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METRO bus accidents in Houston: police reports and claims

METRO Police crash reports, METRO's Notice of Claim form, and the Texas Tort Claims Act notice rule for governmental units, from official sources.

6 min readPublished October 22, 2026Last updated October 22, 2026Edited by Joseph Budzinski, CTO, InjuryClaimGuide

The short answer

METRO, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, has its own police department, which can take crash reports, and its own claims process, which starts with a written Notice of Claim form. Texas law treats a transit authority like METRO as a governmental unit under the Texas Tort Claims Act, and that Act says a governmental unit is entitled to notice of a claim within six months of the incident, with exceptions. METRO's own form asks that it be returned within 180 days of the incident.

This guide explains those official rules and contacts. It is general information, not legal advice. It does not say whether you have a claim, which notice rule or period applies to your situation, or whether a notice was given in time; an attorney can tell you that. For the general Texas rules on crashes with government vehicles, see Crashes Involving a Texas Government Vehicle.

Key facts (as of 2026-10-22)

  • METRO's legal status. METRO says it is "a regional transportation authority created and operating under Chapter 451 of the Texas Transportation Code" (METRO Code of Conduct). Transp. Code §451.052(c) says such an authority "is a governmental unit under Chapter 101, Civil Practice and Remedies Code".
  • The notice rule. A governmental unit "is entitled to receive notice of a claim against it under this chapter not later than six months after the day that the incident giving rise to the claim occurred" (CPRC §101.101(a)).
  • METRO's form. METRO's Notice of Claim Form says it "must be completed, signed, and mailed/delivered to the address below within 180 days of the incident by anyone desiring to make a claim against METRO".
  • METRO Police. METRO officers "are licensed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement" and "have the same law enforcement authority as other licensed peace officers in the State of Texas" (METRO Police Department). Chapter 451 lets an authority "commission and employ peace officers" (§451.108(a)).
  • Phone numbers. Emergency: 911. METRO Police non-emergency: call or text 713-224-COPS (2677). METRO Police Records: 713-615-6480 (METRO FAQ).

Who takes the police report after a crash with a METRO bus?

The report comes from whichever law enforcement agency investigated the crash. METRO has its own police department, the METRO Police Department (MPD). METRO's FAQ says: "How do I file a police report? Call MPD at 713-224-COPS (2677). The information you give over the phone determines if a police officer will be dispatched to speak with you in person."

If the Houston Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff's Office or another agency investigated instead, the report comes from that agency. Our guide How to get a crash report in Houston lists how each Houston-area agency handles requests.

How do I get a METRO Police crash report?

METRO's FAQ, "Where can I obtain a traffic accident report?", says:

  • What you need: "the date of the accident and the name of anyone listed on the accident report".
  • In person: the METRO RideStore at the Downtown Transit Center, 1900 Main Street, first floor, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Online: "at least five business days after the accident has occurred. Some accident reports may require additional time to process."
  • Questions: METRO Police Department Records Section, 713-615-6480.

The fee is stated two ways on METRO's site. The FAQ says "The fee to obtain an accident report online or in person is $12." METRO's Open Records Request page lists a non-certified copy of a peace officer's accident report at $6 and a certified copy at $8, and notes that Transp. Code §550.065 sets the charges allowed for copies of accident reports. Ask the Records Section which applies to your request.

Who may get the full, unredacted report is also set by §550.065; see Getting your Texas crash report. Once you have it, How to read a Texas crash report explains the fields and codes.

What does METRO's Notice of Claim form ask for?

METRO's Notice of Claim Form (form SAF-FOR-017, version 2.0) is the form METRO's Contact Us page points to: "To file a claim against METRO, complete this Notice of Claim form". It asks for:

  • your contact information and the date, time and location of the incident;
  • the type of claim: auto/vehicle, bus, train or other;
  • for a vehicle, its make, model, year, color and plate, and your passengers;
  • for a bus passenger, the bus number, route, boarding and exit locations, and where you were in the bus;
  • the police report number, if known, and the names and phone numbers of witnesses; and
  • a description of the incident and of any property damage or injuries, and your signature under a declaration that the facts are true.

