Customer Conduct

It is the mission of Shoreline Metro, a division of the City of Sheboygan, through the efforts of dedicated, well-trained employees, to provide safe, reliable, convenient, and efficient public transportation to the citizens and visitors of the Shoreline Metro service area. Shoreline Metro has established proper customer conduct  and responsibilities to promote the safety and comfort of its riders, to facilitate the proper use of transit facilities and services, to protect transit facilities and employees, to assure the payment of fares and to ensure that Shoreline Metro vehicles and facilities are safe, welcoming and provide equitable access for all customers.

Individuals may not engage in inappropriate conduct on, at or in the facilities of Shoreline Metro, including at the Transfer Point, in shelters, at bus stops, and at administrative, operational, and maintenance facilities, or on buses used to provide fixed route or paratransit services. Inappropriate conduct includes any individual or group activity which is disruptive or injurious to other individuals lawfully using Shoreline Metro facilities or services; damaging or destructive to transit facilities or services; poses a direct threat; or disruptive, harassing, threatening or injurious to transit employees.

Inappropriate conduct may also constitute a violation of an ordinance or criminal law. The fact that an individual is or is not charged or convicted of an incident of inappropriate conduct does not bar investigation and/or exclusion under this Policy.

Inappropriate Conduct on Buses or In Facilities

The following conduct is prohibited in all Shoreline Metro facilities, including but not limited to, buses, Transfer Point, and bus shelters except as specifically limited below. Any individual observed engaging in the conduct may be told by a Bus Operator or Operation Supervisor or other authorized individual to leave the facilities immediately and may be subject to arrest by proper authorities. The Bus Operator is authorized to request police assistance if necessary.

Customers are expected to be responsible transit riders and will refrain from the following:

• Refusing to vacate designated front seats and designated wheelchair areas in buses for senior citizens and people with disabilities when requested by those persons or by the driver on their behalf;
• Eating or drinking with the exception of bus operators who have permission to do so when vehicles are not in motion;
• Using an audio device (e.g. portable radio, tape, CD player, TV, etc.), unless such equipment is used with earphones so that sound is limited to person’s own listening only;
• Standing in front of the standee line at the front of the bus near the driver’s seat;
• Bringing any animal on buses un-caged, except working animals that assist those with disabilities;
• Bringing on-board any large articles, packages, baggage, non-collapsible strollers or baby buggies which block the aisle and restrict the free movement of passengers;
• Engaging in indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud or otherwise disorderly conduct under circumstances in which such conduct tends to cause or provoke a disturbance. This is not intended to prohibit ordinary conversation between passengers in normal conversational tones;
• Having distracting conversations with Metro Bus Operators;
• Engaging in unauthorized canvassing, selling, soliciting or distributing any material onboard buses;
• Changing a child’s diaper;
• Exhibiting inappropriate personal hygiene, i.e., an individual whose bodily hygiene is so offensive as to constitute a nuisance to other passengers;
• Boarding unattended minors: children six years of age and under must be closely accompanied at all times by an older responsible individual;
• Roller-skating, roller-blading, bike riding or skateboarding on buses or on the Transfer Point platform;
• Hanging or swinging from stanchions or other bus equipment with feet off the floor;
• Hanging out, reaching out, or putting anything out of bus windows;
• Willfully refusing to pay a fare, or show specific fare media to the bus operator;
• Otherwise disorderly or inappropriate conduct which is inconsistent with the orderly and comfortable use of buses for their intended purpose.

An individual found to have engaged in any of the following activities may be subjected to the Exclusion Procedure, described in Section VI; further legal action may be taken as applicable and appropriate:

• Smoking on buses or in facilities. (See Section V below concerning lighting an incendiary device (e.g. match, lighter, or torch);
• Fighting, horseplay or roughhousing;
• Bringing any items of a dangerous nature on-board buses including: weapons (pistols, rifles, knives or swords); flammable liquids; dangerous, toxic or poisonous substances; vessels containing caustic materials, chemicals, acids or alkalis; fishing rods which are not broken down or have unsecured or exposed hooks or lures, ski poles unless secured to skis or have tip covers; sheet glass and sharp objects. Fencing foils must be sheathed and left at the front of the bus with the bus operator;
• Behavior that is disruptive, harassing, or threatening in nature to Metro passengers or employees. This includes following or stalking passengers or employees;
• Causing sounds that are unreasonable and highly disruptive of other individuals using Shoreline Metro facilities or services, including but not limited to: prolonged loud, abusive, indecent, profane or drunken conduct;
• Misuse of fare media;
• Drinking alcoholic beverages or possessing open containers of alcoholic beverages;

An individual found to have engaged in any of the following activities will be excluded from transit facilities and/or services pursuant to the process in Section VI, Exclusion Procedure; further legal action may be taken as applicable and appropriate:

• Use of counterfeit or stolen fare media;
• Assault or threat of assault;
• Use, sale or dealing of illegal substances;
• Stealing or willfully damaging, defacing or destroying Shoreline Metro property. The City will prosecute anyone who steals or willfully damages, defaces or destroys Shoreline Metro property;
• Lighting an incendiary device (e.g. match, lighter, torch);
• Obstructing or interfering with the Bus Operator’s safe operation of the bus;
• Indecent exposure;
• Entering or remaining on Shoreline Metro buses after having been notified by an authorized individual not to do so, or boarding or remaining on Shoreline Metro buses during the period when an individual has been banned from the premises.

