Wilmington Metro Rider Code of Conduct and Rules

The Wilmington Metro Rider Code of Conduct establishes the behavioral standards and prohibited actions that apply to all passengers using the transit system's vehicles, stations, platforms, and related facilities. These rules govern everything from fare payment obligations to conduct toward other riders and system property. Understanding the full scope of the code helps riders navigate the system without incident and supports the safety and reliability of service across all Wilmington Metro routes and lines.

Definition and scope

The Rider Code of Conduct is the formal policy document that defines acceptable and prohibited behavior within the Wilmington Metro transit environment. Its jurisdiction extends to all areas under the authority's operational control, including rail cars, bus interiors, station concourses, platforms, fare-paid zones, park-and-ride facilities, and any property administered under the Wilmington Metro governance and authority structure.

The code applies to every individual present in those spaces — fare-paying passengers, holders of reduced fare program passes, monthly pass holders, and companions traveling with passengers using accessibility services or paratransit options. Enforcement authority rests with transit security officers, contracted law enforcement personnel operating under intergovernmental agreement, and system operations staff. The Wilmington Metro safety and security program provides the operational framework within which code enforcement occurs.

The code distinguishes between two categories of prohibited conduct:

Class A violations — behaviors that warrant immediate removal from the system and may result in suspension of transit privileges, including assault, threats of violence, possession of prohibited weapons, fare evasion by alteration or forgery, and interference with vehicle operation.
Class B violations — behaviors subject to written warning or citation on first instance, including consumption of food or open-container beverages aboard vehicles, smoking or vaping in enclosed station areas, unauthorized solicitation, and excessive noise from personal audio devices.

This two-tier structure aligns with enforcement frameworks used by peer transit authorities across the United States, including those operating under Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant conditions that require documented conduct policies as a condition of capital and operating funding.

How it works

Enforcement of the code follows a graduated response model. Transit security officers observe violations, issue verbal warnings for Class B infractions where the individual complies immediately, and escalate to written citation or removal for non-compliance or Class A conduct. Citations carry a civil penalty assessed per incident; riders who accumulate 3 citations within a 12-month rolling window are subject to a system suspension hearing administered by the authority's Office of Rider Services.

Suspension hearings are conducted under the procedural requirements established by the Wilmington Metro board of directors and must provide the cited rider with written notice at least 5 business days before the hearing date. A rider may submit written evidence, request a continuance once, and receive a written decision within 10 business days of the hearing. Suspension periods range from 30 days for a first hearing to 12 months for repeat findings.

Real-time alerts pushed through the authority's notification system may include service disruption notices triggered by conduct-related incidents — for example, platform closures caused by a medical emergency or law enforcement activity stemming from a code violation.

Fare evasion — the most frequently cited Class A violation across transit systems nationally — is governed separately under Delaware state statute in addition to the authority's internal code. The FTA's National Transit Database tracks fare evasion-related data from reporting agencies, and transit systems receiving federal formula funds are required to maintain documented enforcement procedures.

Common scenarios

Eating and drinking aboard vehicles: Sealed, non-alcoholic beverages in closed containers are permitted. Open containers, alcohol, and food with strong odors constitute Class B violations. A passenger consuming a meal on a rail car during the morning peak period would receive a verbal warning on first contact; refusal to comply elevates the encounter to a citable offense.

Bicycle handling at stations: The bike and ride program permits folded or cased bicycles aboard vehicles and unfolded bicycles in designated bike cars during off-peak hours. Bringing an unfolded, full-size bicycle into a standard car during peak hours (defined as 7:00–9:00 a.m. and 4:30–6:30 p.m. on weekdays) is a Class B violation.

Conduct at stations versus aboard vehicles: The code applies continuously from the moment an individual enters a fare-paid zone at any of the system's stations through the point of exit. A passenger who complies with all vehicle rules but engages in prohibited conduct on a platform — such as blocking a fare gate or threatening another passenger — remains subject to the full range of enforcement outcomes.

Service animal versus pet transport: Documented service animals, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act (28 CFR Part 36), are permitted in all areas without restriction. Pets must be contained in a closed, leak-proof carrier no larger than 14 inches × 10 inches × 8 inches and may not occupy a seat. Uncontained pets constitute a Class B violation; aggressive behavior by an uncontained animal elevates the incident to Class A.

Decision boundaries

The code's enforcement boundaries are defined by 3 primary distinctions that officers and supervisors apply when assessing a situation:

Intent versus impact: Class A designations are not contingent on demonstrated intent to harm. A rider who blocks a train door — whether deliberately or through distraction — creates the same operational hazard. The classification follows the objective impact on system safety and operations, not a finding of intent.

Authority property versus adjacent public space: Conduct that occurs entirely outside fare-paid zones and authority-controlled property — such as behavior on a public sidewalk adjacent to a station entrance — falls under municipal law enforcement jurisdiction, not the authority's code. The boundary is the fare gate or, where no fare gate exists, the posted boundary marker at the station entrance.

Medical emergency versus code violation: A rider who appears impaired but is experiencing a medical episode is not subject to removal for a conduct violation. Authority personnel are trained under Wilmington Metro incident reporting protocols to distinguish between behavioral non-compliance and medical distress, and to initiate emergency medical response rather than enforcement action in the latter case.

Riders seeking clarification on specific scenarios or who need to report an enforcement-related concern may consult the Wilmington Metro frequently asked questions page or access full policy documentation through the public records request process. The Wilmington Metro main index provides navigational access to all policy and service categories across the authority's public information resources.

Wilmington Metro Rider Code of Conduct and Rules

Definition and scope

How it works

Common scenarios

Decision boundaries

References

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