An Act to Enhance the Safety of Public Transit Bus Operators
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 2062
Sponsors: PIERCE
Amends: 23 MRSA §4209-B

Legislative Document
No. 2062
S.P. 849
In Senate, December 17, 2025
An Act to Enhance the Safety of Public Transit Bus Operators 
Through the Installation of Vehicle Security Barriers
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203.
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on December 15, 2025.  Referred to the Committee 
on Transportation pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  23 MRSA §4209-B is enacted to read:
§4209-B.  Public transit bus vehicle security barriers
1.  Short title.  This section may be known and cited as "the Public Transit Bus 
Operator Safety Act."
2.  Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.
A.  "Fund" means the Public Transit Bus Operator Safety Fund established in 
subsection 4. 
B.  "Public transit agency" means an entity, including a municipal, regional or state 
authority, that operates public transportation services within the State.
C.  "Public transit bus" means a motor vehicle, as defined in Title 29-A, section 101, 
subsection 42, that is designed to carry more than 15 persons, including the public 
transit bus operator, and that is operated by a public transit agency or by a private 
company contracted to provide public transit service on behalf of a public transit 
agency.
D.  "Public transit bus operator" means an individual employed to operate a public 
transit bus.
E.  "Vehicle security barrier" means a transparent, protective partition made of hard, 
durable materials that:
(1)  Is capable of fully enclosing the public transit bus operator's workstation and 
of preventing the unwanted entry of individuals, fluids and objects into the 
workstation;
(2)  Does not impede the public transit bus operator's lines of sight from the 
workstation to the exterior of the public transit bus; and
(3)  Allows the public transit bus operator to maintain communications with 
passengers.
3.  Mandatory installation of vehicle security barriers.  In accordance with the 
timeline and standards established under this subsection, a public transit agency shall install 
or arrange for the installation of vehicle security barriers in all public transit buses.
A. The department, in consultation with public transit agencies, labor organizations 
representing public transit bus operators and joint labor-management safety 
committees, if any, shall establish through rulemaking minimum standards for vehicle 
security barriers. Such standards must address the design, materials and installation 
specifications of vehicle security barriers.
B. When procuring vehicle security barriers and any other materials funded by the fund, 
a public transit agency shall consult with a labor organization representing the public 
transit agency's public transit bus operators and a joint labor-management safety 
committee, if the public transit agency is party to such a committee.
C. A public transit bus that does not have a vehicle security barrier installed may not 
be operated on or after August 1, 2029.
4.  Public Transit Bus Operator Safety Fund.  The Public Transit Bus Operator 
Safety Fund is established within the department as a nonlapsing fund to provide grants to 
public transit agencies for the purchase, installation and maintenance of vehicle security 
barriers. Beginning August 1, 2029, the fund may provide grants to public transit agencies 
for expenditures, other than for vehicle security barriers, to improve transit bus operator 
safety, and a public transit agency may apply for such a grant as determined jointly by the 
public transit agency and a labor organization representing public transit bus operators and 
a joint labor-management safety committee, if any. The fund consists of money received 
as appropriations, allocations and contributions from public and private sources.
5.  Reporting requirements.  Before August 1, 2027, 2028 and 2029, each public 
transit agency shall submit an annual report to the department regarding the progress of the 
public transit agency in installing vehicle security barriers as required by this section. Each 
report must set forth the steps that the public transit agency has taken to comply with the 
requirements to install vehicle security barriers, the tasks remaining for the public transit 
agency to complete in order to achieve full compliance and an estimated completion date 
for each of these tasks. The department shall make the reports required under this 
subsection available to the public within 30 days of receiving the reports.
6.  Rules.  The department shall adopt rules to implement this section. Rules adopted 
pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, 
subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2.  Department of Transportation to establish standards for vehicle 
security barriers in public transit buses. Before February 1, 2027, the Department 
of Transportation shall establish through rulemaking minimum standards for vehicle 
security barriers in public transit buses in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, 
Title 23, section 4209-B, subsection 3.
Sec. 3.  Appropriations and allocations.  The following appropriations and 
allocations are made.
TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF
Public Transit Bus Operator Safety Fund N559
Initiative: Provides one-time funding to the Public Transit Bus Operator Safety Fund within 
the Department of Transportation to provide grants to public transit agencies for the 
purchase, installation and maintenance of vehicle security barriers.
GENERAL FUND
2025-26
2026-27
All Other
$0
$2,000,000
__________
__________
GENERAL FUND TOTAL
$0
$2,000,000
SUMMARY
This bill requires public transit agencies, including municipal, regional and state 
authorities, that operate public transportation services within the State to install vehicle 
security barriers that enclose the public transit bus operator's workstation and prevent the 
unwanted entry of individuals, fluids and objects into the workstation.  The bill directs the 
Department of Transportation to establish minimum standards for vehicle security barriers 
and establishes the Public Transit Bus Operator Safety Fund to provide grants to public 
transit agencies for the purchase, installation and maintenance of vehicle security barriers.  
Beginning August 1, 2029, the fund may also provide grants for expenditures to improve 
public transit bus operator safety.  In establishing minimum standards and other uses of the 
fund, the bill requires consultation with labor organizations representing public transit bus 
operators and joint labor-management safety committees.