City leaders grapple with violent bus incidents
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Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Eilon Paz/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A string of violent incidents at WeGo bus stops and on a bus have called into question the safety of Nashville's mass transit system.
Why it matters: In May, there were two shootings and two stabbings, including the attack of a bus driver, following Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell's pitch to fund a multibillion-dollar transportation program.
- O'Connell and WeGo leadership stressed that the city's bus system is safe overall, noting the low number of incidents among 30,000 daily bus riders.
- The mayor's office says "there is work to be done." O'Connell recently met with top city officials to discuss improvements.
Driving the news: Police arrested a suspect after a May 16 shooting injured an 18-year-old man on the steps of the Elizabeth Duff Transit Center. Police said a drug motive was under investigation.
- On May 20, a WeGo bus driver was injured during an altercation with a passenger. A woman was charged with attempted homicide in that case.
- WeGo officials held a May 23 press conference to address safety concerns. WeGo CEO Steve Bland called the alleged crimes "highly unusual."
The latest: The day after the press conference, a man was shot three times on the steps outside the transit center. Police arrested a suspect a short time later and charged him with attempted criminal homicide and gun crimes.
- Last week, police said a man was found suffering from stab wounds at an Edgehill bus stop.
Between the lines: O'Connell's office emphasized the safety of the downtown transit center. Spokesperson Alex Apple said prior to March 4, there had been three gun-related incidents at the transit center in its 15-year history.
- "The mayor has communicated with state leaders and convened a meeting between his team, leadership at WeGo, and Metro Police to ensure recent developments are not indicative of a larger trend," Apple said.
State of play: WeGo has ramped up spending on safety in recent years, increasing its security services contract from $1.2 million in 2017 to $2.5 million in 2024.
- There is a security presence at the downtown transit center 24 hours per day, WeGo said in a statement. There is also digital video surveillance at the transit center and on each bus.
- Last year, WeGo hired a consulting firm to analyze the system's safety and security. That work is ongoing.
The number of arrests connected to the WeGo system is low compared to its overall daily ridership, officials said.
- There were 50 arrests last year, 54 in 2022 and 57 in 2021. This year is on track to surpass those totals, with 40 arrests as of May 23.
- There have been four assaults or threats to bus operators as of May 23, compared to 24 for all of 2023 and 41 in 2022. There were over 8 million bus rides last year.
What they're saying: WeGo said in a fact sheet released to the media last month that one of its core tenets is providing service to everyone, including people "experiencing the challenges of substance dependency, mental illness, homelessness, and related difficulties."
- "As such, the agency must balance the need to maintain a safe and inviting environment for its customers and employees and its duty to serve people in need," WeGo said in the fact sheet.
"This challenge is not unique to Nashville and is being experienced in transit agencies around the world. The challenge is accelerating in Nashville given the rapid growth of the city and the resulting social issues that emerge from such rapid growth."
- As the city ponders expanding its transit system, the department must "consider a refocus and expansion of our security and supportive services to complement that growth," the WeGo fact sheet said.