LA Metro has completed retrofitting its bus fleet with full plexiglass barriers to provide additional protection for its riders.
Metro announced earlier this week that it had completed installation of the barriers on all of its more than 2,000 buses. This makes Metro the first transit agency in the United States to equip its entire bus fleet with driver safety barriers.
The decision to retrofit Metro buses with barriers came in the wake of several high-profile attacks on passengers and bus operators in early 2024, after years of repeated violent incidents.
The bus drivers' union had called for improved safety for its members, with extending barriers just one of the proposed solutions to curb the growing problem. The union also called for additional security in the form of armed security guards and silent alarms for drivers to intervene in an emergency.
The Metro board approved expedited procurement of the plexiglass barriers in April 2024 and plans to install them on all buses by the end of the year — a goal that was ultimately met.
An image provided by LA Metro shows rider areas that provided protection before and after new full plexiglass barriers were installed in 2024. (The Source)
LA Metro had already installed partial barriers in 2020, but attacks on riders continued to rise, a trend that officials said had impacted transit agencies across the country.
The new barriers were designed and manufactured in-house by Metro using steel and “laminated, shatter-resistant, low-reflectivity glass.”
The $5.8 million project was funded through two local sales tax measures with additional funding from the state.
Metro says they have already proven effective.
“From April to September, operators on buses with fully closed barriers were 58 percent less likely to be attacked,” Metro wrote in its online blog, The Source. “We have also seen a significant decrease in spitting incidents.”
Along with physical violence, spitting was one of the complaints from drivers.
Tracey Davis, who has worked as a Metro bus operator for three years, told the source that while he has never been personally attacked while driving, his relatives often express concern about the high-profile violent incidents.
“When Metro announced the bus gates, I was excited,” Davis said. “It felt like better protection for us.”
Officers patrol a subway station in Los Angeles County on May 23, 2024. (KTLA)
LA Metro has invested millions in public safety efforts in recent years, and data shows crime is declining across the system.
The agency is currently working on installing more robust and advanced ticket controls at some train stations in hopes of stopping fare evaders, who account for the majority of emergency calls. Additionally, riders getting off at some stations are now required to show proof that they are not allowed to walk on the streets with a valid tap card – a measure that Metro says has reduced the number of reported crimes at those stations.
Metro has also announced its intention to create its own police department, which existed between 1978 and 1997 before merging with the Los Angeles police and sheriff's departments.
With numerous major sporting events coming to Los Angeles in the coming years, including the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, city officials hope visitors will use the growing public transit system to get to and from their events.
It's an ambitious goal that depends largely on how safe Metro buses and trains are for both tourists and locals who rely on the service.
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