Gabby is your source for the inside scoop on everything you ever needed to know about mastering the art of public transit. Email her at deargabby@foothilltransit.org.

Dear Gabby, I just went to a concert at the Rose Bowl, and the parking shuttle I used was a Foothill Transit bus. What’s up with that?

-Surprised in South El Monte

Dear Surprised in South El Monte,

The Rose Bowl hosts fantastic live events. They’re so popular that the traffic around the stadium is fierce, and parking fills up quickly. Being able to park off-site (or take public transit) and connect to a comfortable shuttle takes away the bother and often some of the cost, too.

We serve events all year round, but our busiest season starts in September with the UCLA Bruins’ home games and ends with the Rose Bowl game on New Years’ Day. Our buses bring attendees from the Parsons parking lot on Pasadena Ave just north of Union St straight to the gates of the Rose Bowl.

To make this happen, the Foothill Transit team coordinates with the Rose Bowl staff. Shuttle service depends on members of our administrative staff who volunteer to work these weekend events. These superstars often come in early or stay late and brave chilly or baking temperatures depending on the season. They keep coming back because of the positive reactions they get from all the people who use our service.

Three weeks before an event, we get the ball rolling with a Rose Bowl planning meeting. We meet at the Rose Bowl in the UCLA locker room. There we confirm all the important times and find out if there are any unusual issues at that particular event. We’re also told how many buses we’ll need for the event, which depends on the estimated number of attendees. For the U2 and Beyoncé concerts, we had over 9,500 fans shuttle to and from the Rose Bowl.

People who are from out of town seem to enjoy the experience. We’ve heard them tell us that we’re efficient, and that this service is better than driving in. Also, they like how clean our buses are. I’m glad you got to see our “secret identity” at the Rose Bowl. We’ve also been bringing LA Marathon runners to the starting line at Dodgers Stadium for several years now. Next time you’re on board with us going to a great event, make sure to share your #FoothillTransit pictures with us on Instagram, Facebook, or X!