Antelope Valley Transit Authority
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The Antelope Valley Transit Authority is the public transport agency serving the Antelope Valley region of northern Los Angeles County, California. It helps people travel around the area with buses and other services.
AVTA runs local bus services in Lancaster and Palmdale, and also offers commuter buses to Los Angeles. In 2022, it made history by becoming the first transit authority in the United States to use only battery electric vehicles for all its buses and support vehicles.
The AVTA is managed as a joint powers authority under California law, with an appointed board of directors making important decisions. A company called MV Transportation operates the actual bus services for AVTA.
History
The cities of Lancaster and Palmdale, along with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, created the Antelope Valley Transit Authority in 1992. It was made to help people travel in the Antelope Valley. It started with three kinds of services and added one more in 1996 for people with disabilities.
In 2017, AVTA became the first agency in the United States to use a very long electric bus made by BYD. In 2018, it began using special pads to charge these buses while they were moving. In 2019, it started taking people to Edwards Air Force Base. Service stopped during the pandemic. In 2022, a new company, MV Transportation, began running the buses.
Routes
Local routes
School Tripper routes
Services operate weekdays only.
Commuter Express routes
Commuter services operate weekdays only in the peak direction.
| Route | Terminals | Via | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lancaster The Boulevard Transit Center | Palmdale South Valley Transit Center | 10th St West |
| 2 | Palmdale Antelope Valley Mall | Palmdale South Valley Transit Center | Avenue R |
| 3 | Palmdale Antelope Valley Mall | Palmdale South Valley Transit Center | Avenue S |
| 4 | Lancaster The Boulevard Transit Center | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | Lancaster Blvd/Avenue K |
| 5 | Palmdale 67th St East & Ave L-15 (Mayflower Gardens) | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | Avenue L |
| 7 | Palmdale Palmdale Transportation Center | Lancaster The Boulevard Transit Center | Rancho Vista Blvd. |
| 8 | Lancaster Antelope Valley College | Palmdale Palmdale Bl & 25th St | Sierra Hwy |
| 9 | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | Lancaster Quartz Hill | Avenue I/60th Street West |
| 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 |
| 50 | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | Lake Los Angeles 170th St & Avenue O (Town Center Plaza) | Avenue K/170th Street East |
| 51 | Palmdale Palmdale Transportation Center | Lake Los Angeles 170th St & Avenue O (Town Center Plaza) | Palmdale Blvd./170th Street East |
| 52 | Palmdale South Valley Transit Center | Pearblossom Avenue V-10 & 121st St | Pearblossom Hwy |
| Route | Terminals | Via | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 94 | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | Lancaster Antelope Valley High School | Avenue K |
| 97 | Lancaster Quartz Hill High School | Palmdale Palmdale Transportation Center | Rancho Vista Blvd. |
| 98 | Palmdale Knight High School | Palmdale Palmdale Transportation Center | Avenue Q, Avenue S |
| Route | Terminals | Via | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 785 | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | Downtown LA LA Union Station | I-5, SR 14, US 101 |
| 786 | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | Hollywood Hollywood and Highland | SR 14, I-405 |
| 787 | Lancaster Owen Memorial Park | Tarzana Ventura Bl & Reseda Bl | SR 14, SR 118 |
| 790 | Palmdale Palmdale Transportation Center | Santa Clarita Newhall station | SR 14 |
Bus fleet
Fixed-Route fleet
This information is correct as of July 2025.
Microtransit fleet
| Make/Model | Fleet numbers | Year |
|---|---|---|
| BYD K7M-ER | 30301-30308 | 2023 |
| BYD K8M | 35301-35303 | |
| BYD K9S | 35601-35603 | 2016 |
| 35604 | 2017 | |
| BYD K9 | 40450-40451 | 2013 |
| BYD K9M | 40089-40090 | 2020 |
| 40301-40310 | 2023 | |
| 40856-40875 | 2018 | |
| 407L1-407L3 | 2017 | |
| 40976-40988 | 2019 | |
| MCI D45 CRT LE CHARGE | 45101-45124 | 2021 |
| BYD K11M | 60314-60318 | 2023 |
| 60701-60705, 60707-60711 | 2017 | |
| 60906, 60912-60913 |
| Make/Model | Fleet numbers | Year |
|---|---|---|
| GreenPower EV Star | 27901-27908 | 2019 |
Fares
The cost for a ride on the Antelope Valley Transit Authority buses is $1.50. Some people, like older adults, those with special needs, active military members, and veterans, can ride for free if they show the right ID. Up to four children who are shorter than 44 inches can ride for free if they sit with an adult.
Awards
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors praised AVTA for helping people travel easily. In 1998, AVTA won a prize for new ideas in transportation from the California Transit Association. In 1999, it won another prize for its good image.
Related articles
This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Antelope Valley Transit Authority, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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