For TransLink, safety is a top priority for all people travelling on transit, including our bus operators.

Assaults on operators are unacceptable and can put the lives of our riders at risk.

After a two-year process of piloting various barrier designs, assessing effectiveness, collecting user feedback and modifying designs, we are now ready to equip our buses with bus safety barriers.

Safety barriers allow operators to do their job, getting you where you need to go efficiently and safely, while maintaining driving sightlines, communicating with riders and protecting themselves against attacks.

Other tools CMBC currently utilizes to keep staff safe include security cameras, GPS radio system, emergency button, Transit Security, Transit Police, Violent Incident Prevention training and campaigns like “Don’t touch the operator.”

Bus barriers by the numbers:

• All future orders of new 40′ and 60′ buses will come with safety barrier already installed. Buses will start arriving by early 2018.
• 208 air-conditioned New Flyer Excelsior buses will be retrofitted with safety barriers.
• Six trolley buses will be retrofitted as part of the expanded pilot program.
• Retrofit of 214 buses will be underway by the end of 2017 and completed within two years.
• Within 10 years, about 75 per cent of the fleet will have safety barriers installed.

Design features:

• Sliding front portion allows easy customer communication and controls glare.
• Fixed solid portion means barrier prevents attacks from behind—even when the sliding portion is open.
• Offers protection from assaults including jumping assailants, thrown objects, climbing over and spitting.

What does this mean for riders?

Nothing changes! The bus barriers don’t affect your commute at all.

You will still be able to talk to and communicate with your favourite bus operator!

Want to know more? Check out the backgrounder!

Have you spotted one of these new bus barriers on your route?
Tweet us @TransLink and let us know what you think!

Author: Adrienne Coling