METRO drivers on high alert following deadly shooting on bus in west Houston

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Following the deadly shooting of 25-year-old Caitlin Stup on a METRO bus on Wednesday, bus drivers told ABC13 the incident left them feeling on edge.

ABC13 spoke with a current driver anonymously due to fear of retaliation.

“It makes the other drivers very concerned that something similar can happen to them, so we have to be very careful, we’re on high alert now,” the driver said.

He said drivers are not allowed to hassle people who don’t obey the guidelines, and think more enforcement can help.

“If there were some type of officer on the bus, whether it’s a METRO police officer or the fare enforcement personnel on the bus standing near the front,” he said.

He said anything to make sure the public knows METRO means business.

“And that we are willing to expend resources so that our drivers are safe, and they feel safe by the measures we are putting in place for them,” the driver said.

ABC13 reached out to METRO about drivers’ concerns, telling ABC13:

METRO operators are instructed to quote the fare once when passengers board and then allow them to ride. They are not responsible for fare enforcement and are not police officers. If a customer becomes a repeat fare offender or a situation raises safety concerns, operators are instructed to submit a Police Action Report so METRO Police can assess the issue and determine next steps.

All METRO buses are equipped with emergency alert systems. When an operator activates the panic button, the microphone automatically turns on so Bus Control can hear what is happening in real time and immediately dispatch a service supervisor while notifying METRO Police to respond. Operators also receive mandatory de-escalation training and are protected by driver barriers installed on buses.

In the incident [on Wednesday], the operator followed safety protocols by quickly stopping the bus, off-boarding passengers and alerting Bus Control, which allowed METRO Police and emergency responders to arrive promptly. We are grateful for the operator’s professionalism and calm response, which helped keep other passengers safe.

While no transit system can prevent every act of violence, METRO has multiple safety measures in place to support rapid response and investigations, including onboard surveillance cameras that helped investigators quickly identify and apprehend the suspects in this case.

The safety of our riders, employees and community remains METRO’s top priority, and we will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to maintain a safe and welcoming transit environment.

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