SacRT rolls out comprehensive customer survey to enhance rider safety, address street harassment

To create a safer and more inclusive public transportation system, the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) is launching a comprehensive customer survey to better understand and address the safety concerns of its transit riders.  

The survey, developed by the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University, was mandated by California Senate Bill 1161 (2022) to gather detailed information on the prevalence, locations and characteristics of street harassment faced by public transit passengers. In addition, California Senate Bill 434 (2023) requires the state’s 10 largest transit agencies, including SacRT, to use this tool to specifically engage riders from underrepresented communities, whose experiences may have been historically overlooked and collect their insights on transit safety. 

“Understanding the rider experience is essential to ensuring that all SacRT passengers feel safe when using public transportation,” said SacRT General Manager and CEO Henry Li. “This survey will help us take action where it matters most to improve the overall transit experience for everyone.” 

The survey will focus on various aspects of transit safety, such as the types and frequency of street harassment, how perceptions of safety influence riders' decisions to use transit and other related topics. The collected data will help SacRT and other transit agencies develop strategies and implement measures to create a safer environment across the entire transit network. 

SacRT will conduct the survey throughout October 2024, with outreach at stations, on buses and light-rail trains and via an online survey platform. All transit riders are encouraged to participate. 

As an incentive, riders who complete the survey will receive a $10 credit applied to their Connect Card or ZipPass account.