NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nicole Dodgen jumped on board a We Go bus for the first time today.
"I am going to work now but I will be riding the bus home as well," said Dodgen. "Public transportation is a little bit cheaper and economical."
When you think about riders, usually they aren't like Nicole because most of them ride consistently. But the city's bus system wants to boost ridership, and one way they want to do it is by addressing safety concerns.
Metro Police Deputy Chief Tommy Widener spoke about some of the concerns the Metro Nashville Police Department will help to address.
"I think if you have fear of crime you are probably not going to have the riders and the participants that you need," said Widener.
Pretty soon, WeGo will change its security contract, meaning riders will be more likely to see security officers around places like WeGo Central and on some buses as well.
WeGo Chief Security Officer Nick Oldham spoke about the changes at Mayor O'Connell's round-table.
"You will certainly see hopefully, down the road, the implementation of our security officers being on buses and patrolling bus stops," said Oldham.
It's important to point out that security officers aren't able to arrest anyone on a bus or at a bus station.
"Security will not be making arrests as Metro Nashville Police Department they are there simply to enforce our code of conduct," said Oldham.
That's why WeGo partnered with Metro Police who appointed a police officer, Captain Brian Williams, as a transit liaison who will begin reviewing a potential Metro Police division dedicated to transit.
Mayor O'Connell announced a partnership at the round-table and said he hopes more people like Dodgen will find public transit meets their needs.
"When it came down to making the decision I realized it was an option for me," said Dodgen.
Metro Council should get a look at the proposal in the coming weeks.
The proposal to the city asks for $6 million in additional funds for security measures and some of that money would come from the recently passed Choose How You Move referendum.
WeGo said a 14-month survey determined security would need to be increased proposing to change security hours from 800 to 1,200 and adding security officers to some buses.
This all comes on the heels of several deadly incidents at WeGo bus stops, on buses, and at the main terminal in downtown Nashville.
On November 15, 2024, a woman was stabbed to death at the bus bench on Harding Place in Antioch. Police say surveillance video showed Roy Lomax Gardner attacked the woman unprovoked. The WeGo bus was not involved in the incident itself.
Just a few days later, a fight between two teenagers at the WeGo station downtown turned deadly. 16-year-old Braden Caldwell was shot on the second level of the bus terminal building. He was rushed to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt where he died. 15-year-old Shamari Bailey was charged.
And, in May of 2024, a 30-year-old woman was charged with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing a WeGo bus driver in the hand. Dericka Scivally took off after the stabbing but was later arrested.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Kim.Rafferty@newschannel5.com.
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