While assaults against passengers and drivers are down compared to last year, police made 35 percent more arrests this year on buses and bus stops.  There have been 158 arrests to date in 2009, An reported.

"The reason we started with bomb dogs is to make sure people aren't bringing suspicious packages on the buses and leaving them behind," said COTA's security director Stan Alverson.

The dogs are joining undercover officers in searching for anything illegal, from explosives to drugs.

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According to Alverson, COTA is also using narcotics dogs because of recent arrests.

With 1,400 buses that travel through downtown each day, longtime riders welcomed the random searches, An reported.

Last month, a Taser that was left on a COTA bus by a student led to lockdown at a school.

In September, a COTA passenger called police after a man on the same bus showed off his gun.

Earlier this year, COTA released a list of banned riders that included people who caused problems for the transit authority in the past.

"I've seen what I thought were questionable things in (riders') pockets," said Norm Nelson, a COTA rider.  "I've seen bus drivers stop and say, 'Hey, we won't tolerate this.'"

The searches are consensual, An reported.  While some people said no to police during the report, another passenger gave his blessing to the search by an undercover officer.

"Why would I mind being searched?  It is good that everyone see it," said Tony Larricia, a COTA rider.  "I like that they bring the dogs on and we're looking for bombs."

COTA administrators said that the presence of undercover officers and a police K-9 are enough to deter criminals.  The transit authority plans to run spot checks with K-9s at other bus stops, An reported.

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