This morning, the Seattle Times ($) reported Metro is testing thicker, “intrusion-proof” barriers to protect bus operators from attacks. The barriers will replace the “safety partitions” Metro built in-house and installed across its bus fleet in September 2020 to protect drivers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the Seattle Times notes, the use safety barriers for Metro drivers has been long-debated. However, following the tragic killing of Metro operator Shawn Yim and increasing complaints from drivers about public safety issues impacting their ability to safely operate their buses, the King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci organized a 2.5-hour forum to discuss ways to address issues with transit safety and security. Following that forum, Balducci released a statement summarizing the possible solutions, including “adding fully enclosed driver compartments to buses, like on trains and airplanes”.
Metro outfitted two buses AROWGuard barriers back in 2017. The Times reports these buses have been circulating around the Eastside for years, but are now being taken on a two-week “roadshow” to solicit operator feedback on the potential implementation across the fleet. These barriers have been recently installed by multiple peer agencies including Los Angeles Metro and Denver RTD. In 2017, the barriers reportedly cost about $2,700 each; now, the County estimates the cost of installation for 1,200 buses is $15.1 million, or an average of over $12,000 each. According to the Times, Rod Dembowski, chair of King County’s transportation committee, said the county will not sacrifice safety for dollars.
Metro is also reportedly assessing two other options: a fixed barrier designed in-house by the agency, or use of buses with a fully enclosed operator cabin. In January, Metro said it’s ordered four test buses with a European-style operator cabin, and a spokesperson from the agency confirmed these are the four Solaris buses Metro ordered in December which they expect to receive in late 2026.
In regard to transit passenger safety and security, the Times quoted Greg Woodfill, President of the ATU Local 587, as saying “We’re concerned about the passengers, too… once we seal off the operators we’ll fight for the passengers.”
Is it just me or does $12000 per barrier seem way to much. I know that this is a government agency and thus won’t be the most efficient at spending money but $12000? Can someone please explain to me why it costs so much money?
I could maybe see it if the glass were bulletproof, but I doubt it is. I think it’s mostly just a combination of bloat and union labor.
I assume that includes some amount of ongoing maintenance, but it does seem expensive.
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What a useless comment
Not your comment Delphoxy,
poncho’s comment is useless and trolly
All of the hardware, air valves, programming and driver area modifications will have to be removed to put in the new system. It would have been cheaper to do all of it in 2020, but that did not happen. So they are doing it doing it again. If they started from a bus with no modifications, my guess it would cost around half or 6k. Maybe 4k in 2020. Just guessing.
video made it look pretty easy to reach around the door and release the latch
how much for the european-style cabin?
Metro did not share costs for retrofitting existing buses with sealed cabins, but presumably it would be very expensive.
Question aren’t these also used on Pierce Transit buses or have been for a while ? ( I could be wrong.)
Ya. Wrong thread.
This is fine and all, but it doesn’t seem right to cite Shawn Yim as an example of why this is needed. Yim was killed after he exited the bus to follow the passenger; there is no kind of barrier that will help if the driver voluntarily exits the bus.
Good point.
Very happy to are the barriers. Years of excuses until finally a driver paid the ultimate price. Transit is unsafe in king county. Not having the barriers because it would reminds people of the dangers is the equivalent of living in denial and asking people to pay the ultimate price just to make a point. If anything they don’t look tough enough but they should stop a knife.
As a wheelchair user, I wonder how much time a closed operator cabin would add to boarding when I need the driver’s help fastening my wheelchair into the bus’s restraint system.