The Trump administration is using isolated incidents on public transit systems to call for tighter security.
The U.S. Department of Transportation is threatening to withhold federal transportation funding from the Boston and Chicago transit systems if the agencies don’t take additional actions to improve the safety of passengers and transit workers, reports David Shepardson for Reuters.
“The U.S. Transportation Department pointed to recent incidents involving the Chicago Transit Authority and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority involving injured passengers and sent letters to both cities demanding responses within two weeks.” USDOT similarly threatened to cut up to 25 percent of New York City’s transit funding.
According to Shepardson, “Phillip Eng, CEO of Boston's transit authority, said in a statement this week that he spoke to the head of the Federal Transit Administration to discuss ‘our shared commitment in ensuring the security of every passenger, and we are in agreement about providing the safest commute possible for all riders and employees.’” The Chicago Transit Authority did not reply to Reuters’ request for comment.
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