Tucson council directs written transit safety plan after months of operator and rider complaints

Mayor and Council voted Wednesday to direct city staff to prepare a formal written transit safety and security action plan after Transportation and Mobility staff and Tucson Police Department officials described widespread problems across Sun Tran routes and at transit centers.

Director Sam Bridal and Planning & Programming Administrator Patrick Hartley presented photos and data showing vandalism, encampment remnants and repeated incidents at stops such as Fort Lowell/Country Club, Speedway/Alvernon and Prince/Oracle. Chief Kuzma (TPD) told the council that open-air drug use, loitering and vandalism have driven the biggest safety concerns for operators and riders.

Staff said Sun Tran currently contracts nearly 1,000 security hours per week and spends about $1.5 million annually on private guards; shelter cleaning and repairs cost just over $1 million a year. Operator surveys (118 responses when the presentation was prepared) showed a majority describing routes as challenging, and managers said drivers ranked substance use, poor behavior and people bringing prohibited items as the top three conflict drivers.

Vice Mayor Lynn Santa Cruz moved that the city manager return a written action plan in 30 days (staff asked that the return be 60 days to coordinate commissions), with these elements: coordinated presence of Tucson Police Department and contracted security; prioritization of hotspot stops and corridors; deployment of transit ambassador outreach teams; consultation with Sun Tran operators and the Transit Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC); written operator safety protocols and training; evaluation of real-time rider feedback through an accessible transit app; and collaboration with state and local partners to expand mental health, substance-abuse and behavioral-health resources. The motion was amended by staff request on timing and passed by council.

Council discussion focused on balancing investments in additional roving security and off-duty police deployments with capital improvements such as lighting, camera systems tied to the city’s monitoring center (CSARC) and physical changes to bus shelters to deter loitering. Chief Kuzma described an approach that includes covert and overt police operations and highlighted that some problems are symptomatic of broader public-health and homelessness challenges; Mayor Regina Romero and others emphasized pursuing both public-safety and social-service responses.

Staff also outlined a rough framework for how RTA Next funds could be used if the regional ballot measure is approved: $1,000,000 for additional security (an estimated 15 roving guards), $500,000 for maintenance and repairs (three additional crews), $500,000 for TPD special deployments, and $150,000 for outreach support that would build on a Primavera Foundation pilot. Members of council urged careful cost-benefit analysis before allocating any RTA or general-fund dollars and asked staff to return with clear implementation steps.

The manager and department heads said they would pursue administrative changes that don’t need council action immediately (for example, closing transit center restrooms during overnight non‑service hours where vandalism is frequent) while preparing the written plan for council review.

What’s next: staff will return with the written transit safety and security action plan (with timing to be coordinated with mayor and council), and council asked for details on costs, personnel needs and measurable outcomes for each proposed action.