75 Victoria buses to have security cameras installed in a pilot project

Seventy-five Victoria buses will be outfitted with security cameras as part of a pilot project this spring.

The first of the buses will be on the road this week and all 75 buses with cameras will be in service by May.

Up to six cameras will be installed on each bus.

There will be signage and information on buses to keep passengers informed of the added security feature.

BC Transit says there is no live monitoring of the video, which will be removed and viewed by authorized security staff following a reported incident. Only video required for security purposes will be retained and all other video will be erased.

The one-year pilot program also includes cameras on 25 new buses in Kamloops.

The security cameras are an anticipated addition in light of increasing violence faced by bus drivers and passengers in recent years.

A number of high-profile incidents brought attention to this issue, sparking concerns from the bus drivers’ union.

In March of last year, three young women were arrested and charged with assault after an alleged unprovoked attack on a female bus driver in Vancouver. The driver suffered bruises and scratches. She has also had quantities of hair pulled out and her glasses were smashed in the struggle.

Just a month later, a 25-year-old Surrey man was arrested and charged for a vicious and unprovoked attack on a Coast Mountain bus driver. The driver suffered a broken nose, broken bones in his face, continuing vision impairment in one eye and loosened teeth. The bus did not have any cameras on board. The suspect was sentenced to two years in jail, three years probation and a three year ban on riding transit.

READ MORE: Man accused of random, vicious attack on bus driver receives sentence

The attacks even led the bus drivers’ union to call for TransLink to restore free rides for off-duty police officers for enhanced security.