Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transit Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Rider safety and fare interactions flagged at Toledo transit committee meeting
Summary
A longtime rider told the committee that people are running into traffic to hail buses and sometimes approach drivers asking for free rides; TARTA said driver and passenger safety is the top priority, cited cameras and off-duty officers and noted fares are $1.50 full and $0.75 reduced.
Richard Arnold, a longtime TARTA rider, told the Mobility Sustainability Beautification Committee he has observed an increase in people hailing buses mid-block and running into traffic to board, which he called a "heart-stopping" safety problem.
"They're not even close to a bus stop. They literally run into traffic," Arnold said, describing incidents where passengers run across lanes and board or pound on doors at intersections to get a free ride.
Laura Kaprowski, TARTA CEO, acknowledged the concern and described steps TARTA has taken to protect drivers and riders, including placing additional security personnel at the downtown transit hub, using on-vehicle cameras and working with off-duty Toledo Police Department officers. She urged driver training and broad public education about how transit operates.
Kaprowski also urged drivers to avoid confrontations over fares "because it will not end well," and provided the current fare levels: $1.50 for a full fare and $0.75 for a half (reduced) fare. She said the agency is also working with social-service partners to help riders access reduced fares and other support.
Councilmembers and TARTA staff discussed street-level safety on Cherry and Huron streets near the downtown hub and noted long-term planning for a multimodal transit center near the train station as well as short-term corridor safety improvements could help reduce pedestrian risks.
TARTA said it will review the incidents Arnold described and pursue additional education and operational steps to reduce mid-block hailing and unsafe boarding behavior.
