Metra Passengers Who Threaten, Harm Someone Can Be Banned Under New P…

(WTTW News)

Metra passengers who verbally or physically threaten or harm someone could be banned from riding Metra trains.

“No transit employee should have to face an individual who has spit in their face, threatened their life, placed their hands on them or physically assaulted them,” Bob Guy, director of the SMART Transportation Division conductors’ union, said in a statement.

Metra’s directors on Wednesday adopted a new policy, which takes effect next month, on a 10-0 vote.

The new code of conduct prohibits pushing, waving a gun at someone, harassment and “acts of public indecency.”

“A lot of the behaviors in the code, if you were to commit them, are criminal offenses as well. And they still will be,” Metra spokesman Michael Gillis said. “But we did not have a way to bar people from riding our trains.”

Now Metra can, thanks to a state law (HB 1342 / Public Act 103-0281) that took effect Jan. 1, that allows Illinois public transit agencies to adopt…