Just last week Metro riders attempted to stone a bus driver while he was making his normal route. It's the latest in a string of incidents that has Metro drivers demanding immediate action to clean up the transit system.
Two weeks ago the Madison Parking and Transit Commission approved the purchase of surveillance cameras for 15 buses and the south transfer point.
Metro is in the process of getting bids for the cameras, but they're not authorized to purchase them until they provide the commission with a comprehensive safety plan.
But drivers say in the meantime, they're not safe.
"I worry for my safety and the safety of my fellow passengers and drivers every day," says Metro driver Sharon Williams.
She drives routes through all 4 transfer points weekly.
She says a few routes cause most of the problems. One route: the 18, which travels from the west transfer point to Allied Drive.
"Last Thursday a driver was stoned but he got the doors closed in time before the stones actually hit him," reports Williams, "On the same route he's been spit on."
Incident reports obtained from Metro for mid September to mid October list fighting, vulgar language, rock throwing at buses and passengers, smoking marijuana, breaking windows and carrying guns.
One employee even writes, "Drivers fear for their lives."
"This is the norm, it's a weekly thing and it's still going on," says Williams.
"We are moving ahead and getting out to bid this month to purchase those cameras," says Ann Gullickson, Metro Transit Manager.
Metro officials say they want to get the cameras on board as soon as possible. But they need bids, demonstrations and time to write up another security plan.
In the meantime, they've developed 6 levels of inappropriate behavior. The largest punishment: getting kicked off the bus.
"The two girls who were involved in the October 4th incident that got into a fight on the female bus driver's route," says Williams, "They should have been excluded from the bus, we need that policy in effect now."
Gullickson says, "Before we exclude someone from service there are going to be some progressive steps. It's not going to be the first thing we jump to, it's the last thing we jump to."
But Williams says they're playing a deadly waiting game.
"Is it going to take someone being seriously hurt and or killed before something is done? I don't want to see that happen."