The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is set to roll out a new pilot project that will record the license plates of vehicles that pass open streetcar doors.
On Wednesday, the TTC said it will partner with a British Columbia-based company for the $460,000 project, which is designed to increase safety for streetcar riders.
Between 2014 and 2024, 141 people came into contact with vehicles while boarding or exiting streetcars, the TTC said in a release.
On a daily basis, the transit service said it also receives multiple anecdotal reports of open-door passing despite the act being an offence under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act (HTA).
“Safety is our top concern, and every day, we hear about dozens of instances of cars passing open streetcar doors in mixed traffic with no regard for the safety of our customers,” TTC CEO Greg Percy said in a statement.
“We are serious about putting an end to that through new industry-leading technological solutions," he continued. "This is the first step in that process.”
The contract has been awarded to B.C.'s Gatekeeper Systems Inc.
No tickets issued during pilot project
The pilot project will include the development and installation of cameras on four streetcars. The tech will be tested for nine months starting next year, the TTC said.
No tickets will be issued as part of the pilot, the TTC said.
Under Ontario’s HTA, a driver must stop and wait at least two metres behind open streetcar doors to allow riders to move safely between traffic. The current fine for passing open streetcar doors is up to $183.25, plus three demerit points.
The TTC noted a change made to the HTA in 2021 that allows the use of camera-based enforcement beginning July 1, 2022.
“Protecting people in transit is our corporate mission and we are very proud to add Canada’s largest public transit system to our growing list of transit customers,” said Doug Dyment, Gatekeeper’s president and CEO.
The TTC is also developing an on-street streetcar safety campaign that is expected to roll out in the coming weeks. The campaign is designed to remind all road users that they must stop behind open streetcar doors.
