LOS ANGELES—Metro has finalized the installation of barriers on its entire bus fleet to fully enclose drivers for their protection—a move prompted by a rise in assaults against bus operators, officials announced Tuesday.
A total of 2,105 buses received the shatterproof, tempered glass barriers, constructed of steel and laminated, low-reflectivity material. The design and fabrication were completed in-house at Metro’s Central Maintenance Facility in downtown Los Angeles, with most installation work done by staff at the operating divisions.
Metro used about 55,000 square feet of the material, enough to cover an entire football field, officials said.
In April, Metro’s board of directors approved an emergency procurement motion to accelerate the installation. On Monday, Metro installed the last barrier—making the transit agency the first in the nation to retrofit its entire bus fleet with such protection….