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Operators report passengers boarding with guns and machetes; county counsel points to legal limits
Summary
Drivers recounted recent incidents in which riders boarded with a 9 mm handgun and a machete; operators said slow police response and lack of on-board protections leave them exposed, while county counsel noted the county's limited authority to regulate firearms on public transit and suggested examining distinctions under state law.
Drivers and employee representatives raised acute safety concerns May 29 after recounting multiple onboard incidents in which passengers carried weapons.
A transit operator (identified in the transcript as the participant who spoke at length about weapon incidents) said a rider recently boarded with a handgun: "Yesterday, a guy got on the bus ... He had a 9 millimeter," and described other episodes involving a machete. Operators said those encounters forced them to focus on passenger behavior rather than safe driving.
"It's dangerous now," the operator said, describing an instance in which they refused to collect fare and instead told the rider to sit while they continued the route. Another operator warned that if a driver is killed, they would be willing to testify against the county, underscoring the seriousness of the concern.
County staff and a staff member with legal responsibility responded that the county’s regulatory power over firearms is limited. A staff member said, "responsibility or power to tell anybody in public hearing what they can do or not do with a firearm, and that's a public policy issue," and recommended reviewing state and federal statutes to explore distinctions (for example, open carry versus threatening behavior).
County administrators asked follow-up questions about non-firearm weapons, such as machetes, and staff said they would review legal distinctions and consider operational responses, but they cautioned that many aspects are governed by state law.
What officials will do next: staff said they would examine policy options and legal constraints, and the incident-review language will be part of further discussions; no changes to passenger policy or enforcement were adopted during this session.
Context: drivers said police response times can be slow and that officers may arrive after an incident has already occurred. County staff acknowledged the problem and framed the issue as one of public policy and law enforcement coordination rather than an immediate contract action.
