Assaults on the Metro system are up 24 percent so far this year as the system continues to shatter ridership records, officials said.
There have already been 232 simple assault cases reported in 2006, compared to 354 in all of 2005, Metro Transit police officials said.
Metro’s subway recorded four of its top 10 busiest days in the system’s 30-year history last week, and Metrobus has also seen significant increases this year, officials said.
Joanne Simmons, of Northeast, almost had her 19-month daughter knocked out of her stroller Monday afternoon while trying to exit a Red Line train at Metro Center.
“They just ran right past us, over us really,” said Simmons, who said her only course of action was to roll her eyes.
“There used to be room for us to get around, but now it’s packed pretty much all day long.”
Like Simmons’ incident, most of the pushes, shoves and elbows being thrown in the system are never reported. Overall crime is down 12.7 percent despite increased ridership, but robberies on Metro’s subways, buses and parking lots are up 6.4 percent so far this year, officials said.
Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel said while the trends should not be attributed only to ridership increases, it is a major factor.
Taubenkibel, who Monday saw a man forearm a woman while trying to board a packed train, said officials are urging riders to remain civil despite increasingly cramped conditions.
“People who are riding our system, our regular riders and new riders, all need to take a deep breath and treat others with respect and courtesy,” he said. “We will get everyone to their final destination safely.
“Everyone riding Metro will enjoy their trip if they treat others the way they would want to be treated in return.”
