Violent crime on the bus and rail system decreased by 6.7% in 2025 compared to 2024, reaching its lowest level since 2021, Metro announced Friday.
The transit agency touted violent crime on its system decreased for the second consecutive year with customer satisfaction with safety measures reaching record highs.
“The Metro Board has made public safety our highest priority, and we are seeing measurable returns on those investments,” Metro Board Chair and Whittier City Councilman Fernando Dutra said in a statement.
“By strengthening access controls, expanding frontline presence and building a modern Department of Public Safety, we are creating a safer transit environment for riders, employees, and communities across Los Angeles,” Dutra added.
Metro also reported Friday it experienced a 33% decrease in crimes such as trespassing, narcotics and weapons. Crimes against property such as theft and vandalism remained relatively flat year-over-year, in part due to increased copper wire theft.
The agency stated it is working on mitigation efforts to address and reduce copper wire theft.
According to a survey of more than 9,000 riders produced in October, Metro found that its customer satisfaction rate stood at 87%, which officials attribute to a cleaner and safer system.
“Our riders are telling us they feel the difference,” Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins said in a statement. “They see a more visible presence, stronger access controls and teams ready to help. Safety and customer experience go hand in hand, and our 2025 results show that when we invest in both, we create a transit system people can trust.”
After experiencing an increase in bus operator assaults in past years, the agency completed the installation of barriers to protect its bus drivers in 2024. The project resulted in a 50.5% year-over-year reduction in bus operator assaults, and a 67% decrease in the number of operator assaults that required medical transport, according to Metro.
Metro’s efforts to bolster public safety came in response to high-profile crimes reported on its bus and rail system.
The agency established a Department of Public Safety and appointed former San Francisco Police Chief William “Bill” Scott as the inaugural chief of police and emergency management.
The agency has increased law enforcement presence on its system through contacts with the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Metro stated that officers conducted approximately 123,000 bus boardings and more than 116,000 train boardings. Officers also performed 500,000 TAP card inspections.
More than 2,300 individuals were arrested for criminal activity, such as possession of illegal weapons and narcotics, and individuals with outstanding warrants conducted during TAP card inspections.
“While we continue to contract with LAPD and LASD, we are simultaneously building a new Department of Public Safety that will balance the enforcement work of sworn officers with transit security officers and care-based services, such as homeless outreach workers, community intervention specialists, licensed social and psychological clinicians, peer support specialists and ambassadors,” Scott said in a statement. “Through this integrated public safety ecosystem, we are transforming safety across our transit system.”
The agency has taken steps to crack down on fare evasion. In 2025, Metro expanded its TAP-to-Exit pilot program for several end-of-line stations.
At stations where the program was implemented, Metro reported security incidents on the Transit Watch App declined by 40% and rider satisfaction with the program reached 95%.
In March 2025, the agency launched a pilot program, installing taller fare gates at 22 of its stations. Security concerns, vandalism/graffiti and cleanliness-related reports declined by 69% at stations with new gates.
An additional six stations are scheduled to receive taller fare gates this spring.
Metro officials said they are training and preparing its emergency preparedness as large-scale events come to the region, starting with eight games of the World Cup at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
As part of its work, in April 2025, Metro opened its 26,000-square-foot Emergency Security Operations Center.
This week, metro announced its safety hub on its website, which can be viewed at metro.net/safety-support/. The page will make it easier for riders to find information and track Metro’s progress on making the transit system safer.
The webpage also features a dashboard with statistical information on crimes.