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RTA board adopts ‘5 P’s’ Ridership Code of Conduct to standardize behavior and enforcement
Summary
Riverside Transit Agency's board on Nov. 20 adopted a ridership code organizing expectations into five pillars intended to improve safety and the rider experience; staff said materials will be posted on buses and online and that enforcement can include temporary bans.
The Riverside Transit Agency Board of Directors on Nov. 20 approved and adopted a new Ridership Code of Conduct designed to clarify behavior expectations for passengers and give operators clearer tools to manage disruptive incidents.
Albert Jimenez, the agency's director of risk management, told the board the code packages existing rules into a public-facing campaign organized around five pillars — People, Property, Process, Prohibited and Penalty — intended to "create a safer, cleaner, more positive environment for all passengers and coach operators." He said there is no fiscal impact from adopting the code and that staff will roll out a marketing campaign, including onboard posters and printed materials.
Board members and members of the public asked how the rules will be communicated and enforced. Jimenez said the materials will "be on the bus" and available in rider guides and online, and that staff will use posters and printable handouts during the rollout. Regarding enforcement, staff confirmed the current practice for repeat offenders is temporary removal from service, commonly a 60-day ban in some cases, and said the process is documented so staff can justify temporary exclusions.
A member of the board urged stronger wording in the penalty section, suggesting the document explicitly reference banning in appropriate cases. Supervisor Hemet asked whether temporarily barred riders receive written notice or counseling explaining the grounds for suspension; agency staff said that process is not always formalized because contact information is not always available, though operators or supervisors will sometimes explain the reasons in person.
Agency staff also told the board that recent state legislation, AB 394, will provide additional legal tools starting in January to pursue systemwide restraining orders in certain cases. The board voted unanimously to adopt the code, as staff recommended, and directed staff to begin the outreach campaign.
Next steps: staff will begin public-facing outreach and return to the board for any future changes to the code.
