With the end of Daylight Saving Time, nightfall already descends by the end of each school day. Many CSArts students who rely on the Metro system for transportation are left navigating the dark streets and stations. Students have developed growing concerns for safety, fearing the vulnerability that comes with darkness on public transport. With this in mind, Metro has been working hard to help ensure the safety of all students, enhancing their own safety programs and policies among their Los Angeles stations.
In order to stay safe, The CSArtisan spoke with Metro officials and they suggest always traveling in pairs or groups.
There is always safety in numbers,”
Jackie Gonzalez from Metro said. It’s recommended that students stick together while walking to and from the Duarte station each day. In addition, Gonzalez urges students to always be aware of their surroundings.
This means remove headphones so you can hear what is going on around you, put your phone away to eliminate distractions, and be observant of emergency intercoms at the station and on the train in case of any issues arising.”
Gonzalez said, If you do see any suspicious or concerning activity on the system, don’t be afraid to report it on the LA Metro Transit Watch app, where you can report via text, phone call, or message through the app.
Safety is number 1 to Metro,”
adds Gonzalez. She said it is a team effort to protect students with sheriffs, the LAPD, Metro Security Staff, and Metro Ambassadors.
You can find Metro Ambassadors wearing bright green shirts at stations and on the trains. Gonzalez said the Metro Ambassadors have been effective in cutting incidents on the system as a whole.
We can’t control when the sun sets, but we can make the choice to utilize the safety recommendations given, and be assured that many people from Metro are striving to provide a safe commute for CSArts students.
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