A Bridge to Support: LTD’s Partnership with Looking Glass
While many see our buses as a way to get to school or work, they also serve as a mobile support network for the youth of Lane County. Through our long-standing partnership with Looking Glass Community Services , LTD is proud to be a key link in the Safe Place program.
Safe Place is a national network of businesses, community centers, and public spaces marked with a distinctive yellow and black diamond shaped sign. In Lane County, fire stations, all Dari Mart locations, McDonalds, YMCA, LTD, and more participate in this program.
No matter where a youth is, they can text “SAFE” and their current location (Address, City, State) to 44357 and within seconds they will receive a text with the closest Safe Place location . They can respond with “2chat” to start a conversation with a one-on-one support worker.
Every one of our 112 buses and major stations are designated Safe Places. For a young person navigating a crisis or feeling unsafe, an LTD bus is often the closest and most reliable place to turn.
How the “Safe Place” Connection Works
LTD frontline staff, including bus operators, public safety officers, and customer service representatives, are our community’s “eyes and ears.” When a youth identifies themselves as needing a “Safe Place,” our team follows a clear, trauma-informed protocol:
- Immediate Welcome: The operator provides a calm, respectful environment on the bus or at a station.
- Coordination in the Background: Our dispatch and public safety teams immediately coordinate with Station 7 (the Looking Glass 24-hour crisis center).
- Warm Handoff: We ensure the young person is safely met by a Looking Glass staff person who can provide specialized care, shelter, and crisis services.
Empowering Youth Mobility
LTD staff are trained in empathetic customer care and de-escalation, but safety for young riders isn’t just about crisis response. It’s about empowerment. By providing students in K-12 schools with free Student Transit Passes and partnering with non-profits to provide free and low-cost transit passes, we’re moving youth towards stability, opportunity, and brighter futures.
“By choosing to make every bus a Safe Place, we ensure that help is never more than a few blocks away. It’s about being a visible, trusted part of the neighborhood.” — LTD Program Liaison
Next time you board an LTD bus, look for the yellow and black Safe Place sticker near the front doors and know that the bus operator is looking out for the community’s safety.
