METRO approves installation of permanent safety barriers between bus drivers and passengers

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — On Thursday, the Houston METRO board voted to approve the purchase and installation of 127 more safety barriers to go between the bus operator and the passengers.

Back in June, the board approved the purchase and installation of 734 barriers. With Thursday’s approval, all 861 busses that are part of their current active fleet will have a barrier installed.

The barriers will be permanent and clear on the upper portion so riders can still easily communicate with drivers when needed.

The board also voted to move up the time frame for getting the barriers installed from two years to one.

ABC13 spoke with with Chuck Berkshire, the executive vice president and chief operating officer of METRO about this addition.

He explained that the whole project is going to cost a little more than $6.2 million.

Berkshire says they’ve been testing them out, and bus operators said they want them so they can feel safer.

“The general input has been very positive and they feel a little more comfortable and protected while operating the bus. It’s been overwhelmingly requested that we adopt this product and add it to our bus fleet,” Berkshire explained.

Berkshire says the barriers will start getting installed next month. He says all of them should be installed by August 2023.