LAist was driving down Melrose the other day, thinking about how we probably weren't going to be able to get another year out of our windshield wiper blades, when the curtain of rain parted and a silver leviathan emerged from the drizzle. Its metallic flank blotted out the damp cityscape as it passed, and inside could be seen a handful of people, looking very smug and dry in the belly of the beast.

What could it be?

At first we thought that perhaps it was the titular star of the 1976 disaster spoof The Big Bus, being driven to the Petersen Museum for a show on "Great Public Transportation Vehicles of the Silver Screen". Then we realized that, aside from the bus in Speed, and maybe the subway train in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, there just weren't a whole lot of public transit vehicles with the name recognition to warrant such a show. We further realized that our whole line of thought was just ridiculous, frankly, and resolved not to think before we had our morning coffee.

So what was it?

After arriving at the LAist Miracle Mile bureau (and after having our coffee), we quickly searched the web and discovered our answer. This beast, this gigantic lane hog, this futuristic monster was the latest MTA Bus: behold, the Metro Liner!(TM)

As long as a 6 story building is tall, and bifurcated with a rubber accordian-type connector to allow the thing to turn, the Metro Liner!(TM) seats 57 passengers in as much comfort as molded plastic can provide. It will roam our busiest streets and the Orange Line Busway, instantly becoming the vehicle Angelenos least want to get stuck behind.

Will the Metro Liner!(TM) help reduce traffic? Dunno, but the MTA just spent $120 million on a fleet of 200 of these bad boys.

Enjoy your new busses, LA!