Media Contact: Randol White, 415-515-7624
In an effort to increase the safety of its bus operators amid increased operator assaults nationwide, the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) Board of Directors voted to add driver barriers to 72 of its most heavily used buses.
“Protecting our bus operators with these barriers is critical to maintaining a safe and reliable transit system,” said Chair Marina Fraser. “This investment underscores our commitment to their health and safety while continuing to serve our riders with excellence.”
Many of the buses are used along SamTrans’ busiest route, the ECR, which runs along El Camino Real between Daly City and Palo Alto.
The contract, which is not to exceed $644,291, includes retrofitting the following buses with the state-of-the-art protective doors:
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55 New Flyer 60-foot diesel articulated buses
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17 New Flyer 40-foot battery-electric buses
All new buses added to the SamTrans fleet will come with the driver barriers already installed.
The retrofit upgrades were developed in collaboration with the SamTrans Bus Transportation and Safety Departments and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1574.
The decision to retrofit the buses also aligns with the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) General Directive 24-1, which calls for transit agencies to report, assess, and mitigate risks related to bus operator safety.
The single-source contract with New Flyer to retrofit existing SamTrans buses protects the warranties on the current bus fleet.
In addition to the driver-barrier doors, SamTrans also instituted its Rider Code of Conduct last spring to help increase operator and passenger safety on its vehicles. From May to September of this year, the District saw a 50% decline in the number of operator assaults when compared to the five months prior to implementation.
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About SamTrans:
The San Mateo County Transit District operates 74 routes and two on-demand service areas. Funded in part by a half-cent sales tax, the district also provides administrative support for Caltrain and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority. SamTrans has provided bus service to San Mateo County customers since 1976.
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