Owensboro City leaders are moving to establish clearer rules for dealing with unruly bus passengers, introducing an ordinance Tuesday that would allow officials to suspend or revoke riding privileges for those who disrupt service or endanger others. The proposal aims to protect both riders and drivers while outlining a formal appeals process for anyone facing suspension.
City Manager Nate Pagan said the ordinance was modeled after a similar process already in place for the City’s Parks and Recreation Department.
“Unfortunately, we do occasionally have unruly riders, and their behavior may be disruptive or at times even involving intervention from law enforcement,” Pagan said during Tuesday’s City Commission meeting. “We need a mechanism to suspend their privileges on the bus system. This ordinance basically puts that structure in place.”
Under the proposal, the transit manager, public works director, or their designees could issue temporary suspensions of up to 120 hours for conduct violations, including disruptive or violent behavior, abusive language, substance use, property damage, or other criminal activity on buses or at stops.
Longer suspensions or permanent revocations could be issued by the city manager upon review of the evidence and recommendation from staff. The affected individual would have the right to submit a written response and could appeal the city manager’s decision to the Board of Commissioners within 10 days.
Pagan said the suspension length would be “commensurate with the offense,” noting that while some cases could warrant a year-long suspension, he couldn’t recall any instance of a lifetime ban.
The ordinance also establishes penalties for violating a suspension or revocation order, including fines up to $500 and potential jail time of up to 30 days.
The measure will return for a second reading and final vote at the next Commission meeting on November 18.
