Sorry for not getting back to this thread. I don't have much in the way of free time until recently and that's due to a vacation that I'm about to partake.
Ok, I've been quite vocal about state and local agencies following the laws. I'm also believe that open carry is also a fundamental right under our state constitution, and I believe that despite RCW 9.41.270, open carry of a handgun in a holster is completely legal absent any other violations of law.
When I moced up here to Washington from Oregon, I had a different set of laws to comply with. I've been persuing preemption violations for a while, but didn't have a plan of attack as far as how to directly attack these rules.
First, arguing with customer service is a bad idea as far as contacting these transit agencies. They will continue arguing and arguing with you and tell you flat to your face that it's illegal, it's against the rules, and that's final.
My best approach to dealing with them is contacting the administrative offices of these transit agencies, and then getting the name of their legal counsel, whether it be in house or contract. I then send them a packet with information on the preemption statute, the unlawful bus conduct statute, and the case of Cherry v. Metro Seattle, which defines the caselaw involving unlawful bus conduct.
It cost me a few hours of my time, thus far I haven't needed to sent any certified letters to anyone. Pierce Transit and Community Transit has only been communicated with primarily via email and phone. I dislike talking on the phone and I told them that I'd rather just send it via email, and they gave me their email addresses.
The good thing about this entire situation is now that Pierce and Community Transit' have folded, it'll make it much easier to deal with the rural transit agencies who suprisingly enough, were more willing to cling to their "rules" in violation of the laws of this state.
Why am I doing this? Flat out, I don't want to go to be thrown off the bus for having a political discussion, or no-trespassed if I happen to be travelling on Community Transit and Pierce Transit buses (easy to do considering I'm near the largest transit hub in southern King County). However, I am also approaching agencies I've either never travelled on, or travelled once or twice.
Even better, I'm not only getting them to change their rules, but also having them train their drivers, transit supervisors, their security officers, and their customer service on the finer points of legal carry on a bus. You need a CPL to carry openly or concealed on a bus, due to RCW 9.41.050. Instead of telling you to get off the bus, the most they'll ask is to see your carry permit. No more "man with a gun" 911 calls from the transit agency employees.
After I'm done sending out this information and getting it to the transit agencies, and getting them to change their rules, I plan to more actively persue an educational campaign on RCW 9.41.270 on the local police agencies. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on your definition), I am the resident of what could be considered the most anti-open carry city (police officer wise) in the state of Washington: Federal Way, the home of the State v. Spencer case. Wish me luck.
