Safety
Connect Transit makes safety a top priority and is always evaluating processes, procedures and features of our system to improve safety and to adapt to changing safety needs. This section of our website is dedicated to educating the public on some of the safety features and programs that are in place to help ensure we are operating safely and what riders, pedestrians and motorists can do help ensure their own safety.
Be alert around buses so that everyone can arrive safely. Attempting to cross the street in front of the bus can be extremely dangerous as oncoming traffic may not see you. Please wait until the bus has moved away from the stop before you attempt to cross the street and use a marked crosswalk whenever possible.
Pushing and shoving can cause accidents; please don’t let children play near buses. If possible hold your child’s hand as the bus approaches. Do not run after a bus once it has left the stop; wait for the next bus to arrive.
Use the handrails inside of the bus when boarding and exiting the bus, moving through the bus, or if standing inside of the bus.
Do not stand forward of the yellow or white lines at the front of the bus and do not stand in the step well of the exit doors.
Please follow the instructions provided by the Bus Operator or other Connect Transit employees.
In an effort to keep all Connect Transit customers and employees as safe as possible we are participating in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) "If You See Something Say Something™” campaign.
Connect Transit’s involvement in this campaign is an extension of a national plan developed by DHS and TSA. The program is designed to raise awareness in the community about potentially risky situations and what to do when you see one.
Whether you’re following your regular commute route, on your way to a movie or travelling to meet up with friends, public transit is a key part of your day. You know public transit, and no one can spot something suspicious or out of place better than you.
You are the first line of defense against acts of terrorism on our country—and we need your help. Find out more at http://www.dhs.gov/if-you-see-something-say-something .
If you see suspicious behavior or activity on a bus or at a transfer location please notify a Connect Transit employee, call our dispatch office at 309-828-9833, or contact the appropriate law enforcement agency.
Preventing acts of terrorism or crime is a community effort. You can make a positive contribution to Connect Transit and the "If You See Something Say Something™" campaign just by looking out for suspicious activity.
Examples of suspicious activity include but, are not limited to:
- Leaving bags unattended in the open
- Passing anonymous threats
- Discreetly using cameras, video recorders, binoculars or note taking
- Parking in restricted zones
- Observing security drills or procedures
From blizzards and extreme cold to tornadoes and droughts, we all understand that nature can be unpredictable and uncooperative at times. During weather related emergencies Connect Transit staff will be monitoring conditions in order to determine the risks posed to our customers and employees, and at times it may become necessary to suspend service in order to protect people from serious harm.
During those periods where a suspension of service is required Connect Transit will communicate information to the public through the following channels:
- Our website at www.Connect-Transit.com
- The Doublemap application on your smart phone or at www.rideconnecttransit.com/map
- Social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook
- WJBC
- The Pantagraph
While we will strive to provide as much notice as possible there may be times, such as during a tornado, in which an immediate suspension of service will be necessary. In these events Connect Transit will resume regular service as soon as it is safe to do so.
If you are travelling during periods of heavy snow and ice Connect Transit encourages you to plan ahead and include extra time for your trip.
In areas blocked by snow or ice accumulation please wait back at the sidewalk, at a cleared driveway or at a cleared corner. DO NOT stand in the street or wait at the top of a snowbank, remain on the sidewalk or the cleared area. Bus Operators will be looking for customers waiting in safe locations.
Remember to wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before trying to board.
Melting snow and ice can make bus floors slippery. Please hold on to the handrails when boarding, walking through the bus and standing inside of the bus.
We would like to remind passengers that in accordance with the Concealed Carry laws in the State of Illinois a licensee may not carry a firearm on “any bus, train, or form of transportation paid for in whole or in part with public funds, and any building, real property, and parking area under the control or a public transportation facility paid for in whole or in part with public funds”.
Please go to http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/98/098-0063.htm for additional details on concealed carry within the State of Illinois.
In the unlikely event that an evacuation is required, it is very important to be calm and listen to announcements or instructions from the Bus Operators and other Connect Transit personnel or uniformed officials.
If you are instructed to exit the vehicle you should locate the nearest accessible exit and look around as you prepare to exit, try to avoid hazards such as fire, smoke, and debris. Leave behind any heavy or bulky items so that you, and those around you, may exit quickly.
If you are capable of doing so, please assist other passengers that may need assistance.
Once clear of the vehicle, move to an area designated by a Connect Transit employee, emergency responder, or to an area that is upwind of any smoke or debris.
Connect Transit has partnered with Project Oz to be designated as a “Safe Place” for youth in crisis.
The Safe Place program extends the doors of local youth service agencies, such as Project Oz, to support youths in need of assistance in crisis situations.
A youth in need of a Safe Place can approach any Connect Transit employee, bus, or facility in order to gain access to services provided by Project Oz.
The following steps describe how Safe Place is intended to work:
- Step One – The youth arrives at a designated Safe Place location (identified by a Safe Place sign or decal) and tells the first available employee that they need help.
- Step Two – The employee finds a quiet, comfortable place for the youth to wait while they call the local Safe Place agency.
- Step Three – The Safe Place agency calls the location back to identify a trained representative who will come to meet the young person at the location.
- Step Four – Within 20-30 minutes or less, the Safe Place volunteer or staff member will arrive to talk with the youth and transport them to the agency, if necessary, for counseling, support, a place to stay or other resources.
- Step Five – Once at the Safe Place agency, counselors meet with the youth and provide support, resources and help. Family members or guardians are called to let them know that their child is safe. Agency staff makes sure the youth and their families receive the help and professional referrals they need.
Most young people hear about Safe Place during school presentations. Each student is presented with a Safe Place information card that has the local Safe Place phone number and explains that Safe Place help is free and confidential. Teens also hear about the program through word of mouth, social media and public service announcements on radio or TV.
See more at: www.NationalSafePlace.org
We would like to remind our customers that for the purposes of safety and quality assurance, video and audio recording is taking place on board Connect Transit buses.
Photography of Connect Transit customers and employees on board a Connect Transit vehicle is not permitted. Persons interested in taking photographs on board a Connect Transit vehicle should contact our offices at 309-828-9331.