For the past couple of months, concerns have risen about the safety of the metro, as several reports have arisen about assault, crime, harassment, and more. Hamilton students who are only able to travel using the Metro say they feel more vulnerable, particularly when traveling alone or at night.
Some Hamilton students solely rely on public transportation, and say they have to push through the issues. Hamilton is close to many bus stops and the Palms train station as well as the Culver City station. Both are common stops where students wait for the trains.
Zephaniah Smith, a BIT senior, stated that although the Metro lines are an efficient way to get where you need to be when you don’t have a ride, they are not always comfortable.
“The brakes were just not working as efficiently as they should have, so the train would break hard and people would move around and fall out of their seats,” Zephaniah said.
Elijah Smith, a senior in AMPA, shared similar concerns about seating and safety.
“There are not enough seats,” he said. “It’s packed and when the train moves too fast it causes people to trip or fall.”
Other students said that they sometimes feel unsafe with other riders on the metro.
“There’ve been some crazy people on the train, homeless people trying to talk to you and they might have weapons,” adds CAA senior Jessie Escoto. “I’ve gotten yelled at on the train.”
Jessie, as well as other students, agree that there need to be more security implementations.
Parents have also voiced their concerns and want to raise awareness of the problems surrounding the metro. Elijah Smith said that his parents always ensure that he’s with somebody when riding the Metro system.
In June, a man was shot on the Metro bus, causing a spike of concern among riders. According to NBC Los Angeles, 65% more crimes were committed in early 2024, bringing more violent incidents closer to Los Angeles students. However, surrounding influences such as different areas and the homeless population also have a big impact on the safety of students.
Recently, on a Metro bus as well, there was a hijacking incident with an armed gunman on board. These incidents put people at risk on public transportation and require that more security is around. Earlier this year, Mayor Karen Bass ordered more security on Metro systems amidst the trouble regarding the transportation system for Angelenos.
The concern among students about their safety on the Metro systems continues to grow as crimes increase.
Zephaniah Smith said, “Random people who get on the train aren’t safe.”
