Portland Streetcar Safety Team Supports a New Vision of Public Safety
Clad in purple vests and backpacks, the Portland Streetcar’s Rider Ambassadors are the newest addition to the city’s changing public transportation safety landscape.
Funded by a federal grant that aims to encourage riders back to public transportation as the pandemic wanes, the streetcar’s team of five Rider Ambassadors started riding the system in mid-January. During the year-long pilot project, the team is tasked with providing a non-security presence that increases onboard support for homeless riders in an effort to provide a feeling of safety for all passengers on the streetcar. Despite being only four months into the pilot year, streetcar leadership is already looking to make it permanent.
Isabella Garcia, Portland Mercury, April 27, 2022
Photo: “Portland Streetcar Rider Ambassador Zeyaad Moussa offering a rider cold weather supplies.” – Isabella Garcia