Where it goes, according to the form:

  • Mail: METRO / Claims Division, P.O. Box 61429, Houston, TX 77208-1429.
  • Delivery: METRO RideStore, 1900 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002.
  • Questions: liability.claims@ridemetro.org, or METRO Customer Service, 713-635-4000.

The form says: "Incomplete or missing information may delay the processing of your claim."

What does the Texas Tort Claims Act say about notice?

The Texas Tort Claims Act, chapter 101 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code, sets the rules for claims against Texas governmental units. In general terms:

  • When the Act applies to a vehicle crash. A governmental unit is liable for property damage, personal injury and death proximately caused by the wrongful act or omission or the negligence of an employee acting within the scope of employment if the damage, injury or death "arises from the operation or use of a motor-driven vehicle or motor-driven equipment" and the employee would be personally liable under Texas law (CPRC §101.021(1)).
  • Notice. The unit is entitled to notice of a claim "not later than six months after the day that the incident giving rise to the claim occurred". The notice "must reasonably describe: (1) the damage or injury claimed; (2) the time and place of the incident; and (3) the incident" (§101.101(a)).
  • City charters. A city's charter and ordinance provisions requiring notice within a charter period permitted by law are ratified and approved (§101.101(b)).
  • Actual notice. The notice requirements "do not apply if the governmental unit has actual notice that death has occurred, that the claimant has received some injury, or that the claimant's property has been damaged" (§101.101(c)).

The statute speaks of six months; METRO's form speaks of 180 days. This guide does not say how those fit together for any particular crash, whether the Act covers a particular claim, or whether a notice was given in time. Giving notice is also a separate step from filing a lawsuit. An attorney can tell you which rules and deadlines apply to your situation. Our guide to crashes with a Texas government vehicle covers the Act's other rules, including its exceptions and its limits on liability.

What can I keep a record of?

While you think about your next steps, it can help to keep these in one place:

  • the bus number, route and the time and place of the crash, which METRO's form asks for;
  • the police report number and the name of the agency that took the report;
  • photos or video of the vehicles and the scene;
  • medical bills and records, and records of missed work; and
  • copies of anything you send to METRO or receive from it, with the date you sent or received it.

Related Houston information

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Frequently asked questions

Is METRO a governmental unit under the Texas Tort Claims Act?
Texas Transportation Code §451.052(c) says a rapid transit authority under chapter 451 "is a governmental unit under Chapter 101, Civil Practice and Remedies Code", which is the Texas Tort Claims Act. METRO states that it is a regional transportation authority "created and operating under Chapter 451 of the Texas Transportation Code".
What does Texas law say about giving notice of a claim to a governmental unit?
Under Civil Practice and Remedies Code §101.101(a), a governmental unit is entitled to receive notice of a claim not later than six months after the day of the incident, and the notice must reasonably describe the damage or injury claimed, the time and place of the incident, and the incident. Subsection (c) says the notice requirements do not apply if the unit has actual notice of a death, an injury or property damage. This guide does not say which rule or period applies to any particular crash; an attorney can.
How do I get a METRO Police crash report?
METRO's FAQ says you need the date of the accident and the name of anyone listed on the report. You can get it at the METRO RideStore at the Downtown Transit Center (1900 Main Street, first floor), Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., or online at least five business days after the accident. METRO Police Records can be reached at 713-615-6480.
Where does METRO's Notice of Claim form go?
METRO's form says it is mailed to METRO / Claims Division, P.O. Box 61429, Houston, TX 77208-1429, or delivered to the METRO RideStore at 1900 Main Street. The form lists liability.claims@ridemetro.org and METRO Customer Service, 713-635-4000, for questions.

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