One or more of these violations may be enforceable by City of Sheboygan Codes 70-218 and 70-5 resulting in fines up to $500.

Additional Resources:

• City of Sheboygan Municipal Code
• Sheboygan Police Department

Transit Exclusion Procedure

Shoreline Metro staff will conduct a complete investigation of the incident including reviewing video, interviewing witnesses, and gathering evidence.  Customers that pose a direct or health threat to themselves or others including transit employees will be excluded from transit services and transit property.

If a customer is found to be guilty of conduct that merits exclusion for transit services, an Operations Supervisor will issue a written exclusion letter including services affected by such exclusion. If continued use of transit facilities and/or services is made subject to safety conditions or restrictions (eg., presence of a parent or guardian in the case of a juvenile; accompaniment by a personal care attendant or aide), a conditional exclusion letter may be issued specifying that the individual will be subject to exclusion unless the imposed restrictions are complied with. The letter shall also advise the individual of his/her right to appeal the decision and include a copy of the appeal procedure. The Operation Supervisor shall provide a copy of the letter to the Transit Director and will inform all staff involved, who have a need to know, about the reasons for and length of the exclusion.  At the discretion of the Operations Supervisor, a juvenile may be restricted to use of Metro services only when the juvenile is accompanied by a responsible designated adult for a designated period of time. The juvenile’s parent or guardian must be notified of the restriction via certified mail. Failure to abide by the restriction may lead to exclusion under this policy.

Appeal Procedure

Any appeal by or on behalf of the party subject to an exclusion order shall be submitted in writing to the Transit Director within ten days after service by mail of the Transit Director’s determination. The communication shall state with specificity the grounds for the appeal. The determination of the Transit Director to exclude an individual shall be stayed pending the appeal to the Transit Director. The Transit Director shall review and may reconsider or modify the decision to exclude an individual, following investigation of the matter and shall specify in writing within fourteen business days of receipt of the appeal the reasons for rescission or modification, if applicable, to the appellant. The Transit Director will seek review of a draft written response by the City Attorney’s Office before issuing the response to an individual subject to an exclusion order.

APPEAL: The aggrieved party may appeal the Transit Director determination within ten days after service by mail of the Transit Director determination, by written notice of appeal filed with the Transit Director and the, c/o Shoreline Metro, 608 S Commerce, Sheboygan, WI 53081. The Transit Commission Chair will hear the appeal. This Commission shall hold a hearing within 30 days after the notice has been filed. Notice of the hearing including a statement of the time, place and nature of the hearing shall be mailed to the aggrieved party and the Transit Director at least ten (10) days prior to the hearing. Exclusion orders for some violations shall be stayed pending appeal to the Transit Commission. Exclusion orders for more severe violations shall not be stayed pending an appeal, unless the Transit Commission finds that a stay is warranted and necessary under the particular circumstances. A request for stay shall be made in writing by the aggrieved party stating the specific reasons for the request.

HEARING: At the hearing, the appellant may be represented by counsel, may present evidence, and may call and examine witnesses and cross-examine witnesses of the other party. The Chairman of the Transit Commission shall conduct the hearing and shall follow the Rules of Evidence provided in Wisconsin Statute Section 227.45, for administrative proceedings. The staff shall record all of the proceedings on tape.

DECISION: Within 30 days of the completion of the hearing, the Transit Commission shall issue a written decision stating the reasons therefore. The Transit Commission shall make a finding on whether it is more probable than not that the excluded individual engaged in the conduct which was the basis for the exclusion. Based on testimony and the evidence in the record, the Transit Commission shall have the power to affirm or reverse the written determination or to remand it to the Transit Director with instructions for reconsideration consistent with its decision. The decision, except for remand, shall be a final determination for the purposes of judicial review.

Use of Strollers

Shoreline Metro prefers children and infants to be removed from strollers while riding the bus. Shoreline Metro will not deny service to passengers who refuse to remove children from strollers as the sole basis for denying service. Passengers are, however, required to maintain control of such devices at all times. Strollers may be stowed in the cargo rack (folded), stowed between seats (folded), or stowed in the securement areas when unoccupied by customers requesting or requiring the securement area. Passengers will be required to vacate the securement area upon request from a passenger requiring the use of the securement area. Drivers may deploy the ramp to assist with boarding and alighting at the request of the passenger.

Lost Articles

Forgot something on the bus? All items found on the bus are kept for 30 days and may be claimed with proper description and identification (if needed) at the Shoreline Metro Transfer Station office at 828 Pennsylvania Ave. It is helpful if you know the date and route(s) used when you lost your item. Please call ahead at (920) 459-3281 to see if the item you lost has been found.