Stantec to lead comprehensive Transit Services Study for Beach Cities Transit

Study to meet current and future needs of growing South Bay area and inform transition to zero-emission bus fleet

 Redondo Beach, CA-The City of Redondo Beach has selected Stantec—a global architecture, engineering, and design firm—to lead a comprehensive transit services study to provide Beach Cities Transit (BCT) with an effective and efficient model that satisfies both the short- and long-term transit needs of Los Angeles’ growing South Bay community.

Current BCT operations include the WAVE senior/disabled Dial-A-Ride service and two fixed routes—Lines 102 and 109, which service Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The fixed-route service utilizes 15 compressed natural gas vehicles, with 10 vehicles operated in peak service. Steady population growth, significant concentrations of employment and retail activity in the South Bay, and California’s clean energy mandate are driving the need for a plan that meets BCT’s immediate and future operational and efficacy needs. Additionally, the upcoming 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles are influencing impactful projects, such as the LAX People Mover, potential C (Green) Line extension, and the opening of the K (Crenshaw) Line that may lead to a surge in local transit use.

Stantec will review and analyze BCT services to uncover where and why routes are performing well or not. Combined with an analysis of the market segments for transit throughout the service area, the firm will provide recommendations on what types and levels of transit service can be supported in different locations. The project will also include a community outreach component—led by a local disadvantaged business enterprise, JCL Consulting Group—striving to better understand current rider attitudes and preferences. Leveraging customer input, Stantec will develop service concepts to shape a network and related policies to address the needs of the South Bay community now, while also providing flexibility for the future.

As part of the study, Stantec will work with the City of Redondo Beach to develop a BCT zero-emission bus (ZEB) rollout plan in compliance with the California Air Resources Board’s Innovative Clean Transit mandate, which sets a statewide objective for public transit agencies to gradually transition to 100% ZEB fleets by 2040. The plan will be informed by Stantec’s ZEBDecide^TM tool, which can calculate total power requirements, fueling/charging scheduling windows, cost of ownership, and establish an optimal fleet mix of battery electric buses and hydrogen fuel cell buses based on prevailing circumstances. Once complete, the final ZEB rollout plan will help inform priorities, key decision points, and other critical considerations. Stantec’s Los Angeles-based architecture group will deliver modifications and upgrades to BCT’s current operations and maintenance facility to accommodate this ZEB fleet.

“We’re excited to partner with Redondo Beach and help the agency continue to provide a reliable regional transportation system for South Bay residents,” said David Verbich, Stantec’s transit advisory lead for the US Pacific region. “We look forward to getting underway and making recommendations that meet both current and future needs.”

 About Stantec

Communities are fundamental. Whether around the corner or across the globe, they provide a foundation, a sense of place and of belonging. That’s why at Stantec, we always design with community in mind. We care about the communities we serve—because they’re our communities too. This allows us to assess what’s needed and connect our expertise, to appreciate nuances and envision what’s never been considered, to bring together diverse perspectives so we can collaborate toward a shared success. We’re designers, engineers, scientists, and project managers, innovating together at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships. Balancing these priorities results in projects that advance the quality of life in communities across the globe.

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