Metro says they are getting safer thanks to fare evasion enforcementMetro is reporting drastic drops in crime aboard its bus and rail system for the second year in a row. Data from Metro’s 2026 fiscal year, from July 2025 through June, show the number of aggravated assaults decreased by 19% compared with fiscal 2025 levels. Officials at Metro are partially crediting the transit system’s stepped up enforcement of fare evasion. During the 2026 fiscal year, there were over 9,600 bus fare evasion citations, up from a 2023 low of just seven total citations for the entire year. “Clearly, having the National Guard on the system is more eyes and ears of the system,” Clarke said.