The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) are expanding their approaches to transit safety, pairing traditional law-enforcement efforts with new programs focused on rider assistance, crisis intervention, community engagement, and greater transparency.

The CTA is launching a $9.6-million Safe Ride Specialists pilot that will place trained, non-law-enforcement professionals on the system to respond to mental health and substance-use crises, engage young people, de-escalate conflicts, and connect riders with housing, health care, and other social services.

At the same time, the Maryland Transit Administration is introducing a CARE Ambassador Team and a public Safety and Security Dashboard designed to provide riders with on-system assistance while offering greater insight into safety incidents.

The initiatives reflect a broader shift among transit agencies toward a layered approach to safety that combines police resources with social-service providers, ambassadors, and other personnel who can address situations that do not necessarily require a law-enforcement response.

“Safety is really about meeting people where they are,” said the CTA’s Acting President Nora Leerhsen in announcing the Safe Ride Specialists program. “This program will help every rider feel welcome, connect vulnerable riders to the support they need, and complement our recent investments to increase law enforcement resources.”

CTA will evaluate the one-year pilot using measures that include incidents de-escalated without law enforcement, reductions in service delays, safety outcomes for riders and front-line employees, connections to wraparound services, and outcomes for vulnerable riders.

The CTA program, approved by the Chicago Transit Board, will deploy Safe Ride Specialists on the Blue, Red, and Green lines beginning in September. Four community organizations will provide the personnel.

The specialists will work in teams at targeted stations, on trains, and on buses, maintaining a visible presence while addressing antisocial behavior and connecting riders with services. They will be trained in trauma-informed care, crisis de-escalation, conflict resolution, and anti-bias principles, and will carry outreach materials, care and hygiene kits, and Narcan.

The program includes two primary functions: Crisis Intervention Specialists will work with people experiencing mental health crises and substance-use disorders, while Community Violence Intervention Specialists will engage youth and young adults, build relationships, and work to prevent conflicts from escalating.

The pilot was developed following a Transit Community Safety workshop held in August 2025 that brought together riders, more than 30 mental health and social-service experts, community organizations, and labor partners.

CTA will evaluate the one-year pilot using measures that include incidents de-escalated without law enforcement, reductions in service delays, safety outcomes for riders and front-line employees, connections to wraparound services, and outcomes for vulnerable riders.

The program is part of a larger expansion of CTA's safety and outreach efforts. The agency has also increased law-enforcement resources through partnerships with the Chicago Police Department and Cook County Sheriff's Office.

CTA is separately expanding its partnership with the city's Department of Family and Support Services to provide additional assistance to people experiencing homelessness. The expanded agreement will provide up to $4.2 million annually for the next two years, supporting outreach on the 24-hour Red and Blue lines and at least 30 dedicated shelter beds.

The Blue Line will gain a third outreach team to provide 24/7 coverage, while a nurse will join the existing Red Line outreach team. Outreach workers can connect people with shelters, health care, behavioral health services, substance-use treatment, meals, clothing, showers, and other resources.

Since CTA and DFSS began working together in 2023, the agencies say the partnership has connected thousands of people with outreach services, shelter placements and housing opportunities.

In Maryland, the MTA is taking a somewhat different approach, adding a visible customer service presence while providing the public with more information about safety trends across the system.

The new CARE — Customer Assistance and Rider Experience — Ambassador Team will begin working on the Metro Subway and Light Rail system September 1. Ambassadors will help riders with trip planning and navigation, provide service information, explain fare and payment options, and answer questions.

They will also receive de-escalation training, enabling them to address minor issues and promote respectful behavior in accordance with the agency's Code of Conduct.

“The safety of our riders and employees will always be our top priority,” said Maryland Transit Administrator Holly Arnold. “The CARE Ambassadors and Safety dashboard work together with other agency tools, including the Code of Conduct and See Say app, to provide a comprehensive safety approach across the transit system.”

The MTA's new Safety and Security Dashboard provides data on serious crimes and clearance rates, offering riders and stakeholders additional information about safety throughout the system. The agency said Part 1 violent crimes, including robbery, assault and homicide, declined in both 2024 and 2025, while police cleared 76% of serious crime cases over the past two years.

The dashboard is intended to provide context for the MTA, which serves nearly four million trips annually. The agency said safety indicators have continued to improve this year even as ridership increases.

The MTA Police also continue to use a combination of community engagement, station patrols, vehicle checks, and other policing strategies, while working with Baltimore City Police, Baltimore City School Police, the city's Department of Juvenile Services, the Mayor's Office of Youth Violence and other community organizations, and jurisdictions.

The MTA's new Safety and Security Dashboard provides data on serious crimes and clearance rates, offering riders and stakeholders additional information about safety throughout the system.

Photo: Maryland Transit Administration

Both agencies are positioning their new initiatives as additions to — rather than replacements for — traditional security measures.

Chicago's Safe Ride Specialists will focus on situations where outreach, crisis intervention, or violence prevention may be more appropriate than a police response. At the same time, Maryland's CARE Ambassadors are designed to provide a highly visible customer service presence and help resolve minor issues before they escalate.

The approaches also reflect a growing emphasis on connecting riders experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, or other crises with services beyond the transit system.

For CTA, the Safe Ride pilot will also help inform regional safety initiatives led by the Northern Illinois Transit Authority. In Maryland, the CARE team and dashboard join other recent initiatives, including the See Say mobile app, launched in October 2025, which allows riders to discreetly report safety concerns directly to MTA Police.

Together, the programs illustrate how transit agencies are broadening the definition of safety — combining enforcement and security with prevention, social services, customer assistance and better communication with riders.

The CTA and MTA are launching programs focused on de-escalation, crisis response, rider assistance, and enhanced transparency.