Bill aims to make U.S., CA transit safer and cheaper

(The Center Square) - A new bill in Congress seeks to make public transit systems across the country, including those in California, safer and more affordable. The Safe and Affordable Transit Act would create new federal grants that would pay for more police officers who patrol public transit systems, according to the summary of the bill. The legislation is also intended to cover transportation infrastructure upgrades. The ultimate aim is to reduce crime on public transit, cut costs for local agencies and increase rider confidence, said U.S. Rep. Laura Friedman, D-Burbank. “Safety on transit is often cited by riders as a concern,” the California congresswoman told The Center Square on Monday. “Getting people onto transit, which is convenient and less expensive, makes people's quality of life better. It gives people choices, and there’s a lot of reasons why making sure people have access to safe, reliable public transit is important.” The bill would also ensure that the costs of upgrade