In response to a series of recent incidents, Metro Transit and the city of Madison are examining current policies and procedures and putting together a set of initiatives to enhance employee safety.
Some of the steps the city will be taking to improve safety on Metro buses include:
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Assembling an incident review board made up of drivers, supervisors and other union representatives;
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Updating driver training and procedures;
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Updating the city ordinance that governs enforcement of bus fares to reduce drivers’ role in enforcing fare payment (and possible resulting conflicts);
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Creating an interagency safety group made up of Metro’s management and safety teams, Madison police and the Mayor’s Office;
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Establishing an ordinance to increase fines and specifically prohibit any disorderly conduct targeted at bus operators;
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Installing driver safety barriers in all new Metro buses and exploring the option of retrofitting the rest of its fleet with new barriers; and
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Increasing public education regarding driver and passenger safety.
