Residents weigh in on Tucson's Transit Safety and Security Action plan amid bus safety incidents

For Tucson residents who rely on Sun Tran to get to work, school, medical appointments or errands, the city is asking a basic but consequential question: What would make public transportation feel safer? Tucson has begun putting its Transit Safety and Security Action Plan into practice while continuing to collect feedback through Safe City Transit meetings, following a series of reported incidents involving buses and bus stops.

The plan was approved by Mayor Regina Romero in December of last year, and some of its measures are already operating throughout the transit system. Its goals include increasing security, improving the accuracy and consistency of safety incident reporting, and adding Tucson Police Department patrols near bus stops. City officials say the effort is intended to address both immediate safety concerns and the physical conditions that can affect how secure riders feel while waiting for or using transit.

The city reported 42 safety incidents at bus stops in 2026 and nearly 20 violent incidents since 2025. Those figures have contributed to a public discussion about whether existing protections are sufficient. At an east side community meeting, resident Pamm Pope said people need to be able to ride buses without fearing that they could be attacked. She argued that the city should take additional steps, including bringing back bus fares, which she believes could help protect both drivers and passengers.

Fares were not part of the Safe City Connect transit meetings organized by the city. Tucson officials said residents will have separate opportunities to comment on fare related issues through other public processes. That distinction means people attending the safety sessions can weigh in on security measures, patrols and physical improvements, but cannot use those meetings to directly debate whether fares should return.

Other residents described safety more broadly than protection from violence. Daniel Spencer, an east side resident who has ridden Sun Tran for years, said he feels safe on the system. He also said improving access to buses would be an important part of making transit safer and more useful for the community. His comments reflect a view that reliable, accessible service can help riders feel more secure and can make public transportation a more practical option for more Tucsonans.

The city’s planned and ongoing measures include specialized police deployments, according to Transportation Director Sam Credio. Tucson is also making environmental improvements at bus stops, which can include changes to the surrounding transit environment intended to make stops safer for users. The city is additionally highlighting a new Transit Ambassador Program as part of the security plan. Officials have identified security services, police patrols, bus stop upgrades and incident tracking as key topics for community discussion.

The public engagement series included four meetings organized by wards, along with a citywide virtual meeting. The Wards 1 and 5 session was scheduled for Aug. 10 at El Pueblo Senior Center, followed by the virtual meeting on Aug. 11. Residents from Wards 3 and 6 were scheduled to meet Aug. 12 at Randolph Recreation Center, while the Wards 2 and 4 meeting was set for Aug. 13 at the Ward 2 Office. The in person sessions were scheduled for the evening, and the virtual session was held during midday hours. Registration was required for every meeting, and attendees at in person events were asked to arrive early to sign in.

The meetings are part of a broader effort to let residents influence how Tucson’s transit safety work develops. City officials said feedback from the sessions will be used to continue improving public transportation. Credio said work has already started, but the city expects to expand it and continue the conversation with residents after the meetings conclude. That ongoing dialogue could give riders additional chances to identify problems at specific stops, raise concerns about bus behavior or security, and comment on whether new programs are addressing the incidents that prompted the plan.

For Tucson’s transit users, the debate is therefore about more than a single policy or enforcement measure. Some residents are focused on preventing violence and protecting bus operators and passengers. Others see accessibility and the overall usability of Sun Tran as central to safety. With the action plan already underway, the city’s next challenge will be showing riders how their input changes patrols, reporting, bus stop conditions and other parts of the system they encounter every day.