Sun Tran seeks to put brakes on fare skips

Sun Tran expanded its contract with G4S to add two fare enforcement officers. The contract already included security for transit stations.

The officers will “help discourage fare evasion and unwanted behavior on the buses,” according to a city press release.

Increasing driver safety was a key promise of an agreement between Sun Tran parent Professional Transit Management and the Teamsters union that ended a 42-day bus strike in September. The Teamsters had complained about assaults on bus drivers.

This is the first time Sun Tran has used fare enforcement officers on buses, said Sun Tran communications director Kandi Young.

The Sun Link streetcar system also uses fare enforcement officers, and in the past Sun Tran has sometimes hired off-duty police officers, she said.

Bus Riders Union member Brian Flagg said it sounds like a double standard between bus riders and streetcar riders. It’s a lot easier to hop on the streetcar and ride for free because you don’t have to present a ticket to a driver, the way you do on the bus, he said.

The officers will ride many different routes, Young said.

They can help drivers deal with difficult passengers and defuse situations that could become dangerous for drivers and passengers, Young said.

Officers also can issue citations. They range from $100 to $2,500, Sun Tran said in a news release.

Sun Tran doesn’t track how often a person doesn’t pay or how often a driver deals with bad behavior by passengers.