Metro Transit sees crime drop on trains, buses

Metro Transit officials say a more focused effort on reducing crime implemented this year is showing positive signs.

Crime aboard trains and buses has declined 7.7% in the past three months in comparison to the same time in 2023, transit officials said. The most serious crimes, including assault and robbery, declined by 16.4%.

Metro Transit says the drop is due to increased security presence on buses and trains, despite the fact the agency is spending much less than budgeted on the police department.

As of Tuesday, the department has 106 full-time officers out of a budgeted strength of 171.

In a statement, Metro Transit Police Chief Ernest Morales III said the increased presence of police officers, employees, public safety partners, and riders are making a real difference.

"Our mission moving forward is to build on this foundation and to build a culture of shared ownership and responsibility," he continued.

The transportation agency has added camera monitors to buses to improve safety.

Additionally, Transit Rider Investment Program (TRIP) Agents have increased their presence on light rail routes to inspect fares, enforce the Code of Conduct and assist riders in other ways.

The transportation service also stepped up its fare inspection enforcement in December, with fines are now being charged to non-paying riders on buses and light rail trains.

In February , General Manager Lesley Kandaras said in a blog post that senior managers would also be regularly riding buses and trains, saying the ridership "will be considered during end-of-year performance reviews."

Kandaras shared she'd also taken it upon herself to ride more trains and buses, aiming to ride every route.

According to Metro Transit, ridership saw a 13% increase compared to the same time last year, despite it still being lower than where it stood before the pandemic.

Annual ridership increased 16% from 2022 to 2023, to more than 45 million rides.

Additionally, since February, TRIP agents had more than 31,000 interactions with riders.

“The continued increase in ridership is an encouraging sign that the efforts we’re making to provide a consistently high-quality experience are making a difference," Kandaras said.

"At the same time, I know from my own experiences and from hearing from riders and employees that we have much more work to do to improve conditions on our system," she continued.