LANSING – The House today passed a plan by State Representative Gabe Leland (D-Detroit) to promote the growth of mass transit in Michigan by increasing protections for the hundreds of thousands of residents who ride the bus to travel to the places where they learn, work and shop.
"Michigan's public transit systems have great potential to improve our economy and our environment, and I want to make sure we're doing everything we can to increase the number of people who see riding the bus as a viable option," said Leland, who is a member of the House Transportation Committee. "This plan protects the men and women who operate our public buses, and it will help develop our mass transit systems so we can give more residents affordable access to jobs, education, and health care."
The plan increases protections for bus drivers and users by making it a felony to injure an employee, operator or passenger of a public transit vehicle, including people at bus stops or stations.
The penalty for causing bodily injury to anyone in those categories would be two years in prison and a $2,000 fine. For an injury requiring medical attention, the penalty would increase to four years in prison and $5,000. If the victim's injury results in serious impairment, the perpetrator could be sent to prison for 10 years and fined $10,000.
"People should feel safe when they're using public transportation – it's as simple as that," said State Representative Bettie Cook Scott (D-Detroit). "The reprehensible people who abuse and attack public transportation employees or their passengers need to be punished accordingly. These bills will ensure that these criminals think about the consequences before they act."
Leland emphasized that keeping our bus systems as safe as possible and promoting a positive image of them is a goal that has many benefits.
"Supporting public transit is an important part of cutting down on pollution, congestion and the consumption of our fossil fuels," Leland said. "With this plan, we are sending a strong message that our public transit systems are vital assets in Michigan's future in many ways and they must be protected."