People expect to be safe when on public transit and the safer and more comfortable they feel, and if the transit can become somewhat convenient, it will be used much more than now.
Legislature moves to ban repeat offenders from light rail
By Tony Bizjak - tbizjak@sacbee.com
Published 6:03 am PDT Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Buoyed by support from state Sen. Darrell Steinberg, Sacramento Regional Transit officials say they intend to convene a task force this summer to look at ways they can ban repeat problem-causers from light rail trains, but do it in a way that respects passengers' rights and needs.
A Steinberg bill, SB 1561, directs RT to engage local mental health officials, homeless representatives and law enforcement officials in an effort to make light rail trains safer and train travel more pleasant.
The bill won support Tuesday from the Senate transportation committee.
RT official Mark Lonergan said he initially had hoped legislators would grant RT legal authority this year to ban some troublesome people for months at a time from riding trains, including those caught repeatedly riding without tickets and those arrested for committing crimes on RT property.
But legislative officials balked last week, saying that request, which would have applied to transit agencies statewide, was too complex and too rushed.
Lonergan said his agency instead will pull together a task force this summer, and would expect to return to the legislature in the fall with a proposal that has community support and applies only to Sacramento's transit system.
