CyRide Board Allows Firearms on Buses

Ames bus system updates policy after a student's lawsuit challenged the city's firearms prohibition.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Law

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Should people be allowed to carry firearms on local public buses?

The CyRide board updated its policy to allow passengers to lawfully carry firearms on buses, openly or concealed, following a lawsuit filed by Iowa State University student Natalie Gibson. The lawsuit claims the city's prohibition violates Iowa Code and remains ongoing.

Why it matters

The change alters firearm rules for riders of Ames' public transit system, which serves the Iowa State University campus where firearms are otherwise prohibited. The city has argued that buses travel regularly on campus, creating a conflict between state law and local campus rules.

The CyRide board's policy now permits passengers to carry firearms openly or concealed on buses, reversing the prior prohibition. The underlying lawsuit alleging the prohibition violated Iowa Code remains active.

The players

Natalie Gibson

An Iowa State University student who filed the lawsuit challenging the city's firearms prohibition on buses.

Iowa Firearms Coalition

A gun rights advocacy group that praised the policy change as a victory for Second Amendment rights.

The details

Natalie Gibson filed suit challenging the city's ban on carrying firearms on buses, and the CyRide board updated its policy in response. The city stated that buses travel regularly on the Iowa State University campus, where firearms are prohibited, and the Iowa Firearms Coalition called the change a significant victory for Second Amendment rights.

Article reporting the CyRide policy change was published November 9, 2026.

Legal Context

The dispute turns on whether Ames' local firearms prohibition conflicts with Iowa Code, a question that places the CyRide case within the state's broader framework governing local authority over firearm rules. The outcome of Gibson's lawsuit will determine whether municipalities in Iowa can restrict carry rights in public transit beyond what state law allows.

Riders on CyRide buses may now lawfully carry firearms, openly or concealed, which changes safety expectations for passengers and drivers. The change applies to transit that runs through the Iowa State University campus, where firearms remain prohibited under campus rules.

The takeaway

Local transit rules can shift quickly when a lawsuit challenges them, so riders should check current CyRide policy before traveling with a firearm. The case's outcome will clarify how far Ames can go in restricting firearms beyond state law.