METRO now requires every sworn police officer to spend at least two hours a week riding buses, a policy that puts more uniformed presence on four Spring-area Park & Ride express routes.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) expanded its Bus Safety Initiative on Sept. 1. The mandate covers officers in specialized units and administrative roles who were not previously required to ride routes as part of their regular duties, according to a METRO press release dated Sept. 10.

Four Spring-area express routes stand to see the added presence. Routes 202 (Kuykendahl), 204 (Spring), 209 (Spring/Kuykendahl) and 212 (Seton Lake) all run the I-45 HOV express lane between north Harris County and the Central Business District, according to METRO's Park & Ride page.

Route 204, for example, operates weekdays from before 5 a.m. to before 10 p.m. Buses depart roughly every 15 minutes from the Bammel and Carlsway stop. The regular fare is $3.75; the discounted fare is $1.85.

The program is not brand new. METRO Police Department (MPD) Chief Ban Tien, assistant chiefs, lieutenants and sergeants began logging at least four hours per week on buses starting Aug. 1. The Sept. 1 expansion pushed the requirement to every other sworn officer at a two-hour weekly minimum.

"Safety starts with being present, visible and connected to the people we serve," Tien said in the press release. "When our officers ride alongside our customers and operators, we have an opportunity to listen, build relationships and provide an added sense of security."

METRO said the initiative builds on existing police presence across the system. Officers have long worked aboard buses, at stops and at transit centers. The change increases the number and variety of officers spending scheduled time on board.

Beyond the ride-along mandate, MPD opened new police substations at Northline, Downtown and Harrisburg in 2026. The department also expanded partnerships with other law enforcement agencies to add officer presence along the METRORail Red Line during peak hours.

METRO has not announced a review date for the Bus Safety Initiative. The MPD media line is 713-739-4040.