The original public transit agency was the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority (LAMTA), formed in 1958. That agency was succeeded in 1964 by the Southern California Rapid Transit District (RTD), and in 1993 by the present LACMTA.
Los Angeles Motor Coach Co. - formed 1923, originally to serve areas not served by Los Angeles Railway Co. or Pacific Electric Railway. Acquired by Los Angeles Transit Lines in 1949.
Motor Transit Co. - formed 1917, operating over varying distances and serving various parts of Los Angeles area. Acquired by Pacific Electric Railway in 1930.
Asbury Rapid Transit - formed 1939 out of Original Stage Line, which had operated since 1913, and Pasadena-Ocean Park Stage Line, which had operated since 1919, acquiring three additional companies in 1926. Operated bus routes primarily in San Fernando Valley, acquired in 1954 by Metropolitan Coach Lines/Pacific Electric Railway.
National City Lines - formed Glendale City Lines and Pasadena City Lines in 1941, operating bus systems replacing the local streetcars and buses which had been operated in those cities by Pacific Electric Railway. Formed Inglewood City Lines in 1942, acquiring Inglewood Transit Lines. In 1946 sold Inglewood City Lines to an independent company, and acquired Lang Motor Bus Co. in Long Beach, forming Long Beach City Lines. In 1962 sold Glendale City Lines to LAMTA. In 1963 sold Long Beach City Lines to the city of Long Beach, and sold Pasadena City Lines to an independent company. In 1967, the independent Inglewood City Lines and Pasadena City Lines were acquired by RTD.
Area Systems Evolving To LACMTA
Independent Bus Systems
Information on points served is from the 1952 "Mass Transportation's Directory", except for Blue & White Bus Co., which did not exist at the time.
Blue & White Bus Co. - based in Watts, acquired by RTD in 1971.
Cross Town Lines of Huntington Park - began operations in 1950, city service in Huntington Park, acquired by LAMTA in 1961.
Crosstown Suburban Bus Lines - acquired by LAMTA in 1961.
Eastern Cities Transit - city service, acquired by RTD in 1971.
Foster Transportation Co. - served Alhambra, San Gabriel, Wilmar, Monterey Park, Garvey, acquired by LAMTA in 1962.
San Pedro Motor Bus Association - city service in San Pedro, acquired by RTD in 1971.
San Pedro Transit Lines - city service in San Pedro, acquired by RTD in 1973.
Western Greyhound Lines - operated local route between Long Beach and Santa Monica, acquired by RTD in 1974.
Cross Town Lines of Lynwood - began operations in 1945, served Los Angeles, Lynwood, Compton, Willowbrook, Athens, Hawthorne, Lennox, Fullerton, Placentia. Merged into Southern Cities Transit in 1954.
Benton Bus Lines - based in Norwalk, sold to Holbrook Transit Co. in 1954.
Holbrook Transit Co. - served Downey, Rio Honda, Bell, Bell Gardens, Huntington Park. Sold to Southern Cities Transit in 1954.
Sunset Stages - served Los Angeles, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Lawndale, Hawthorne, Inglewood, El Segundo. Sold to Southern Cities Transit in 1958.
Southern Cities Transit - city service in Compton, Downey, Bellflower, Willowbrook, Hollydale. Merged into Crosstown Suburban Bus Lines in 1959.
Whittier Bus Lines - from 1949 to 1956 was a division of Eastern Cities Transit. Merged into Crosstown Suburban Bus Lines in 1959.
The 1952 "Mass Transportation's Directory" provides an interesting "snapshot", of what obscure bus companies had coexisted with the main transit providers. Including the following additional bus companies in the Los Angeles area.
Azuza Motor Bus Co. - served Azuza, Baldwin Park.
Shoreline Transit - served Santa Monica, Malibu, Topanga.
Valley Transit Lines - city service in El Monte, Monrovia, also served Temple City, Arcadia.
Bay Cities Transit Co. - Santa Monica and Venice
Compton Transportation Co. - Long Beach to Huntington Park and Venice
Dillingham Transportation Co. - began operations in 1918 - Pasadena to Long Beach and Santa Monica
Harbor Auto Line - Los Angeles to San Pedro
Liberty Stage Line - Los Angeles to Downey and Norwalk
California Bus Companies of the Late 1910's/Early 1920's
Historical information for bus and auto stage companies throughout California, listed in reports of the California Railroad Commission.