PORTLAND — TriMet installed bars of distracting, bright lights atop dozens of buses earlier this year as part of what it is calling a safety program designed to make the 40-foot-long buses more visible to drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.
The transit agency quietly rolled out the “amber safety lights” in April, and so far, 30 buses are equipped with the light bar. It’s considering installing the devices on all of its buses.
“We are always looking for ways to make our system safer,” Tia York, an agency spokeswoman, said in an email. “As we test the lights, we’ll better understand if they can help improve visibility during times when pedestrians, cyclists or auto drivers might experience some type of distraction.”
