THAT ON AND OFF AS WELL AS WE
ENTER FALL.
BACK TO YOU. >> THANK YOU.
>>> THE MTA IS PUSHING TO MAKE
SAFETY CHANGES FOR THE DRIVERS
AFTER A SERIES OF VIOLENT ATTACKS.
WE SEE WHAT THE AGENCY IS
CALLING THEIR NEW COCKPITS. >> OUTSIDE THE BROOKLYN BUS, A
PASSENGER TAKING A SWING AT THE
DRIVER.
THE TRANSIT AGENCY PRESIDENT
COMMENTING FOR THE FIRST TIME ON
THIS INDIVIDUAL.
WHEN THREE OTHER DRIVERS TRIED
TO HELP THE FIRST ONE, THEY,
TOO, WERE ASSAULTED. ALL ARE RECOVERING.
>> ONE ASSAULT IS TOO MANY.
OUR BUS DRIVERS ARE BEING
ASSAULTED AT AN ALARMING RATE. >> TRANSIT UNION OWEFFICIALS SAY
ASSAULTS ON BUS DRIVERS ARE UP
36%, AND SPITTING INCIDENTS UP
21%, FROM 95 LAST YEAR TO 115 THIS YEAR.
>> LIKE THE AIRLINES, THE PILOTS
ARE PROTECTED AND IT’S THE SAME
WITH THE BUS OPERATORS.
>> TODAY ABOARD A BUS GETTING
RETRO FITTED WITH SOMETHING THEY ARE CALLING THE COCKPIT.
UNION OFFICIALS HAVE PUSHED FOR
YEARS TO GET A BARRIER BETWEEN
THE DRIVER AND THE PUBLIC.
PREVIOUS EFFORTS WITH PLEXIGLASS
LED TO A DANGEROUS GLARE.
>> I BELIEVE THIS IS THE START.
IT SHOULD REDUCE ASSAULTS DRASTICALLY.
>> A BUS OPERATOR SAID THE VIDEO
DRIVER --
>> ONE GENTLEMAN JUST DECIDED TO
SPIT IN MY FACE BECAUSE HE COULD NOT GET IN THE BUS IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE STREET. >> TRANSIT OFFICIALS ARE
DEBUTING NEW ELECTRONIC MIRRORS.
>> WE BELIEVE THE COCKPIT WILL
HELP REDUCE THE ASSAULTS, PEOPLE
TRYING TO REACH AROUND AND
STRIKE AT THE EMPLOYEES OR THROW
COFFEE ON THEM, FOR EXAMPLE.
>> THE COCKPIT PARTITIONS WILL INBOUND TWO BUSES FOR A TRIAL
FOR 90 DAYS, AND THEN AFTER THAT