Mystery Behind Critical Shortage of Prison Inmate Buses in Los Angeles County

November 18, 2024 - The fleet of 82 buses used to transport prison inmates sank to a low of 36 buses by 2023. The buses, specially retrofitted for the safe transport of inmates, take prisoners to and from more than 90 different state and county facilities, including 35 state prisons or hospitals throughout California, 25 County courts, 18 Sheriff's stations, six Department custody facilities, and local scheduled medical appointments. 62 of those buses are supposed to operate in the Los Angeles basin, but only 25 have been operating there currently. Because of the bus shortage, inmates miss court appointments.

The Sheriff's Department's Court Services Transportation Bureau (CST), says that they would typically receive an average of 4.5 new buses every year to account for vehicles aging out, but that stopped in 2018. No new buses were given to the Department after 2018.

2018 is when Alex Villanueva was elected sheriff of Los Angeles County. He had a contentious relationship with the LA County Board of Supervisors. In a phone interview, Villanueva claimed the Board of Supervisors blocked his ability to purchase new buses sabotaged his budget "at every opportunity." They also imposed a hiring freeze that blocked his ability to hire and train deputies and crime lab analysts. The department lost 1,500 officers.

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Sheriff's transport bus

In an emailed statement, the L.A. Sheriff's Department says that "in response" to the severe shortage of buses, they increased the number of "vendors servicing our buses" in March 2023. In September of 2023, the Board of Supervisors approved the purchase of 20 new buses and 32 vans.

The Sheriff's Department did not explain why it waited from 2018 until 2023 to correct the lack of inmate transport vehicles. However, Alex Villanueva was voted out as sheriff in November of 2022 and left office shortly before the "response" to increase the number of vendors servicing the fleet and the decision to buy new buses.

Former Sheriff Alex Villanueva - how far were the Board of Supervisors prepared to go to make him look bad?

The first two new buses are expected to arrive in mid-November of this year with a new bus delivery every two weeks after that until the order is filled. Once each bus is received, it takes 3-5 weeks to outfit them with radio, MDC, and decals. Therefore, the Department expects the first new buses to be ready in mid-December.

The Department did not make clear if the result will achieve the fleet size of 82 buses that it enjoyed in 2018. Unless some of the old buses were able to be repaired, the fleet will still be deficient.