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.
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.
Madeline Skrak, City of Albuquerque Transit Department Public Information Officer, said, as of Friday, the city has created 31 out of the 87 total positions.
“We will fund the remaining positions incrementally until we reach 87, which is the number Parametrix recommends in its preferred strategy,” Skrak told City Desk ABQ. Transit safety officers are paid a starting salary of $43,368 – $44,928 per year, according to an online job posting from the city.
The comprehensive security overhaul comes after a series of high-profile incidents that highlighted ongoing safety challenges on the city’s transit system. In May, a bus driver suffered broken bones after being attacked by a passenger near the University of New Mexico, and in July, a bus driver fatally stabbed a passenger following an altercation near Coors Boulevard.
Despite these serious incidents, city data shows a complex security picture. While security calls have skyrocketed 81% over the past year — rising from 3,929 in late fiscal 2024 to 7,123 by spring 2025 — the most serious Class A incidents, including assaults and major disturbances, have actually decreased dramatically from 171 in July 2023 to just 15 by May 2025.
“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.”
Less than three weeks after a city bus driver fatally stabbed a passenger near Coors Boulevard, new data shows security calls to Albuquerque’s transit system have jumped 81% over the…
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,” Transit Director Leslie Keener said in a press release. “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, though specific ridership or incident data was not immediately available.
The security plan represents part of ABQ RIDE’s broader mission to provide “safe, clean, and reliable transportation” to the community. The comprehensive security strategy comes as transit systems nationwide grapple with safety concerns that have affected ridership levels in many cities since the pandemic. Albuquerque’s approach of combining municipal transit management with police department expertise reflects a growing trend toward collaborative security models in public transportation.
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.
Previous City Desk ABQ Coverage:
Albuquerque bus driver suffers broken bones after being attacked by passenger – May 7, 2025
ART security calls skyrocket, but actual violence plummets – July 31, 2025
Bus driver in custody after fatal stabbing in Albuquerque – July 9, 2025