Bus chief says incidents like steak knife stabbing are 'very rare.' What the numbers show.
Considering that Votran, the Volusia County bus system, reported over 1.8 million passengers from January through November in 2023, there have been remarkably few incidents of violence.
That's why it was so jarring when a month ago a man stabbed another passenger in the neck with a steak knife on a bus in Volusia County.
Tacaie Harris, a 42-year-old Daytona Beach man, stabbed a passenger with a steak knife and stole his backpack on Jan. 9. It happened in the afternoon near International Speedway Boulevard and Franklin Street.
Harris was arrested on charges of attempted felony murder and robbery with a weapon. The charges have been amended to wearing a mask while committing attempted first-degree murder, and wearing a mask while committing robbery with a weapon.
Most incidents minor
The News-Journal requested records for all incidents on a Votran bus reported over one year starting from Jan. 26, 2023. During that time Votran recorded 16 incidents. The majority were minor and did not involve violence. Four were physical.
Votran's General Manager Kelvin Miller said such incidents such as the stabbing are "very rare."
"We put all the emergency measures in place to try and make sure that everyone has a safe ride," Miller said.
Votran reports "involving an assault with a weapon or involving a major injury" to the Florida Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration, according to the county.
Votran also keeps a record of "every incident that transpires on its vehicles and within its facilities." That includes arguments, fights and other disturbances caused by passengers.
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Votran provided a listing of each incident and associated documents. Here's a sampling of a few of the more serious incidents:
Feb. 27 at the Transfer Plaza platform in Daytona Beach: "A customer started making comments that he was tired of this town and that he was going to rob people for money. " Police arrived, used a Taser on him and arrested him.
Aug. 9 at the DeLand Intermodal Transportation Facility at 119 E. Euclid Ave.: A passenger pulled out a knife while arguing with other passengers. Police arrived and arrested the passenger. News 6's ClickOrlando.com described the weapon as a machete.
Nov. 1 on Route 60, which has some stops in Daytona Beach: "Three passengers got into a verbal dispute that turned into a physical altercation. The passengers got off the bus, and police were requested."
Nov. 15 at Woodland Boulevard and Taylor Road in DeLand: Multiple passengers got into a fight.
Jan. 9, 2024: The stabbing incident that led to the arrest of Tacaie Harris.
Jan. 13 at the Beachside ITF in Daytona Beach: A man pulled a knife on a bus driver during an argument off of the bus. He was arrested.
What safety procedures are in place?
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Frank Alvarez, safety director for Votran, said bus drivers take training to learn how to diffuse conflict and handle emotional passengers.
Drivers notify law enforcement if an emergency arises.
"The response is pretty quick from law enforcement," Miller said.
Miller said Votran knows where each bus is at all times. All vehicles have security cameras.
If riders are having a problem they can tell the bus driver.
"If you see something that looks out of the ordinary, report it so we can deal with it," Miller said.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: How often does violence happen on Votran buses? What we know
