NJ Transit to Bus Riders: You’re Safe [AUDIO]

Did you notice increased patrols Wednesday on NJ Transit buses and at the stops and terminals? Were you stopped so someone could check your bag? The safeguards were put in place to remind passengers that they should feel safe, not only on the rails, but on the buses as well.

NJ Transit participated in the first nationwide BUSSAFE counter-terror and criminal deterrence effort, designed to provide high police visibility across the mass transit bus systems. However, NJT Police Department Chief Christopher Trucillo said the effort is, and has been, an everyday effort in the Garden State.

"This is our daily routine," Trucillo said. "This isn't new to police across the state."

He said local police departments board the buses whenever there's an issue in their jurisdiction.

With NJ Transit providing an estimated 600,000 rides a day, Trucillo noted that acts of terror are not the only concern on law enforcement's radar.

"For buses, especially in the state of New Jersey, crime is an issue. It's a safety and security issue," he explained.

Trucillo could not recall a credible terror threat relating to a bus belonging to NJ Transit, but he said the agency must be "forward-thinking and look goes on in other parts of the world."

Last June, NJ Transit launched a security initiative that offered customers a simple way to report suspicious activity or unattended packages. They can text their message to NJTPD. It added to the agency's security hotline - 1-888-TIPS-NJT.