Detroit Diesel Detroit Diesel As a corporation, Daimler Trucks North America has decided to rename the company "DETROIT".Detroit Diesel Corporation is an American-based diesel engine producer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, USA... Series 50 |
Allison B400R |
|
|
| 3868-3876 | 2011 | NABI Nabi Nabi may refer to:* Prophets of Islam, humans who, in the Islamic faith, have been chosen as prophets by God**Nabi * Butterfly in the Korean language** Nabi , a 2001 South Korean film** The Korean language title of Mr... |
40.31 LFW | CNG Compressed natural gas Compressed natural gas is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline , diesel, or propane/LPG. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill... |
Cummins Westport ISL-G engine | Allison GenIV B400R | ||
| 4001-4037 | 2002 | NABI North American Bus Industries North American Bus Industries, commonly known as NABI, is a major transit bus manufacturing company based in Anniston, Alabama. NABI was founded in 1992 when the Hungarian firm Ikarus Bus, a key bus supplier to Central, Eastern Europe, spun off a majority share of their American operations to... |
40-LFW LNG | LNG | Detroit Diesel Detroit Diesel As a corporation, Daimler Trucks North America has decided to rename the company "DETROIT".Detroit Diesel Corporation is an American-based diesel engine producer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, USA... Series 50G |
Allison B400R | ||
| 5501-5504 | 2002 | MCI Motor Coach Industries Motor Coach Industries International Inc. is an American bus manufacturer based in Schaumburg, Illinois, and is a leading participant in the North American coach bus industry. It has various operating subsidiaries:... |
D4500 | Diesel Diesel engine A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber... |
Detroit Diesel Detroit Diesel As a corporation, Daimler Trucks North America has decided to rename the company "DETROIT".Detroit Diesel Corporation is an American-based diesel engine producer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, USA... Series 60 |
Allison B500R |
|
|
| 4038-4089 | 2004-05 | NFI New Flyer Industries New Flyer Industries Inc. is a bus manufacturer in North America, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It also has factories in Crookston and St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA.-History:... |
L40LF | LNG | Cummins Westport Cummins Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems... C Gas Plus |
ZF Ecomat 2 ZF Friedrichshafen ZF Friedrichshafen AG, also known as ZF Group, and commonly abbreviated to ZF, is a German public company headquartered in Friedrichshafen, in the south-west German region of Baden-Württemberg.... 6HP602 |
|
|
| 4090-4099 | 2007 | NFI New Flyer Industries New Flyer Industries Inc. is a bus manufacturer in North America, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It also has factories in Crookston and St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA.-History:... |
L40LF | LNG | Cummins Westport Cummins Cummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems... C Gas Plus |
ZF Ecomat 2 ZF Friedrichshafen ZF Friedrichshafen AG, also known as ZF Group, and commonly abbreviated to ZF, is a German public company headquartered in Friedrichshafen, in the south-west German region of Baden-Württemberg.... 6HP602 |
|
|
| 2901–2914 | 2010 | ElDorado ElDorado National ElDorado National is a bus manufacturer owned by Thor Industries. Heavy-duty buses are built in Riverside, California, and cutaway buses and mobility vans are built in Salina, Kansas.-Products:* Aerotech and similar lines of cutaway buses... |
E-Z Rider II BRT 32' | Hybrid Hybrid vehicle A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle. The term most commonly refers to hybrid electric vehicles , which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors.-Power:... |
|
|||
| 5300-5315 | 2010–2011 | NABI North American Bus Industries North American Bus Industries, commonly known as NABI, is a major transit bus manufacturing company based in Anniston, Alabama. NABI was founded in 1992 when the Hungarian firm Ikarus Bus, a key bus supplier to Central, Eastern Europe, spun off a majority share of their American operations to... |
60-BRT | CNG Compressed natural gas Compressed natural gas is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline , diesel, or propane/LPG. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill... |
Cummmins ISL-G |
|
Speed
The most famous Big Blue Bus is probably the one rigged with a bomb in 1994's hit movie Speed. Driving through Los Angeles at rush hour, the driver cannot slow down below 50 mph (80 km/h) or the bomb on the bus will detonate.The bus operator in the movie is called the Santa Monica Intercity Bus Lines, a barely fictionalized version of the Big Blue Bus's official name, the Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines. Even more tellingly, the bus in the film is a General Motors "New Look" bus, introduced in 1959 but kept in prominent and active service by Santa Monica until early 2005, long after most other American cities had retired the retro-looking bus.
