# Antelope Valley Transit Authority

Antelope Valley Transit Authority is the transit agency serving the cities of Palmdale, Lancaster and Northern Los Angeles County. Antelope Valley Transit Authority is operated under contract by MV Transportation, and is affiliated with and offers connecting services with Metro and Metrolink. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 1,523,700, or about 5,300 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.
AVTA became the first bus system in the United States with an all-electric fleet in 2022.

## Routes
### Local routes

| Route | Terminals | Terminals | Via | Notes |
| 1 | Lancaster The Boulevard Transit Center | Palmdale South Valley Transit Center | 10th St West | Serves Owen Memorial Park, Antelope Valley Mall and Palmdale Transportation Center |
| 2 | Palmdale Antelope Valley Mall | Palmdale South Valley Transit Center | Avenue R | |
| 3 | Palmdale Antelope Valley Mall | Palmdale South Valley Transit Center | Avenue S | Serves Palmdale Transportation Center |
| 4 | Lancaster The Boulevard Transit Center | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | 20th St East/Avenue K/Lancaster Blvd | |
| 5 | Palmdale 67th St & Ave L-15 (Mayflower Gardens) | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | Avenue L | |
| 7 | Palmdale Palmdale Transportation Center | Lancaster The Boulevard Transit Center | Rancho Vista Bl | Serves Antelope Valley Mall, Antelope Valley College, Lancaster Metrolink Station and Quartz Hill |
| 8 | Lancaster Antelope Valley College | Palmdale Palmdale Bl & 25th St | Sierra Hwy | Serves Palmdale Transportation Center |
| 9 | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | Lancaster Quartz Hill High School | Avenue I | Serves Lancaster Metrolink Station |
| 11 | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | Lancaster Avenue J & 20th St East | Avenue I | |
| 12 | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | Lancaster Avenue J & 20th St East | Avenue J | Serves Antelope Valley College |
| 50 | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | Lake Los Angeles 170th St & Avenue O (Town Center Plaza) | Avenue K | |
| 51 | Palmdale Palmdale Transportation Center | Lake Los Angeles 170th St & Avenue O (Town Center Plaza) | Palmdale Blvd | |
| 52 | Palmdale South Valley Transit Center | Pearblossom Avenue V-10 & 121st St | Pearblossom Hwy | |

### School Tripper routes

Services operate weekdays only.
| Route | Terminals | Terminals | Via | Notes |
| 94 | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | Lancaster Antelope Valley High School | Avenue K | |
| 97 | Lancaster Quartz Hill High School | Palmdale Palmdale Transportation Center | Rancho Vista Bl | Serves Antelope Valley College |
| 98 | Palmdale Knight High School | Palmdale Palmdale Transportation Center | Avenue K, Avenue S | |

### Commuter Express routes

Commuter services operate weekdays only in the peak direction.
| Route | Terminals | Terminals | Via | Notes |
| 785 | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | Downtown LA LA Union Station | I-5, SR 14, US 101 | Serves the Palmdale Transportation Center, Civic Center/Grand Park and Grand Avenue Arts/Bunker Hill station |
| 786 | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | Hollywood Hollywood and Highland | SR 14, I-405 | Serves the Palmdale Transportation Center, UCLA, Century City and Beverly Hills One trip serves West Los Angeles VA Medical Center Includes a stop at the Hollywood/Highland station |
| 787 | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | Tarzana Ventura Bl & Reseda Bl | SR 14, SR 118 | Serves Palmdale Transportation Center, Cal State Northridge, Northridge Fashion Center, Canoga station and Warner Center station |
| 790 | Palmdale Palmdale Transportation Center | Santa Clarita Newhall station | SR 14 | Designed to fill in gaps in the Antelope Valley Line service |

## Bus fleet
### Fixed-Route fleet

Accurate as of May 2024.
| Make/Model | Fleet Numbers | Year | Notes |
| BYD K7M-ER | 30301-30308 | 2023 | |
| BYD K8M | 35301-35303 | 2023 | |
| BYD K9S | 35601-35603 | 2016 | Ex-LINK Transit 808, 810-811 |
| BYD K9S | 35604 | 2017 | Ex-LINK Transit 812 |
| BYD K9 | 40450-40451 | 2013 | 2014 models |
| BYD K9M | 40089-40090 | 2020 | |
| BYD K9M | 40301-40310 | 2023 | |
| BYD K9M | 40856-40875 | 2018 | 2017 models |
| BYD K9M | 407L1-407L3 | 2017 | |
| BYD K9M | 40976-40988 | 2019 | |
| MCI D45 CRT LE CHARGE | 45101-45124 | 2021 | Used on Commuter Express routes Currently out of service until further notice |
| MCI D4500CT | 70426 | 2009 | Used on Commuter Express routes Ex-Coach USA Hudson Bus Lines/ShortLine |
| BYD K11M | 60314-60318 | 2023 | |
| BYD K11M | 60701-60705, 60707-60711 | 2017 | |
| BYD K11M | 60906, 60912-60913 | 2017 | |

### Microtransit fleet

| Make/Model | Fleet Numbers | Year | Notes |
| GreenPower EV Star | 27901-27908 | 2019 | Used for On-Request Microtransit Ride Service |

## History

The cities of Palmdale and Lancaster and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works jointly created the Antelope Valley Transit Authority in 1992 to meet the growing need for public transportation in the Antelope Valley. AVTA began local transit service on July 1, 1992, with three types of services: Transit, Commuter and Dial-A-Ride. A fourth service, Access Services, was created in 1996 to provide the disabled with a local complementary paratransit service in line with the Americans with Disabilities Act. AVTA opened a larger facility in 2004 to accommodate increased demand.
On March 17, 2017, AVTA drivers struck. The dispute was between the driver's union Teamsters Local 848 and the system operator Transdev. After making their statement, the drivers elected to return to service by March 19 while negotiations between the parties continued. However the drivers went on strike again, May 3 was the third walkout which lasted at least a week. As the dispute continued, drivers were locked out on August 22.
In 2017, AVTA became the first transit agency in the United States to operate a 60-foot, articulated electric bus, manufactured by BYD in Lancaster.
In 2018, the Antelope Valley Transit Authority began to charge its electric buses on special wireless charging pads located along bus routes.
In January 2019, AVTA began commuter service to Edwards Air Force Base. Later that year, AVTA celebrated two significant milestones in its conversion to an all-electric fleet, achieving both a one million (May), then two million (December), zero emission miles driven. The service has been suspended since the start of the pandemic.
In May 2022, AVTA drivers struck. The dispute was about unfair labor practices with Teamsters Union 848 and Transdev. The contract expired and MV Transportation took over operations as of June 2022.

## Discounts

Senior citizens, people with disabilities, active military, and veterans may ride AVTA local buses free of charge with proper ID. Up to 4 children up to 44 inches tall may ride with an adult free of charge.

## Awards

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recognized AVTA as an “Efficient Transit System”. The California Transit Association gave a “Transit Innovation Award” to AVTA in 1998 and a “Transit Image Award” in 1999.