SEATTLE - It could be what finally makes many King County Metro bus drivers feel safe behind the wheel. Tuesday, Metro showed off one of the prototypes of a plexiglass door being installed on eight of its buses as part of a pilot project.
And so far, the intial reaction from drivers is positive.
"I think it's great. It's great. We need them," said one driver.
The idea of adding more safety measures has been discussed for years, but after a female driver was assaulted and knocked unconscious by a group of teenagers in January, Metro decided to launch the pilot project.
"We're out there and we're vulnerable. A plexiglass shield is by no means going to resolve all the problems, but it's going to deter," said the driver who is still recovering from her injuries and didn't want to be identified.
But while many drivers approve of the plexiglass door, Almagamated Transit Union Local 587, the union representing Metro bus drivers, has some concerns.
"It can cause some significant glare problems, some problems for operators seeing the mirrors... might cause some heat problems in the summer with not enough air circulation," said Paul Bachtel, ATU Local 587 president.
The pilot project will last for a month beginning in April. After that, Metro will assess whether it's a worthwhile safety feature.
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