TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Michael A. Hursh, General Manager
SUBJECT: Solicitation for Driver Protective Barriers
ACTION ITEM
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider authorizing issuance of a solicitation for the purchase of driver compartment protective barriers.
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
Goal - Safe and Secure Operations
Initiative - Service Quality
Improving the safety and security of bus operators is paramount. Installation of a permanent and robust protection barrier will significantly enhance the safety and security of the operator's compartment in every bus.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
Purchase of the driver compartment protective barriers will be paid for using a mix of District funds and federal grant funds. Most of these funds are remaining from prior bus purchase projects. The estimated amount of this procurement is being withheld to solicit the most competitive pricing from the vendors.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
Safety and security of bus operators is a priority and focus for the District's Operations Safety Task Force. In collaboration with multiple District departments and Union partners, staff released several marketing and communications campaigns aimed at educating the public and riders regarding operator safety and assault prevention. To identify an engineering solution that would help protect operators, staff needed to research available options on the market. Thanks to input from ATU Local 192, the District investigated Driver Protection Barriers (DPB) designed to deter passenger-related assaults against bus operators. Viable solutions needed to allow for protection of the operator, safe operation of the bus, and still allow for interaction with customers.
In August 2019, a pilot program was implemented by the District's Safety Committee, comprised of members of the Safety Department, ATU Local 192, and the Operations Department. The team set out to evaluate two types of Driver Protection Barriers (DPB) that would b...
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