Title VI Policy
City of Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus (BBB) is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, its service on the basis of race, color or national origin, in accordance to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.
No person or group of persons will be discriminated against with regard to fares, routing, scheduling or quality of transportation service the BBB furnishes on the basis of race, color or national origin.
If you believe you have been discriminated against on the basis of race, color, or national origin by BBB, you may file a signed Title VI complaint by completing and submitting the Civil Rights Complaint Form. BBB investigates complaints received no more than 180 days after the alleged incident.
To request additional information regarding Title VI, please contact: bridget.cade@santamonica.gov.
Civil Rights Complaint Procedure
In addition to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, BBB also prohibits discrimination based on sex, age, disability, religion, medical condition, marital status or sexual orientation.
If you believe you have been discriminated against on the basis of race, color, or national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, medical condition, marital status or sexual orientation by BBB you may file a Civil Rights complaint by completing and submitting the Civil Rights Complaint Form. BBB investigates complaints received no more than 180 days after the alleged incident.
How to File a Complaint
You may file a signed, written complaint within one hundred and eighty (180) days of the date of alleged discrimination. The complaint should include the following information:
- Your name, address and how to contact you (e.g. telephone number, e-mail address, etc.)
- How, when, where and why you believe you were discriminated against. Include the location, names and contact information of any witnesses.
Complaint Assistance: A BBB Customer Service Assistant will assist with writing a complaint, if the complainant is unable to do so.
Online:
Click the button blow to submit a Civil Rights complaint online.
Submit Civil Rights Complaint
The Civil Rights Complaint Form is also available in the following languages:
Armenian
Chinese
Farsi
Japanese
Korean
Spanish
Mail:
Bridget Cade, Administrative Services Officer
City of Santa Monica Big Blue Bus
1660 7th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Email:
bridget.cade@santamonica.gov
Telephone:
310-451-5444
In Person:
1444 4th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401
Monday - Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m. (only phone assistance available)
You may also file a complaint directly with either of the two following agencies:
Federal Transit Administration Region IX
Civil Rights Officer
201 Mission Street, Suite 1650
San Francisco, CA 94105-1839
Federal Transit Administration Office of Civil Rights
Attention: Title VI Program Coordinator
East Building, 5th Floor - TCR
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20590
Title VI Complaint Procedures, Timing and Investigating
Any person who believes that he or she individually or as a member of any specific class of persons, has been subjected to discrimination on the basis of race color, national origin may file a written complaint with BBB, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) or the Secretary of Transportation. Further, BBB prohibits intimidation, coercion or engagement in other discriminatory conduct against anyone because he or she has filed a complaint to secure rights protected by Title VI.
A signed complaint must be filed within 180 days after the date of the alleged discrimination. BBB encourages that complaints are initially filed with BBB for resolution. Upon receipt, BBB will review it to determine if our office has jurisdiction. The complainant will receive an acknowledgement letter informing her/him whether the complaint will be investigated by our office.
BBB has 90 days to investigate the complaint. If more information is needed to resolve the case, BBB may contact the complainant. The complainant has 15 business days from the date of the letter to send requested information to the investigator assigned to the case. If the investigator is not contacted by the complainant or does not receive the additional information within 60 business days, BBB can administratively close the case. A case can be administratively closed also if the complainant no longer wishes to pursue their case.
Determination
After the investigator reviews the complaint, she/he will issue one of two letters to the complainant: a closure letter or a letter of finding (LOF). A closure letter summarizes the allegations and states that there was not a Title VI violation and that the case will be closed. An LOF summarizes the allegations and the interviews regarding the alleged incident, and explains whether any disciplinary action, additional training of the staff member, or other action will occur.