Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
MTA to test cameras on buses as side mirrors keep smacking objects on streets
By
Stephen Nessen
Published Apr 26, 2023
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Metropolitan Transportation Authority/Patrick Cashin
By
Stephen Nessen
Published Apr 26, 2023
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Mirrors that hang off the sides of the MTA’s buses keep clipping objects on the street, MTA officials said, so the transit agency plans to test out electronic cameras and screens as an alternate way to help drivers see the road.
The MTA on Wednesday said the agency’s buses were in about 1,800 collisions last year involving the bulky side mirrors. In many cases, officials said the mirrors clipped outdoor dining structures.
In the coming weeks, the agency said it plans to launch a pilot program that replaces the side mirrors on some buses with technology similar to backup cameras. With the new technology, drivers would simply have to look at a digital screen inside their bus to see what is happening around them.
NYC Transit President Richard Davey said it’s a cost-cutting measure that’s part of the MTA’s push to find $400 million in savings to balance the agency’s budget next year. He said repairs and settlement fees from buses hitting objects and other vehicles add up.
Digital screens like this could replace side mirrors on MTA buses.
Courtesy MTA
“It’s driving up our maintenance costs, it’s driving up legal settlements, and so e-mirrors, literally cameras and screens that would replace the mirrors, is something we’re looking at,” Davey said.
By the end of the year the MTA also plans to come up with a new design for barriers that drivers sit behind. The new designs would fully or partially enclose the driver, protecting them from being assaulted or spat on by passengers. Davey said the e-mirrors could be useful with a new cockpit because light glaring on the protective barriers could prevent drivers from seeing their mirrors.
Transport Workers Union Local 100 has for years called for better protections for bus drivers.
“We’ve been strenuously advocating for bus operator cockpits to protect our members from the onslaught of assaults and abuse - so this potentially is great news,” Local 100 President Richard Davis said. “The MTA appears to be taking real steps towards making this major safety upgrade a reality. We have to see the ultimate design, and test drive buses, but we’re happy with this development.”
Tagged
new york city
transportation
Stephen Nessen
Stephen Nessen covers transportation. Since 2008 he has reported on everything from Occupy Wall Street, the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site, Hurricane Sandy, to Trump’s campaign for president. His transportation reporting has taken him everywhere from the MTA’s secret Rail Control Center to the gleaming subways of Seoul. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Hochul, Blakeman offer opposing visions for jobs to stem New York exodus
A million New Yorkers have moved across state lines since 2020 due to the cost of living.
By
Jimmy Vielkind
Published Oct 15, 2026 at 6:30 a.m. ET
Hannah-Jones, NYC schools chancellor set to speak at high-stakes integration town hall
The prominent journalist crossed paths with Kamar Samuels years ago due to problems at her daughter's elementary school.
By
Jessica Gould
News
Hannah-Jones, NYC schools chancellor set to speak at high-stakes integration town hall
The prominent journalist crossed paths with Kamar Samuels years ago due to problems at her daughter's elementary school.
By
Jessica Gould
Queens man found dead, police say, and injured woman is his mother, neighbors say
By
Charles Lane
Man shot by ICE in NYC's Marble Hill said federal officers never identified themselves
By
Arya Sundaram
and
Samantha Max
Brooklyn school dean says MTA officers assaulted him over a $3 bus fare he says he paid
By
Carol Chen
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .