Do you feel safe taking the bus around town or into other cities? In November 2024, AC Transit conducted a Transit Safety Survey required by Senate Bill 434 to find out. The survey, designed by Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University, was conducted online, at bus stops, and aboard buses. It was conducted in English, Spanish, and Chinese.
Signed into law in October 2023 by Governor Newsom, SB434 required California’s top 10 largest transit agencies (by ridership) to collect and publish survey data by December 31, 2024, in order to inform efforts to improve rider safety and reduce street harassment. The survey, which was conducted here in the East Bay from November 7 through December 1, examined overall safety perceptions and experiences with harassment on AC Transit.
According to preliminary results published by AC Transit, 82% of respondents said they feel “somewhat safe” or “extremely safe,” with people aged 45 to 64 and 65 and older feeling the safest. At least 60% said they did not experience or witness unsafe behaviors on AC Transit, with 50% of white respondents reporting that they feel extremely safe, compared to 25% of Black respondents. Lines 51A (which travels from Fruitvale BART, through Alameda, to Rockridge BART) and 1T (San Leandro BART, across International Boulevard to Uptown Oakland) were most used by survey participants.
Among those who said they did experience unsafe behaviors, most were females and most of the unsafe behaviors (87%) occurred onboard buses; 38% cited race/ethnicity, and 25% cited gender or gender expression as factors. To avoid feeling unsafe on buses, 44% of respondents said they avoid riding at night, 25% avoid certain bus lines, and 38% avoid traveling with valuables.
In general, 42% of respondents did not report any incidents of unsafe behavior.
