Safety and Security
The Safety and Security department works to ensure the protection of all customers and employees at BJCTA facilities and on MAX buses. All incidents concerning safety or harassment will be addressed according to policy including rude and irate customers. In addition to safeguarding BJCTA property, Safety and Security is also responsible for training operators on pre-trip and proper operations of vehicles so that every passenger experiences a pleasant trip.
Department Head:
Christopher Brewstrer
Director of Safety & Security
Useful Links:
Safety Rules
BJCTA cares about you and your safety. Here are some simple rules to ensure your safety.
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Bus Operators are not allowed to stop and board passengers once the bus has pulled away from the curb in a station or bus stop. Please try to be at bus bay/stop five minutes prior to scheduled departure time.
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Collapsible or folding baby strollers are allowed on the bus, but must be folded while on board and the aisle should not be blocked.
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Please ring the bell one block before your stop to allow the Operator enough time to bring the bus to a safe stop.
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To prevent tripping hazards, do not extend your legs or other items into the aisle.
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Please refrain from talking to the bus operator while the bus is in motion.
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Please allow other passengers to exit before entering.
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Be sure to use the handrails when going down the steps.
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If you are going to cross the street after getting off the bus, wait for the bus to leave and be aware of oncoming traffic. Never cross in front of a bus.
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Cross streets only in designated cross walks, and be sure to obey all traffic signals.
General Safety
Recreational equipment such as skateboards, roller skates or roller blades are not allowed on BJCTA property or buses.
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Beware of pickpockets that may be near you if you become jostled in a crowd.
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Hold your purse tightly, close to your body.
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Always keep your wallet in a front pocket or inside coat pocket, or in a buttoned hip pocket.
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Only 1 to 2 grocery bags are allowed on buses and must not take up a seat or block the aisle.
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If you are carrying a buggy, it must be folded upon boarding and not block the aisle.
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If you are traveling with children it is important that they are well supervised.
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To prevent separation from children, be sure to board together.
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Strollers should be folded upon boarding.
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When exiting the bus, always leave with children in front of you, never behind you.
Code of Conduct & Carry-On Item Policy
Safety is a guiding principle for the Birmingham Jefferson County Authority (BJCTA), which transports over one million riders annually. To ensure that principle is met, a successful partnership between BJCTA employees and the public must guarantee that everyone involved behaves respectfully.To achieve this, BJCTA has adopted two new policies: a Code of Conduct and a Bag Policy. Please read these policies carefully:
CODE OF CONDUCT :
POLICY
It is the mission of BJCTA, through the efforts of dedicated, well-trained employees to provide a safe and secure environment for customers and employees of BJCTA. BJCTA has established a Customer Code of Conduct to promote the safety and comfort of its riders, to facilitate the proper use of transit facilities and services, to protect transit facilities and employees, to assure the payment of fares and to ensure that BJCTA vehicles and facilities are safe, welcoming and provide equitable access for BJCTA customers.
TRANSIT VIOLATIONS AND PROHIBITED BEHAVIORS
No individual may engage in inappropriate conduct on, at, or in both the public and non-public areas of BJCTA facilities, including in shelters, at bus stops, and at administrative, operational, and maintenance facilities used to provide BJCTA fixed route, Micro transit or paratransit services.
The following are those behaviors and activities that are strictly prohibited:
A. Animals
1. Bringing prohibited animals. This does not include a guide dog or service dog, or other service animal as permitted by federal statute or regulation, provided that such guide dog or service dog is accompanied by a person with a disability or a person who is responsible for training a guide dog or service dog.
B. Commercial Activity/Solicitation
1. Engaging in unauthorized commercial activity. BJCTA must grant express permission or a concession to allow persons to sell goods or services or solicit money, and any commercial activities or solicitation without BJCTA’s express approval is strictly forbidden. This applies to all vehicles and paid areas of any Transit Center or Intermodal bus station.
2. Giving commercial handbills or flyers to the operator or passengers of a bus, micro transit or paratransit vehicle. This applies to vehicles and paid areas of any Transit Center or Intermodal bus station.
3. Engaging in the distribution or sale of drugs or the commission of any other crime.
C. Conduct/Civility
1. Spitting.
2. Littering.
3. Bringing commercial or large-size carts or dollies onto any BJCTA vehicle unless it collapses. A small, personal-use-size stroller or small cart must be securely held and must not block passageways.
4. Roller-skating, rollerblading, or skateboarding on buses or in transit stations.
5.* Indecent exposure.
