ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s like a co-pilot or extra set of eyes for bus drivers. The City of Albuquerque is piloting new technology to help make the transit system safer for drivers, passengers, and others on the streets.
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It’s called the Mobile Eye system. It includes a front-facing camera on the bus windshield, and another display in view of the bus driver. The technology will alert the bus driver when someone or a car has entered their traffic lane or even if they’re speeding. “The system recognizes that, sends a very loud audible warning to the driver and a visual flashing on the display so the driver becomes attentive immediately,” said one of the city’s transit maintenance workers.
The city said the technology is similar to what is now standard for personal vehicles. “The major difference is, where your vehicle may warn you when someone’s in your blind spot, the buses, they just let us know if anything’s in front of the bus,” said Bobby Sisneros, Deputy Director of Albuquerque’s Transit Department. “It’s like someone riding along in your passenger seat yelling stop!”
They hope the technology will help reduce crashes and keep the roads safe. So far, the technology is on 18 of the city’s more than 150 buses. The new system has been on those buses since October. Sisneros said it’s too early right now to have data on its impact and if it will be implemented fleet-wide.
“We don’t want to just go implement something just because it’s the latest and greatest trend, right? We want to make sure that it is beneficial and that it’s going to take care of our staff and the public at large,” said Sisneros.
The Transit Department started the process of getting federal grant money to buy more of this technology. But, they won’t hear back on the grant for a few weeks. The request also has to be approved by Albuquerque City Council.