After three years of incremental safety improvements, Albuquerque’s public transit system is implementing a comprehensive long-term security plan designed to address persistent safety concerns and boost ridership across the city’s bus network.
The Albuquerque Long-Range Transit Security Plan represents the culmination of efforts that began in 2022, when ABQ RIDE first started rolling out safety measures, including plexiglass driver barriers, mobile security support and enhanced surveillance systems. The new strategy calls for hiring 87 transit safety officers and establishing joint leadership between ABQ RIDE and the Albuquerque Police Department.
“Our transit system is undergoing a substantial safety transformation,” Mayor Tim Keller said in a press release. “You’ve seen initiatives like the See Say app and Rules to Ride – these are all part of a bigger security vision. Not only are we problem-solving for today, we’re implementing a long-term plan for ABQ RIDE that keeps our community safer.”
The plan emerged from a 2024 study conducted by Parametrix, a national transit planning and engineering consultancy, which evaluated ABQ RIDE’s existing safety practices and identified gaps in security coverage. The study recommended a multi-layered approach combining administrative oversight, increased staffing and enhanced enforcement capabilities.
Under the new security model, ABQ RIDE will handle administration, program management, and planning, while APD will oversee legal enforcement, tactical planning, hiring of transit safety officers and training programs. The city is also creating new positions, including a safety and security manager and a data analyst to monitor the program’s effectiveness.
The security transformation builds on measures implemented in 2023, when the city established a short-term plan that introduced a passenger removal policy, system-wide cleanliness improvements and the initial Transit Safety Officer program. These efforts were supported by partnerships between ABQ RIDE, APD, Albuquerque Community Safety and the city’s fire department.
“ABQ RIDE’s safety strategy has been forming for a long time now,” said Transit Director Leslie Keener. “We are proud to present the future of transit security to the public and want them to know that their safety is and will continue to be our top priority.”
The city reports that its multilayered safety approach has already yielded “significant strides” over the past 18 months.
ABQ RIDE’s dashboard shows some progress. Class A incidents — the most serious, including assaults and major disturbances — peaked at 171 in July 2023 but dropped to just 15 by May 2025. So, while total calls went up, the worst cases went down.
The city tracks transit-related calls from Albuquerque police, Metro Security and Albuquerque Community Safety under a 2022 ordinance, which requires quarterly reports. The law followed a $1 million push by the City Council to boost transit security, add oversight and improve accountability.
The security plan represents part of ABQ RIDE’s broader mission to provide “safe, clean, and reliable transportation” to the community. The timeline for fully implementing the 87 transit safety officer positions was not specified, though the city indicated it is hiring incrementally to reach that target.