In an effort to increase the safety of its bus operators and improve mobility for its customers, California’s San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) board voted to add driver barriers to 72 of its most heavily used buses and approved the same-day paratransit pilot program to become part of the suite of mobility services.

“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. 

EnsuringSafety

The contract, which is not to exceed $644,291, includes retrofitting the following buses with the state-of-the-art protective doors: 

• 55 New Flyer 60-foot diesel articulated buses. 

• 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. 

Following Federal Directive

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.

Adding Same-Day Paratransit Options

The same-day option is offered to Redi-Wheels ADA eligible customers on a space-available basis with no limits on the number of trips a passenger can request. Same-day paratransit trips are available throughout the Redi-Wheels service area.

“We are excited to move this program forward,” Fraser said. “Paratransit riders will have the needed flexibility to get to and from their destinations with ease.” 

Since the pilot program went into effect in December 2023, riders have used the same-day paratransit program for a variety of trip purposes, including medical reasons, errands, grocery shopping, and social trips. The trip distance has been averaging just over four miles.