(a) Notwithstanding Section 35400, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority created pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 130050) of Division 12 of the Public Utilities Code may operate articulated buses that do not exceed a length of 82 feet on the route designated as the Orange Line in the County of Los Angeles, and between that route, terminals, and maintenance facilities.

(b) (1)  The authority shall establish a route review committee prior to the operation of any bus, pursuant to subdivision (a), that is greater than 60 feet in length.

(2) The committee shall perform a review of the Orange Line route and any necessary routes from the Orange Line to maintenance and storage yards upon which the authority proposes to operate a bus greater than 60 feet in length, pursuant to subdivision (a), prior to the operation of those buses. The reviews shall include field reviews of the Orange Line and proposed routes. The field reviews shall include both of the following:

(A) Consultation with traffic engineers from public agencies that have jurisdiction over the routes where the buses are proposed to be operated pursuant to subdivision (a), to ensure coordination with the affected state and local public agencies for purposes of public safety.

(B) Consultation with pavement engineers from public agencies that have jurisdiction over the routes where the buses are proposed to be operated pursuant to subdivision (a), to ensure that any impacts of the weight of the vehicles upon any streets and roads that are used to access the right-of-way or are crossed by the right-of-way are considered.

(3) The route review committee shall be comprised of four members, as follows:

(A) A member representing the authority who shall be appointed by the authority’s general manager.

(B) A member who is a traffic engineer who shall be appointed by the authority’s general manager.

(C) A member appointed by the labor organization that is the exclusive representative of the bus drivers of the authority.

(D) A member representing law enforcement appointed by the law enforcement agency having authority over the proposed routes.

(4) The route review committee shall determine, by majority vote, whether the Orange Line is suitable for the safe operation of a bus exceeding 60 feet in length, but not exceeding 82 feet in length, and shall determine, by majority vote, routes that are suitable for the safe operation of those buses between the Orange Line, maintenance facilities, and storage yards.

(c) Implementation of this section is subject to all of the following:

(1) The collective bargaining requirements under Article 10 (commencing with Section 30750) of Chapter 5 of Part 3 of Division 10 of the Public Utilities Code and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Transit Employer-Employee Relations Act (Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 99560) of Part 11 of Division 10 of the Public Utilities Code).

(2) Determination by a majority vote of the route review committee that the Orange Line and the routes between the Orange Line, maintenance facilities, and storage yards are suitable for the safe operation of buses pursuant to subdivision (a).

(3) If portions of the proposed routes are on highways under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation, a determination by the Department of the California Highway Patrol and a determination by the Department of Transportation that those portions of the routes are suitable for the operation of buses pursuant to subdivision (a).

(Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 479, Sec. 1. (AB 726) Effective January 1, 2016.)