6. Other disorderly conduct. This refers to actions that prevent customers and employees from comfortably using buses, call center interactions, or transit facilities for their intended purpose. This includes but is not limited to yelling, harassing another patron, or any intentional physical contact with another patron or employee.
7.* Stealing or willfully damaging BJCTA property.
8. Defecating or urinating.
9. Consuming alcohol.
10. Consuming illegal drugs.
D. Fares
1. Passengers are not permitted to remain on the bus for continuous rides without a valid destination. Riders must exit the bus at the end of the line and may reboard only if they have a new trip or destination. This policy ensures fair access to transit services for all customers.
2. Refusing to pay a fare or show specific fare media to a BJCTA employee.
3. Misusing fare media.
4.* Distributing or selling counterfeit or stolen fare media.
5. Max Transit does not provide refunds for purchased fares, passes, or tickets, regardless of usage or circumstances. All sales are final. Please ensure you select
the appropriate fare or pass for your travel needs before completing your purchase.
Note: (*) These could constitute a jailable offense and/or expulsion from transit system.
E. Food, Drink & Smoking
1. Bringing open food or beverage containers onto vehicles. Open food containers are not allowed on vehicles. Open beverage containers are also not allowed on vehicles, unless they are resealable. This does not apply to bus operators at authorized locations or to anyone giving food or beverage to a child under age five.
2. Smoking any kind of tobacco or using electronic cigarettes or vaporizers in a bus, transit center or intermodal bus station.
F. Noise
1. Inappropriate use of audio devices. Audio devices, including radios, cassette players, CD players, iPods, MP3 devices, mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and other similar devices, must not be audible to other passengers.
2. Conduct that is unreasonably loud or disturbing. Engaging in indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud or highly disruptive of other individuals’ use of BJCTA facilities or services. This does not mean ordinary conversation at reasonable volumes.
G. Safety
1. Remaining aboard a bus, or any other vehicle when not allowed. Passengers should not remain in vehicles after they have completed their routes and passengers have been told to exit or when vehicles have entered a garage, or other area not open to the public. Passengers should not enter a BJCTA vehicle if told by an authorized BJCTA employee not to do so or remain in vehicles if banned from the premises.
2. Entering, exiting, or passing through any emergency door of any bus unless there is a present emergency.
3. Entering the operator's cab or driver's seat of any bus or micro transit vehicle unless there is an emergency.
4. Making false claims against a customer or BJCTA employee.
5. Standing in front of the yellow standee line at the front of the bus near the driver’s seat unless briefly passing through this area while boarding or leaving the bus.
6.* Assault or threat of assault.
7.* Hindering or disturbing the operation, operator, or passengers of a bus or micro transit vehicle.
8. * Fighting.
9.* Harassing or threatening BJCTA passengers or employees. This includes following or stalking.
10. Avoiding or interfering with properly functioning security measures, such as a metal detector.
11. Customers may use the lobby of a transit station for a maximum of one hour and must be actively waiting for their scheduled bus. Proof of an upcoming trip may be required upon request. Loitering, sleeping, or any non-transit-related activities are prohibited.
H. Weapons
1.* Bringing explosives, acids, other dangerous articles, destructive devices, or hoax devices onto BJCTA property. Bringing any items of a dangerous nature on-board buses or micro transit vehicles including flammable liquids; dangerous, toxic or poisonous
substances; vessels containing caustic materials, chemicals, acids or alkalis; fishing rods which are not broken down or have unsecured or exposed hooks or lures; sheet glass and sharp objects.
2.* Pointing or aiming any weapon including a gun or pistol at another as defined in BJCTA property.
Using, utilizing, and/or discharging a gun or pistol on BJCTA property. If the weapon is prohibited by federal law, it is not allowed on BJCTA property, even with a license.
Note: (*) These could constitute a jailable offense and/or expulsion from transit system.
Suspension and Expulsion
A. IMMEDIATE EXPULSION
BJCTA Safety Department may expel a person who violates BJCTA’s Customer Code of Conduct from BJCTA property by issuing such person an order to immediately exit the property. This type of expulsion order is effective for twenty-four (24) hours following the expulsion. After this time, it does not suspend a person’s ability to re-enter BJCTA property. If a person refuses to exit immediately and remain off the property, they will be arrested for criminal trespass. A person can be expelled from BJCTA property either orally or in writing. Twelve-hour expulsions cannot be appealed or reviewed.
B. TRANSIT SUSPENSION PROCEDURE
1. Those who violate the rules listed above may be suspended from entering BJCTA’s property and using the transit system at BJCTA’s sole discretion. The citation will include the cause of the suspension, the length of suspension, and notice that violating the suspension may result in criminal prosecution.
