Safety on public transportation still is a concern for Detroit residents and bus drivers, despite a decline in reported assaults.
Transit police chief Ricky Brown tells The Detroit News that as of Nov. 20 there have been 16 assaults on drivers and passengers reported this year. That's down from 23 assaults during the same period last year.
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 26 president Fred Westbrook says he's counted more than 20 assaults on drivers alone, but agrees that the number of attacks has decreased. The union represents more than 400 Detroit Department of Transportation drivers.
Westbrook says there aren't enough transit police. Brown says there are 27 Detroit Transit Police employees assigned to monitor the buses.
