Definitions:
- Violence: Physical force employed to violate, damage, abuse, injure, or strike in any manner.
- Threat: An expression or action showing intent to inflict harm. Giving signs or warnings of violence or the announcement of violence as a possibility.
- Inappropriate Behavior: Any conduct that does not demonstrate respect for safety and welfare of themselves and/or others or that interferes with the orderly provision of transportation services. The Vehicle Operator may use his or her sole discretion in determining the level of violation for all other inappropriate behavior(s)/conduct.
Etiquette and Conduct:
For the safety and comfort of all passengers and employees, the following rules of conduct will be enforced to ensure that all passengers have a pleasant experience.
- Federal regulations prohibit the operation of any bus with passengers standing ahead of the standee line.
- Articles which, because of their size or nature of content, may be dangerous to passengers are not allowed on the vehicle. Articles prohibited by City of Pasadena on its public transit services include but are not limited to:
- Illegal drugs.
- Weapons, including but not limited to knives and guns.
- Flammable or combustible materials or other dangerous substances such as gasoline, kerosene, and propane.
- Open containers of alcohol.
- Animals, other than service animals specifically trained to aid a person with a disability, except those animals that can be safely carried in a closed and secured bag, carrier or kennel.
- Any article that cannot be safely held and/or stored in a seat that could potentially hurt other passengers if it were to come into contact with another passenger during an unscheduled stop.
- Children in strollers must be removed from the stroller and placed in a seat or on a caretaker’s lap. Strollers must be folded and stored in such a way to keep the aisle free of obstructions to allow for the clear minimum aisle width necessary for other passengers and mobility devices.
- Carts or similar carrying devices must have items removed and placed in a seat or on the passenger’s lap. Carts or similar carrying devices must be folded and stored in such a way to keep the aisle free of obstructions to allow for the clear minimum aisle width necessary for other passengers and mobility devices.
- Passengers are required to pay proper fare for all transportation services.
- All passengers must wear shirts and shoes.
- Profane and vulgar language directed towards passengers or Vehicle Operator, loud distracting language, and/or obscene signs or gestures will not be tolerated on transit vehicles and/or facilities. Use of racial slurs, racial/ethnic name calling, displaying racial behaviors, etc. will not be tolerated.
For Your Safety and the Safety of Others:
- Please allow the Vehicle Operator to drive their vehicles safely.
- Smoking/vaping of any kind is prohibited on all vehicles. Vehicle Operators shall inform passengers in a courteous, but firm manner that smoking/vaping is prohibited.
- Passengers are prohibited from throwing objects from the vehicle, or sticking anything, including body limbs, out of the window.
- Excretion of any bodily fluid upon or at another person or object while on or at transit vehicles and/or facilities is prohibited.
- Please keep all aisles free of obstructions to allow for the clear minimum aisle width necessary for other passengers and mobility devices.
Passengers are Not Allowed to:
- Disturb or hinder the Vehicle Operator or disturb other passengers.
- Vehicle Operators should courteously request that the offending action cease. Examples of such disturbances or hindering of vehicle operations include, but are not limited to: excessive noise, throwing objects, physical violence, offensive behavior and speech, public intoxication, and harassing behavior.
- Ride the bus in an unsafe manner.
- Solicit the sale of goods or services on vehicles.
- Place advertisements on the inside or outside of the vehicles, nor may any passenger remove or deface those placed on the vehicles by the authorized representatives of the transit services operator or agency.
- Play loud musical devices on vehicles, unless headsets with reasonable level of volume, are being used.
- Perform any personal hygiene tasks while riding the vehicle (e.g., put on perfume, clip fingernails, etc.).
- Consume any alcoholic beverage or possess an open container of any alcoholic beverage.
- Possess weapons on or around transit vehicles and/or facilities.
- Make any sexual references, sexually implicit remarks, gestures or touch other passengers, indecent exposure, etc.
Note: At any time, a Transit Supervisor may refuse to transport or order off the bus any person who they determine is violating or has violated the “Etiquette and Code of Conduct.” No person shall refuse to depart from the operated City of Pasadena public transit service vehicles when ordered to do so by a Transit Supervisor.
Consequences of Misconduct:
The behaviors outlined previously will not be tolerated on City of Pasadena public transit services. Vehicles Operators, transit service staff, and/or City representatives will take direct and fitting action in response to misconduct, which may include the temporary or permanent loss of privileges of a rider(s) to use these services.
- Conduct that is deemed illegal/hazardous/violent will be addressed immediately, up to and including assistance from the appropriate transportation or security personnel, law enforcement officers/representatives, or other legal and/or administrative representatives.
- If one individual is inhibiting the safe atmosphere and/or causing a negative experience for any of the passengers, that person may be asked to cease the behavior causing the disturbance. If the behavior continues and the Vehicle Operator feels that the passenger has been given sufficient warning, the Vehicle Operator then has the right to ask the passenger to leave the bus if they deem there is imminent disruption to the safety of the vehicle operations or other passengers and/or after first consulting with a Transit Supervisor. If the passenger does not leave the vehicle after being asked to do so by the Vehicle Operator, the Vehicle Operator may then notify a Transit Supervisor of the situation so they can either respond on-site to provide additional assistance and/or notify the proper authorities to provide further assistance.
Animals on Public Transit Vehicles:
- All service animals specifically trained to aid a person with a disability are allowed to ride with their owner. This applies to any animal that is considered a service animal. Per the ADA, a service animal is any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability.
- Animals other than service animals, regardless of size, must be in an enclosed and secured bag, carrier, or kennel with no exceptions. This includes pets, emotional support animals, comfort animals, etc.; These animals have not been trained to aid an individual with a disability.
- A service animal must always be under the care and control of its handler, or someone designated by the handler. A service animal must wear a harness, leash, or other tether. However, if the handler is unable to use a harness, leash, or other tether because of a disability, or if the use of a tether would interfere with the service animal’s safe, effective performance of work or tasks, the handler may use other means to keep the animal under control.
- Animals may ride on a space available basis. If a transit vehicle is at capacity and there is no room to accommodate an animal, even one which complies with all other terms of this policy, the passenger must wait for the next vehicle.
- Any animal, including service animals, may be denied transportation if not under control or acting in a disruptive manner (e.g., showing aggressive behavior, barking excessively, lunging, growling, nipping, physically touching other passengers such as pawing, etc.) or if the animal is not housebroken (i.e., defecating, urinating). If such conduct is observed by the driver, the passenger/handler will be asked to remove their service animal from the vehicle.
- Allergic reactions from other passengers or fear of an animal are sufficient grounds to remove an animal (pets, emotional support animals, comfort animals, etc.) other than a service animal.
If you have any questions regarding this etiquette and code of conduct, you may contact the City of Pasadena Transit Division at (626) 744-4055.