Winnipeg, MB – As part of Winnipeg Transit’s ongoing commitment to increasing operator and passenger safety, a pilot project initially established in 2021 to live stream bus camera feeds into Transit’s Control Centre in emergency situations has been permanently expanded to include all 607 buses in Transit’s fleet.
“Extending live video feeds to all Transit buses is a smart step forward to help ensure the safety of passengers and drivers,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham. “It also complements other recent efforts like the launch of the Community Safety Team to patrol on buses and around transit stops, the installation of improved driver protection shields, and the modernization of the on-board communications system.”
“The safety of our bus operators and our passengers is paramount,” said Councillor Janice Lukes, Chair of the Standing Policy Committee on Public Works. “That’s why I’m thrilled to see this important initiative expanded to all buses in our fleet, allowing Transit’s Control Centre personnel to immediately tap into the live camera feed from any bus to assess the situation and dispatch the appropriate emergency services.”
Bus operators are trained to immediately contact Transit’s Control Centre in emergencies. The Transit Control Centre is staffed by Transit supervisors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Winnipeg Transit began installing LTE modems on buses in 2019 as part of its commitment to updating the technology and technical capabilities of its fleet. This safety initiative involves the use of existing LTE modem technology on buses which allows the bus cameras to connect to the Transit Control Centre in real time in emergency situations. The initiative did not require the installation of any additional equipment.
The initial recommendation for the live camera feed pilot project was made by the Transit Advisory Committee (TAC) in 2021. The TAC consists of a bus operator representative, and representatives from Transit management, the Winnipeg Police Service, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), the Winnipeg Association of Public Service Officers (WAPSO), the Winnipeg Committee for Safety, Functional Transit, and is chaired by Councillor Janice Lukes, Chair of the Standing Policy Committee on Public Works.
For more information on Winnipeg Transit’s live camera feed safety initiative, please visit winnipegtransit.com.
Photo images attached show the Winnipeg Transit control centre where all video feeds are transmitted. Transit’s control centre is staffed by supervisors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In the event on an incident, supervisors are able to immediately tap into the live camera feed from any bus and triage support from the appropriate emergency services.