The Santa Monica Department of Transportation on Monday officially launched its new Prohibition Order Program, giving Big Blue Bus officials the authority to bar passengers who repeatedly violate transit rules or commit crimes aboard the city’s buses or at transit facilities.
The move follows the City Council's February approval of a new ordinance enabled by Senate Bill 1417, a state law authored by Senator Ben Allen and signed by the governor last year. That ordinance gave Big Blue Bus the authority to begin banning individuals whose behavior threatens the safety and comfort of passengers and drivers. Monday marked the official launch of the program, with enforcement protocols and advisory oversight now fully in place.
Under the new program, Big Blue Bus may issue prohibition orders ranging from 30 days to one year in length to individuals who have been cited multiple times for policy violations or arrested and convicted for offenses committed on or near its buses. The agency said Monday the measure is aimed at reinforcing rider safety and improving the transit experience without placing enforcement responsibilities directly on bus operators.
“The Prohibition Order Program helps us ensure a safe and welcoming environment for Big Blue Bus riders and operators by giving us another tool to enforce our Customer Code of Conduct,” Anuj Gupta, director of Santa Monica’s Department of Transportation, said in a statement. “The program supports our broader efforts to enhance the transit experience, so our customers can Ride with Confidence knowing that Big Blue Bus is safe, reliable and inclusive for all riders.”
Transit officials said the program was developed in response to growing concerns from drivers and passengers about the increasing frequency of disruptive incidents on board. Last year, several high-profile assaults on bus drivers across the region prompted transit agencies in Los Angeles County and beyond to explore new ways to protect frontline staff and riders.
Previously, Big Blue Bus relied on court-issued restraining orders to deal with problem passengers, a method the agency deemed insufficient given the legal burden and limited impact. The new program allows Big Blue Bus to take more direct action, while still ensuring due process and equity, officials said.
The process includes a formal appeals system in which individuals facing a ban will have 10 days to challenge the decision before the order goes into effect. Certain exemptions may be made for banned individuals needing transportation to medical appointments, work or legal proceedings.
The law requires that transit agencies operating such programs convene advisory committees to monitor implementation, provide oversight and ensure fairness in how prohibition orders are issued and enforced. The Santa Monica committee will include at least five members with expertise in mental health, youth advocacy and public safety. These individuals will also oversee training for transit personnel involved in issuing bans.
Bus drivers will not be expected to enforce the bans themselves. Instead, if a banned individual is identified onboard, the driver will contact dispatch to request assistance from law enforcement or the agency’s unarmed Transit Safety Officers, who have been riding the system since 2023.
The new enforcement tool is part of a broader set of customer experience enhancements that Big Blue Bus has rolled out in recent months. These include the “Brighter Blue” five-year service improvement plan, aimed at increasing frequency and extending operating hours on key routes, as well as the “Better Blue Bus Stop” project to install new seating, shelters and lighting at major stops across the service area.
“These initiatives work together to improve safety, accessibility and convenience for our riders,” Gupta said. “When customers feel secure and respected on board, it strengthens the entire transit ecosystem.”
The Prohibition Order Program also comes as the agency prepares for a two-phase fare increase set to begin in August. That proposal, now under City Council consideration following public hearings in April, would raise base TAP fares from $1.10 to $1.25 this summer and to $1.50 by July 2027. Cash fares and discount passes would also increase, while some pass options would be eliminated altogether.
According to agency figures, Big Blue Bus ridership rose 11 percent last year, with weekday service showing the sharpest gains. Route 7, which runs along Pico Boulevard, remains the most popular, while Rapid 12, linking UCLA and Westwood with the Metro E Line, maintains the best on-time performance at 79 percent.
The agency said Monday it currently operates 195 vehicles across a 58-square-mile area, with a long-term plan to convert its entire fleet from natural gas to zero-emission electric buses by 2032. More than 20 of the current vehicles are already battery electric, with the rest powered by renewable compressed or liquefied natural gas.
For more details on the Prohibition Order Program or to view the full Customer Code of Conduct, members of the public can visit bigbluebus.com/codeofconduct.