Senator Hagerty Introduced The Safe Transit Act
The proposed federal legislation aims to penalize cities for transit crime and fare evasion.
Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Law Enforcement
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Senator Bill Hagerty introduced the Safe Transit Act to tie federal transit funding to specific safety and enforcement standards. The bill would allow the Department of Transportation to withhold funding from cities that fail to criminalize fare evasion or maintain low crime rates.
Why it matters
The proposal seeks to hold local governments accountable for maintaining secure public transit systems by creating federal performance requirements. It addresses concerns regarding violent crime and fare evasion on buses and trains across the country.
The bill mandates that transit agencies dedicate 3 percent of federal formula funding to safety initiatives while requiring new federally funded vehicles to install inward and outward-facing cameras. The potential federal funding withholding for non-compliant cities reaches up to 50 percent.
The players
Bill Hagerty
He is a United States Senator who introduced the Safe Transit Act.
Sean P. Duffy
He is the Secretary of Transportation who expressed support for the proposed legislation.
Chicago Transit Authority
This agency operates public transit in Chicago and recently increased police patrols by 75 percent.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
This transit agency reported a 30 percent decrease in train crime and a 40 percent decrease in bus criminal incidents during 2025.
SEPTA
This agency manages regional public transit in the Philadelphia area and launched a virtual patrol division using over 30,000 cameras.
The details
The Safe Transit Act mandates that transit agencies install security cameras on all new federally funded buses and rail vehicles. It pressures urban transit systems to align with federal safety expectations or risk significant financial penalties.
Timeline
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority reported crime rate decreases throughout 2025.
Senator Bill Hagerty introduced the Safe Transit Act on September 23, 2026.
Legal Context
The bill represents a significant shift toward federal oversight of local transit safety, extending beyond the standard Federal Transit Administration's formula funding requirements. It signals a move to leverage federal purse strings to enforce uniform criminal justice policies on municipal transit systems.
The legislation could lead to increased security infrastructure, such as new cameras and fare gates, on public transit systems in major cities. Residents may see changes in local transit enforcement policies as agencies work to comply with federal funding requirements.
The takeaway
The Safe Transit Act aims to standardize security protocols across urban transport hubs nationwide by linking federal support to specific performance metrics. Passengers should expect potential changes to transit safety measures as local agencies move to meet these federal requirements.
Further reading
For more information on national safety initiatives, visit the Law Enforcement section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Transportation.
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