The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) has launched a nine-month pilot programme to assess the use of onboard cameras to detect motorists and other road users who illegally pass streetcars while passengers are boarding or alighting.
Four streetcars will be fitted with camera systems to record instances where vehicles pass open doors at kerbside stops, where traffic is legally required to stop until passengers have safely entered or exited the vehicle.
The pilot will measure the frequency of these violations and evaluate whether the technology is suitable for automated enforcement in the future.
According to the TTC, around 150 passengers have been struck by vehicles while boarding or leaving streetcars over the past decade. The transit agency says multiple illegal passing incidents and near misses occur each day.
TTC Chair Jamaal Myers said:Every day, our customers and operators see vehicles blow past open streetcar doors, putting people at risk. This pilot is an important step toward ending that behavior and making sure everyone gets on and off the streetcar safely.
The law applies to all road users, including cars, vans, motorcycles, mopeds, bicycles, e-bikes and scooters. Drivers who fail to stop when a streetcar’s doors are open can face a fine and demerit points.
TTC Chief Executive Officer Mandeep S. Lali added that the trial will help the agency better understand the scale of illegal passing incidents and provide evidence to inform decisions on wider deployment of the technology and potential enforcement measures.