In another effort to differentiate the movie's bus from any real-world bus, the headsign
Destination sign
A destination sign or destination indicator is a sign mounted on the front or side of a public transport vehicle, such as a bus, tram/streetcar or light rail vehicle, that displays the vehicle's route number and destination, or the route's number and name on transit systems using route names...
s on the Speed bus display:
- 33 Downtown L.A.
- via Freeway
However, number 33 buses are operated by Metro, not Big Blue, and run on Venice Boulevard, not the Santa Monica Freeway
Interstate 10 in California
Interstate 10 , the major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States, runs in the U.S. state of California east from Santa Monica, on the Pacific Ocean, through Los Angeles and San Bernardino to the border with Arizona...
. The closest thing to the movie bus's routing is Santa Monica's number 10 express route.
The bus number was 2525, not within any equipment number range operated by the real company at that time.
It should also be noted that at the time the movie was released, Santa Monica's GM New Look fleet were the Canadian-built versions with wheelchair lifts; the US-built version were retired in 1990 to make room for the Classics
Classics (transit bus)
The Classic is a bus developed by GM from its previous-generation New Look design. The design was originally intended solely for the Canadian market as an alternative to the unpopular RTS but ultimately the Classic, produced from 1982 to 1997, met with widespread success in both Canada and the...
.
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
In an episode that originally aired on May 15, 2007, the ABCAmerican Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
late-night show, Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
, was filmed on a New Flyer L40LF model LNG bus. In this episode, titled Jimmy Kimmel Live on a Bus, Kimmel sat behind the desk, which was rigged to fit in a bus. This particular Santa Monica Big Blue Bus that was used in the episode was driven by veteran bus driver Erskins Robinson, who picked up unsuspecting passengers along his route. The celebrity guests who appeared in the Jimmy Kimmel Live on a Bus episode were Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul
Paula Julie Abdul is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.In the 1980s, Abdul rose from cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers to highly sought-after choreographer at the height of the music video era before scoring a string of pop music-R&B hits...
, Flavor Flav
Flavor Flav
William Jonathan Drayton, Jr. , better known by his stage name Flavor Flav, is an American rapper and television personality who rose to prominence as a member of the rap group Public Enemy...
, and musical guest Feist
Leslie Feist
Leslie Feist , known professionally as simply Feist, is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, both as a solo artist and as a member of the indie rock group Broken Social Scene....
.
The Doors
A Blue Bus is referred to twice in The DoorsThe Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
's classic 1967 song "The End
The End (The Doors song)
"The End" is a song by The Doors. Originally written by Jim Morrison as a song about breaking up with girlfriend Mary Werbelow, it evolved through months of performances at Los Angeles' Whisky a Go Go into a nearly 12-minute opus on their self-titled album. The band would perform the song to close...
", when singer Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
says "The blue bus is calling us", and "Meet me at the back of the blue bus".
Raymond Chandler
In Raymond ChandlerRaymond Chandler
Raymond Thornton Chandler was an American novelist and screenwriter.In 1932, at age forty-five, Raymond Chandler decided to become a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive during the Depression. His first short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot", was published in...
's novel "Farewell, My Lovely
Farewell, My Lovely
Farewell, My Lovely is a 1940 novel by Raymond Chandler, the second novel he wrote featuring Los Angeles private eye Philip Marlowe. It was adapted for the screen three times.-Plot summary:...
", first published in 1940, he writes as protagonist Philip Marlowe
Philip Marlowe
Philip Marlowe is a fictional character created by Raymond Chandler in a series of novels including The Big Sleep and The Long Goodbye. Marlowe first appeared under that name in The Big Sleep published in 1939...
, describing a scene in Bay City (Chandler's version of the City of Santa Monica):
"Outside the narrow street fumed, the sidewalks swarmed with fat stomachs. Across the street a bingo parlor was going full blast and beside it a couple of sailors with girls were coming out of a photographer’s shop where they had probably been having their photos taken riding on camels. The voice of the hot dog merchant split the dusk like an axe. A big blue bus blared down the street to the little circle where the street car used to turn on a turntable. I walked that way."