2. Citations may be issued by BJCTA Safety Department, Birmingham Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff Department, BJCTA Security Department, or any other law enforcement authority in Jefferson County, AL.
3. Citations shall state the date on which they become effective.
4. A person may also be issued a conditional exclusion letter, which will allow them to use transit facilities and services under certain conditions. Juvenile passengers, for example, may be required to have an accompanying guardian. Citations also inform the person of his/her right to appeal against the citation. The appeal process is described on the back of the citation.
C.LENGTH OF SUSPENSIONS
1. A person receiving a citation for a violation of one of the following Code sections shall be suspended for thirty (30) days: A1, B1, B2, C1, C2, C3, C4, C6, E1,
E2, F1, F2, G1, G2, G4, G5.
2. A person receiving a citation for a violation of one of the following Code sections shall be suspended for a period of sixty (60) days: C8, C9, D1, D2, D3, G3, G4, G10
3. A person receiving a citation for a crime against a person involving a firearm or other dangerous weapon or a crime against a person or sexual offense that is a felony or misdemeanor, shall be suspended for three hundred and sixty-five (365) days and may, given the severity of the offense, be permanently banned from the system in BJCTA’s sole discretion.
4. A person receiving a citation for a violation of one of the following Code sections: B3, C5, C7, G6, G7, G8, G9, H1 or H2, shall be suspended for three-hundred and sixty-five (365) days and may, given the severity of the offense, be permanently banned from the system in BJCTA’s sole discretion.
5. A person who violates an active suspension notice will be suspended for a period of thirty (30) days.
6. A person who receives three (3) citations (which are not appealed or if appealed, a final determination of guilt has been made) within a ninety (90) day period shall receive a three hundred and sixty-five (365) day suspension.
7. A person who receives four (4) citations (which are not appealed or if appealed, a final determination of guilt has been made) within a ninety (90) day period shall be permanently banned from the system.
Note: On the suspension form, officers shall list the code section that corresponds to the violation on the description violation line. Example: Fare Evasion, D1, violators
refuse to pay the required fare of $1.50.
D. APPEAL/ REVIEW OF SUSPENSIONS
1. A citation may be appealed by written request sent by registered or certified mail, statutory overnight delivery, or hand delivery within thirty (30) days of the issuance of such citation. Within ten (10) days of receipt of a request for a hearing, BJCTA shall respond to the person requesting a hearing to schedule a hearing date, which shall be no later than thirty (30) days from the receipt of the request. If no hearing is requested within thirty (30) days of the issuance of a citation, the issue shall be deemed final and become effective immediately.
2. If no appeal is made, use of Authority services or entry upon Authority property is forbidden and subsequent use of services or entry upon property during a period of suspension shall constitute criminal trespass. Violation of this notice shall be grounds for issuance of an additional suspension from BJCTA and prosecution for criminal trespass in accordance with Ala. Code § 13A-7-4 (1975).
FARE FORFEITURE
An individual who is suspended from BJCTA will not be entitled to any refund of unused fare media that may expire during the time of his/her exclusion.
CARRY-ON ITEMS POLICY
Please Note:
- Operators cannot assist passengers with carry-on items.
- Any item(s) brought on the bus must be of size and quantity to fit on that rider's lap or under the seat. Items brought on the bus cannot exceed quantity or size as to obstruct the aisle, occupy a seat, or be considered too unwieldy for a single person to safely transport.
- Passengers are not allowed to get on and off the bus to load packages
PASSENGERS MAY:
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- Passengers may bring bags onto the bus, as long as the bags can fit between their feet, or on their lap in a manner which does not obstruct the aisle.
- Passengers may bring grocery pull carts onto the bus, as long as they can collapse and put under or between the passengers’ feet in a manner which does not obstruct the aisle. Items must be removed from pull carts so that the cart can properly collapse.
- Passengers may bring portable respirators, concentrators, and oxygen tanks onto the bus. These items must be restrained by the passenger in a manner that does not obstruct the aisle.
- Passengers may bring baby strollers onto the bus, as long as the baby is taken out of the stroller and the stroller can collapse and be placed under or between the passengers’ feet in a manner which does not obstruct the aisle.
Additional Safety Contacts
For more safety related information you can contact the entities below
CAPS
CAP, City Action Partnership, is a nonprofit organization enabled by state legislation and city ordinance to provides services in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. Click below for more information.
Local Police
For more information about the Birmingham Police Department click the link below.
National Threat Advisory
For more information about the National Threat Advisory please click the link below.