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Bus Driver / Transit Rider / Safety / Protection / Assessment / Los Angeles Department of Transportation / Los Angeles Police Department / MV Transportation / Teamsters Local 572

Council File 24-0562

In progress — the city is developing a hybrid safety plan combining police patrols and armed guards at bus stops to address rising assaults on drivers and passengers, pending City Council approval of a formal agreement with LAPD.

Introduced
2024-05-14
Last changed
2026-06-10
Status
open
Expires
2028-06-05
Committee
Public Safety Committee
Mover
HEATHER HUTT
Second
TRACI PARK
References
Board Report: 25-076

Brief

Councilmember Heather Hutt, seconded by Traci Park, moved to direct the Department of Transportation and Los Angeles Police Department to assess bus driver safety concerns, evaluate existing safeguards, and recommend protections for contract bus drivers and the riding public. Council adopted the original motion 13-0-2 in July 2024. Since then, LADOT and the Board of Police Commissioners have submitted multiple status reports (April 2025 and December 2025). The file is currently pending in both the Transportation and Public Safety Committees.

Full summary

In May 2024, Councilmember Heather Hutt introduced a motion directing the Department of Transportation and the Los Angeles Police Department to assess bus driver safety, identify existing safeguards, and recommend enhanced protections for contract bus drivers — particularly those employed by MV Transportation under Teamsters Local 572 — and for the riding public. The motion was prompted by what LADOT described as an alarming increase in assaults on bus drivers and passengers since 2023. Council adopted the motion on July 2, 2024, by a vote of 13-0-2, and amended it again in November 2024 via Motion 24A (Hernandez and Hutt), also passed 13-0-2. In April 2025, the Transportation Committee directed LADOT and LAPD — in consultation with the Chief Legislative Analyst and City Administrative Officer — to incorporate unarmed crisis response resources into their security services plan, specifically the Unarmed Model of Crisis Response (UMCR) and the CIRCLE program, along with training for LADOT staff and contracted bus drivers on handling incidents. LADOT's December 2025 report responded to that directive by laying out a detailed cost analysis of four response models: sworn LAPD officer patrols on buses, contracted private security guards at bus layovers, unarmed crisis response teams dispatched via 911, and a transit ambassador program modeled on Metro's. The report concludes that a hybrid approach is most practical within LADOT's available budget of roughly $1.825 million per year in Proposition C Five Percent Transit Security Funds received from Metro. That hybrid would deploy approximately seven sworn LAPD officers for 30 hours per week on buses to enforce the Rider Code of Conduct and deter assaults, while dedicating the remaining roughly $675,000 annually to private armed security guards stationed at bus layovers where drivers are most vulnerable at the start and end of shifts. The report notes that unarmed crisis response teams such as UMCR and CIRCLE can supplement this model by responding to 911 calls involving mental health crises or disturbances, though they cannot provide proactive patrols and cannot intervene when violence is in progress. A transit ambassador program modeled on Metro's was assessed but found to be ill-suited to LADOT's bus system and would require a separate funding source and an 18-to-24-month procurement process. LADOT noted there is no impact to the General Fund, as costs would be fronted through Proposition A funds and reimbursed through Proposition C security funds. As a next step, LADOT indicated it was routing a draft Memorandum of Agreement with LAPD for internal approvals, with the final agreement expected to come before the full City Council. The Transportation Committee noted and filed the December 2025 report on June 10, 2026, and transmitted the file to the Public Safety Committee, where it remains pending alongside any further Council action on the proposed hybrid security model.

Activity (33)

  • 2026-06-10 Transportation Committee transmitted Council File to Public Safety Committee.
  • 2026-06-10 Transportation Committee noted and filed item(s).
  • 2026-06-05 Transportation Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on June 10, 2026.
  • 2025-12-11 Department of Transportation document(s) referred to Public Safety Committee; Transportation Committee.
  • 2025-12-11 Document submitted by Department of Transportation, dated December 4, 2025.
  • 2025-04-23 Transportation Committee transmitted Council File to Public Safety Committee.
  • 2025-04-23 Transportation Committee Noted and Filed the LADOT and BPC reports and approved the amendment, as further amended in Committee.
  • 2025-04-18 Transportation Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on April 23, 2025.
  • 2025-04-03 Department of Transportation document(s) referred to Public Safety Committee; Transportation Committee.
  • 2025-04-03 Document(s) submitted by Department of Transportation, as follows:Department of Transportation report, dated April 2, 2025, relative to the status of bus driver safety improvements.
  • 2025-04-03 Board of Police Commissioners document(s) referred to Public Safety Committee; Transportation Committee.
  • 2025-04-02 Document(s) submitted by Board of Police Commissioners, as follows:Board of Police Commissioners report, dated April 2, 2025, relative to bus driver safety for the Downtown Area Short Hop (DASH) bus system.
  • 2025-02-04 Community Impact Statement submitted by Northridge West Neighborhood Council.
  • 2024-11-25 Council action final.
  • 2024-11-21 City Clerk transmitted file to Mayor. Last day for Mayor to act is December 2, 2024.
  • 2024-11-20 Council adopted item as amended by Motion 24A (Hernandez - Hutt), forthwith.
  • 2024-11-18 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on November 20, 2024.
  • 2024-11-15 Public Safety Committee waived consideration of item .
  • 2024-10-02 Transportation Committee transmitted Council File to Public Safety Committee.
  • 2024-10-02 Transportation Committee approved as amended .
  • 2024-09-27 Transportation Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on October 2, 2024.
  • 2024-09-27 Department of Transportation document(s) referred to Public Safety Committee; Transportation Committee.
  • 2024-09-27 Document(s) submitted by Department of Transportation, as follows:Department of Transportation report, dated September 26, 2024, relative to an assessment of bus driver safety concerns, safeguards implemented, and recommendations to protect the City's contract bus drivers and the transit riding public from harm.
  • 2024-07-22 Community Impact Statement submitted by Studio City Neighborhood Council.
  • 2024-07-02 Council action final.
  • 2024-07-02 Council adopted item forthwith.
  • 2024-06-28 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on July 2, 2024.
  • 2024-06-25 Public Safety Committee approved item(s) .
  • 2024-06-21 Public Safety Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on June 25, 2024.
  • 2024-06-07 Corrected Referral per Council President to include Public Safety Committee.
  • 2024-06-05 Transportation Committee approved item(s) .
  • 2024-05-31 Transportation Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on June 5, 2024.
  • 2024-05-14 Motion referred to Transportation Committee.

Documents (22)

Council votes (1)

  • 2024-11-20 Vote — 13-0-2 · Regular

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