Leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the Republican Conference, and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) joined in calling for improvements to the safety of America's public transportation systems, following a September 18 roundtable meeting on the issue held by T&I's Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Congressman David Rouzer (R-NC), chairman of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, led a bipartisan closed-door roundtable discussion with transit and law enforcement officials and stakeholders to discuss the need to identify actionable solutions to improve safety on publicly funded transportation systems and restore the public's trust in transit.

"The recent deadly stabbing of Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte's light rail is a stark reminder safety must be at the center of our national transit conversation," Rouzer said. "While law enforcement and the justice system have their obligations to keep the public safe and ensure that justice prevails, Congress has an obligation to address any shortcomings that threaten public safety and implement appropriate measures of deterrence and prevention.

"This roundtable was an essential step in ensuring every rider can feel safe when they step onto public transit. By bringing together transit leaders and law enforcement, we're focused on real, actionable solutions to protect riders, strengthen community confidence, and uphold the fundamental promise of safe, accessible public transportation systems for all Americans," Rouzer said.

"My constituents in Missouri have seen the damaging effects of crime on Kansas City's transit operations because of the free fare policy that went into effect in 2020," said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO). "Thankfully, the city has since reversed that policy. Not only did it make the system unsustainable, but it also scared riders away from public transit. Some of those riders will never come back. Trust in transit overall will continue to erode if we don't take action to stop violent crime on public transit."

Rising Crime on Transit Spurs Federal Safety Push

According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), crime on public transportation systems has been generally worse since the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to the five years before the pandemic, the average number of homicides on transit systems more than doubled in the five years between 2020 and 2024.

Over the same period, assaults on transit systems increased by 80%.  Recently, on August 22, 2025, Iryna Zarutska was murdered on the light rail system in Charlotte.

"The next surface transportation reauthorization bill that our committee is currently developing will seek to make federal transit programs work for the traveling public, transit system workers, and taxpayers who expect their tax dollars to be spent wisely for the public good," Graves said.  "Fortunately, the Trump Administration, Secretary Duffy, and FTA Administrator Marc Molinaro are also making safety on our transit systems a top priority of the Federal Transit Administration. [...] I also want to thank Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves for participating in today's roundtable and providing the committee with an invaluable law enforcement perspective on this important public safety issue."

"It was impossible not to think of the safety of my own daughter when watching the video of Iryna Zarutka's brutal murder," said House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-MI). "No parent should have to fear for their child's safety on a city bus or train."

"As President Trump and Secretary Duffy have made clear, the safety of American families, including those relying on our transit systems to provide for their families, pursue an education, and make those important medical appointments, is a top priority for this Administration," Molinaro said. "FTA will continue to hold our transit partners and their leaders accountable until we see significant progress in the experience our commuters and transit workers are living through in our major cities. We've been given a mandate to clean up our buses and subways, and we will deliver for the moms, dads, and children relying on these public services."

According to a release, the T&I Committee and the Highways and Transit Subcommittee are in the ongoing process of developing a major bipartisan surface transportation reauthorization bill for this Congress. This bill will provide funding authorizations and policy changes for federal highways, transit, and other surface transportation programs.

The current surface transportation authorization expires on September 30, 2026.

One of the chairpersons' goals for the transit portion of the reauthorization bill will be to make transit work for communities of all sizes by ensuring that transit services are safe and reliable. Criminal activity on transit systems can undermine public confidence, decrease ridership, and damage the effectiveness and sustainability of those systems.