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    1. Safety & Security
    2. Safety Services & Products

    NYCT to install barriers on local and express buses

    July 6, 2020
    New polycarbonate sliders and vinyl curtains will be installed on 4,800 local buses to protect bus operators.
    Related To: MTA – New York City Transit
    Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit
    NYCT demonstrates prototypes of permanent protective barriers at the bus operator’s position on local and express buses at the Michael J. Quill Depot on June 30, 2020.
    NYCT demonstrates prototypes of permanent protective barriers at the bus operator’s position on local and express buses at the Michael J. Quill Depot on June 30, 2020.

    Barriers will be installed across 4,800 New York City Transit (NYCT) local buses and 1,000 express buses to help enhance operator safety during the pandemic and beyond.

    Installation of a full-length vinyl curtain on express buses started the week of June 29 and is expected to be completed by mid-August. Local buses will be equipped with either a polycarbonate slider or a vinyl sheeting curtain, which will fully protect bus operators when passengers board. The installation of new barriers across the fleet is expected to be completed by the fall. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) says it will resume front door boarding on all buses in August.

    “The new barriers are part of our commitment to continuously protect bus operators when performing their heroic work of keeping this city moving,” said Sarah Feinberg, interim president, NYCT. “We continue to disinfect buses around the clock, require all customers and employees to wear masks, and these new short-term solution barriers ensure we are doing everything possible to protect employees and riders.”

    “This is one of the many innovative solutions we are implementing to keep bus operators safe as more customers make their way back onto buses,” said Craig Cipriano, senior vice president for Buses of MTA NYCT and president of the MTA Bus Company. “Together with our union partners, we continue to do everything we can to keep employees and customers safe during the pandemic.”

    The MTA began installing a full-length vinyl sliding curtain on 1,000 express buses to isolate the bus operator when passengers board. Upon boarding, the operator will slide it forward and then push it back once they are ready to proceed driving forward. Express bus customers will continue to board through the front door but will not be permitted to sit in the first row of the bus to ensure a safe distance is kept from the bus operator.

    Additionally, on certain local buses, a full-length polycarbonate slider is being installed by the operator’s compartment. The MTA is installing a second prototype on other local buses – a full-length vinyl curtain – which the bus operator can slide back and forth when passengers board.

    NYCT says the Department of Buses Engineering Department worked with manufacturers to develop these specific and immediate solutions to protect frontline employees.

    Rear door boarding was implemented March 23 on local buses to help protect all frontline employees from the spread of COVID-19. The new barriers will help protect bus operators as front door boarding resumes. As these barriers are installed, the vinyl protective curtain separating the front of the bus will come down, allowing added capacity buses and more room to ensure passengers are able to socially distance from one another.

    Bus ridership surpassed one million for the first time since the pandemic started on June 19 with ridership of 1,035,200. Bus ridership on June 29 was 1,083,976. The MTA’s average weekday bus ridership in 2019 was 2.2 million.

    During New York City’s Phase 2, bus service levels are operating at regular weekday/closed school service levels in all boroughs.