Just when devoted users of Los Angeles public transit thought they had seen it all.
The buses are already viewed as unreliable, unsafe, and overcrowded, especially with drug users. Now, it turns out they have significant cleanliness problems, too.
Things have gotten alarming enough that the city’s transportation department felt compelled to launch a video campaign reminding passengers to hold off on using the bathroom until they disembark.
The initiative, titled “See Something, Do Something,” urges riders to refrain from buying tickets, smoking, drinking, or, well, using the restroom on the bus.
There’s a noticeable lack of guidance on whether “number one” is also off-limits, but it might just be safe to assume that as well.
This campaign seems to be operating somewhat in isolation. The LADOT’s YouTube channel created it last August; however, it hasn’t received much promotion on the agency’s other social media outlets. That’s an odd situation for a campaign targeting such a large passenger base.
It’s unclear just how long this video has been running on buses. Other promotional materials feature “sobriety” ads with characters likely to be overly inebriated and advisories to “pay your bills.”
Riders mentioned that these ads loop continuously, inundating them with public service messages about proper conduct and rule violations, turning what should be a mundane journey into something quite the opposite.
The campaign encourages people to promptly report any misconduct, asking questions that feel more fitting for a police report than a transit advisory. For instance, “What route are you on?” or “Can you describe the individual involved?”
LADOT’s own code of conduct outlines various regulations, highlighting issues that transit officials encounter daily. It strictly prohibits fighting, spitting, fare evasion, harassment, weapons, and vandalism. Notably, it also addresses bodily functions: engaging in defecation, urination, or vomiting, or even being intoxicated to the point of causing such acts, can lead to removal from the bus or denial of service.
The California Post inquired about the campaign’s cost, its motivations, and whether it has yielded any results.
While LADOT didn’t provide a response, the Post had previously contacted Metro regarding similar safety and quality of life concerns on buses and trains across Los Angeles.
Metro is a regional agency overseeing all of Los Angeles County, managing key rail and bus routes. In contrast, LADOT operates the city’s local DASH buses, commuter expresses, and street services.
Metro claims to have taken steps to improve safety, noting that violent crime decreased by approximately 8% in the first 11 months of 2025 compared to 2024, and fell about 30% compared to 2023.
The agency has significantly increased its staffing—by roughly 40% over the past two years—driven by stricter fare enforcement and a slew of security improvements.
These enhancements include extensive fare checks, heightened gate heights, more fencing, additional camera surveillance, a Tap-to-Exit system, and even weapon detection systems for personnel.
Customer satisfaction at Metro reportedly sits at 87%, with the agency encouraging riders to report any issues through various channels.
Still, there remains ongoing scrutiny regarding rider safety, enforcement, and overall quality of life issues.
The straightforward “See Something, Do Something” ads are currently confined to LADOT vehicles and haven’t been applied across the entire Metro system.
But the issue of bathroom use on buses has become such a significant concern lately that the Instagram account People Of Metro LA has highlighted it as a representation of the city’s broader issues.
