San Diego MTS Unveils New Transit Security Initiatives

A recent passenger satisfaction survey San Diego’s Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) carried out uncovered that riders want to see a larger security presence on the transit system. In response, MTS unveiled plans to improve security on its Trolley light rail and bus systems.

Security initiatives the agency is taking include increasing the number of officers, as well as improving visibility and response times.

“We want to show MTS riders our appreciation by letting them know we are listening to their recommendations to improve their riding experience on our system,” said Stephen Whitburn, MTS board chair. “Riders want to feel safe and seeing an increased security presence during their trip does just that.”

Responding to Customer Feedback

Based on the survey’s findings, last year the MTS board approved a $4.2 million increase to the security budget to add more Code Compliance Inspectors. This will result in a 60% increase in the number of security officers in the MTS system.

Additionally, MTS will increase security officer teams and riders can expect to see officers more frequently during their trip, improving response time.

Increased MTS Security Measures

To increase security officers’ visible presence on both the Trolley lines and buses, MTS will:

• Increase security officer “train” teams on Trolley lines from five to six teams per shift to eight to 10 teams per shift.
• Double the number of officers patrolling buses.
• Double the number of officers in plain-clothes.
• Boost the number of officers conducting homeless outreach to seven-days-a-week coverage.
• Operate security outposts at busy transit centers to increase visibility.

Additional Measures Coming Soon

In addition to staffing plans, MTS consolidated its 24/7 security hotline to one number, which aims to improve response times. Riders will now be able to call or text one number to report incidents on the system.

MTS officials also announced more initiatives coming up this year to make the system better. The service improvements include:

• 24-hour bus service between the border at downtown.
• All-day, every day 15-minute service on all three Trolley lines.
• Increasing the span of service on many popular routes.

MTS riders can also expect the launch of a new payment technology in April, allowing them to just tap a credit or debit card on a validator to pay a fare, bypassing the ticket machine altogether.

Lastly, MTS announced improvements to its stops and stations to keep them safer and cleaner. This includes improved shade and lighting and modernizing the trash collection process.