After a growing number of attacks on bus drivers in recent years, BC Transit has decided to move forward with installing full driver doors on buses across the province.
In a project estimated to cost $6.5 million, BC Transit has contracted Arow Global Corporation to design and manufacture full driver doors for double deckers, regular buses, and medium duty buses across the province.
See also: Full driver doors to enhance safety on BC Transit buses
These doors include a transparent piece of laminated tempered glass with anti-glare coating with a metal base, and are adjustable to account for sightlines based on different seat positions.
Victoria will be the first city to have buses fitted with full driver doors starting late 2019, followed by Kelowna. The crown corporation plans to start fitting all 650 buses across the province with the doors by early 2020.
The concept of driver doors is not new to Victoria, as three buses in the capital city were fitted with the Plexiglass barriers during BC Transit’s pilot project in 2017.
See also:
- 33-year-old man arrested for allegedly robbing a BC Transit driver in Central Saanich
- BC Transit driver assaulted and hospitalized near downtown Victoria
- BC Transit operator assaulted on bus in downtown Victoria
Last month, a 33-year-old man was arrested for allegedly assaulting and robbing a BC Transit driver on Victoria’s route 75.
Earlier this year, another Victoria bus driver required hospitalization after intervening to stop an assault from taking place on their bus.
