NEW YORK CITY— The MTA just rolled out new safety devices aimed at alerting pedestrians, bicyclists, cars and bus drivers of an imminent collision before it's too late, the agency said on Thursday.
Two types of devices were installed on six buses and will run for a 60-day trial period, after which the agency will gather data and feedback from drivers to determine if more buses should be equipped with the safety systems.
One device, called a turn-warning system, uses external speakers to warn pedestrians and bicyclists when a bus is about to make a turn.
The speakers were installed on four buses, one in Queens, one in Brooklyn and two in Manhattan, the MTA said.
The second device uses external sensors to alert the driver to a potential collision by issuing audio and visual warnings, the MTA said.
This system was installed on two buses in Brooklyn.
The MTA did not specify which bus lines were involved in the experiment. A spokesman for the agency did not immediately return a request for comment.
If the agency deems the devices to be successful, they will be installed on up to 200 of the MTA 5,710 buses, with a total price-tag of $77 million, officials said.
A spokesman for TWU Local 100, the union representing MTA bus drivers, said drivers welcome the new safety addition.
"Our bus operators have an extremely difficult and stressful job — driving 40 and 60-foot-long buses through streets that are congested with cars, trucks, pedestrians and bicyclists," said spokesman Pete Donohue. "They do their best to avoid accidents every single day, and they have a great record, but we absolutely welcome any technology that can improve street safety.”
