Transit Safety: A Cause for Concern?

On April 12, Frank James injured 23 people in a shooting spree at the 36th St N Train station.

By FARIS YOUSEF

Subway and bus crime is up 41.4% so far this year and is 8.4% above what it was in 2010. There have been several stories of people being pushed onto train tracks. There was even a mass shooting at the 36th St N Train station in Brooklyn on April 12 where gunman Frank James injured 23 people. I interviewed a few students at Midwood who take public transit daily to gauge how they feel riding the subway or bus these days.

Emilio Larios ‘23 said that, despite everything, he felt safe. “The only thing I worry about is train delays,” he said. “However, I don’t let my guard down, just in case.”

Kamail Mukhtar ‘23 agreed. “I always feel safe riding the subway and bus since I’m usually with a friend,” he said.

“I feel totally safe riding the subway or bus at any time of the day,” said Luca Eaton ‘23. “It has never been an issue for me.”

Do things feel different compared to previous years?

“I wouldn’t say that I feel less or more safe than I did,” said Larios. “Probably because I don’t go and explore much of the city on my own.”

“I feel just as safe as I did years ago,” said Mukhtar. “I’ve never been through anything that would make me feel unsafe.”

“It’s been the same experience for five years since I started taking public transportation,” said Eaton.

So far this year, there have been nearly 2,000 reported crimes on public transportation. But the students I spoke with had not personally experienced any violence.

“No, thankfully I’ve never experienced or witnessed any violent incidents on a bus or the subway, and I’d like to keep it that way,” said Mukhtar.

“Not any violence,” Eaton said, “only obnoxious groups of teens who don’t know how to behave on a bus.”

“I witness lots of homeless and less fortunate people on the train begging for money and sleeping on seats,” said Larios. “While they aren’t harmful for the most part, many can be intimidating.”

It seems that, despite the headlines, many students feel safe taking public transportation. Still, considering the increase in crime, the MTA could add improved surveillance and more officers in subways to keep things from getting worse.