Security Cameras on Transit Buses

Security cameras on buses
Paige Hilton, Guelph
(Jan 23, 2007)
Guelph Transit is installing video surveillance systems on its buses and mobility vehicles in an effort to ensure the safety of passengers and drivers. The systems are being installed on Guelph Transit's 54 buses and five mobility vehicles. It's an initiative that will hopefully deter physical and verbal assaults on drivers, as well as vandalism of city buses, says Guelph Transit's supervisor of operations, driver training and development.
"We don't have the exact numbers of verbal assaults on our drivers, spitting on our drivers, but the numbers are increasing," said Elisabeth Vandermade. While verbal assaults make up the majority of incidents bus drivers have to deal with, there have been a couple of physical assaults that prompted transit to look into more security measures.
In October 2005 a driver was punched in the face, said Vandermade. In March 2006, another driver was assaulted in St. George's Square when he was punched, knocked to the ground and kicked in the head when he refused to honour used transfers.
The surveillance system uses up to eight digital video cameras in each bus and a hard drive to store recorded images. Whenever the bus is operating, the surveillance system is running.