TTC exploring ways to catch motorists passing through open streetcar doors

Toronto city councillor Mike Layton says it’s time for the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) to start installing cameras on streetcars to tag vehicles zipping by open doors.

A tweet posted by Layton on Tuesday called on the TTC to take action because a “horn blast doesn’t seem to deter.”

“I was walking to work on University and Dundas and I witnessed a car going through and I tweeted out,” Layton told Global News. “What’s a streetcar driver to do? He can lean onto his horn but there’s really not much else.”

TTC spokesman Brad Ross said the transit agency is already exploring the technology behind capturing licence plate numbers, but that the idea is still being studied.

“I don’t have a timeline yet, but staff will report back to the TTC board on feasibility, including what kind of technology exists and how it would be applied,” Ross said in an e-mail to Global News.

READ MORE: New TTC streetcars could be delayed again, missing 2019 deadline

There’s still no word on the cost to implement the plan and what routes will be targeted.

The TTC said the proposal will likely require a provincial regulation change.

Layton admits there are many more steps to be taken before the plan moves forward but said the dangers continue to be present for transit users.

“When you’re the first one off the streetcar and you’re just taking that first step, it’s tough to sort of see out the door,” Layton said.

“There are stop signs on the doors warning people not to pass open streetcar doors, but people try to race them. They try to get past the streetcar before the loading and unloading happens.”

Under the provincial Highway Traffic Act, drivers who pass an open streetcar door can face a $110 fine and up to three demerit points.