Transit agencies would be required to dedicate at least 3% of their federal formula funding to safety and crime-prevention investments, including security cameras, better lighting, emergency call boxes, and protective barriers for bus operators.

U.S. Transportation Secretary and agency officials are emphasizing ongoing safety concerns and supporting stronger safety standards, citing actions involving major systems like the CTA, WMATA, MTA New York, LA Metro, CATS, SEPTA, and MARTA.

USDOT could withhold 100% of federal funding from entities that fail to meet defined safety standards on fare evasion, violent offender restrictions, and pretrial release policies for transit-related crimes, drawing from provisions similar to Iryna’s Law in North Carolina.

Senator Hagerty said the legislation would channel federal funds to communities that prioritize passenger protection and public safety.

The Safe Transit Act, introduced by Senator Bill Hagerty, would tie federal transit funding to new safety and security requirements across jurisdictions and systems.

Nationwide performance standards would cover fare collection infrastructure like turnstiles and gates, and any federally funded buses or rail vehicles would include both inward- and outward-facing cameras and event recorders.

Recent actions cited include CTA increasing patrols, LA Metro appointing a transit police chief, SEPTA expanding monitoring, and BART installing new fare gates, illustrating a broader push for enhanced security.

USDOT could withhold up to 50% of federal transit funding from cities with crime rates well above the national transit average.