SamTrans Improves Safety with AI-Enabled Cameras

The San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) Board of Directors approved the installation of artificial intelligence–enabled safety cameras on 235 fixed-route buses. The agency expects the efforts will help reduce collisions and improve safety for passengers, drivers, and the public.

The AI dash cameras and cloud-based services will help identify unsafe driving behaviors, increase driver awareness of pedestrians, and support incident review and training. The system includes dual-facing cameras focused on the roadway and the driver. The cameras can detect risky conditions and trigger alerts that help improve driving awareness. The captured video can be used for safety analysis and driver coaching.

“This technology gives our operators additional tools to stay aware of their surroundings while helping us better understand and prevent incidents,” said SamTrans Acting Deputy Director of Safety Omar Brown. “Improving safety for our riders, employees, and everyone sharing the roadway remains a top priority for SamTrans.”

Deployment of the cameras builds on the agency’s previous experience using AI-enabled dash cameras on contracted bus services. After a competitive procurement process, SamTrans selected Samsara to provide hardware, software, installation, training, and cloud-based video services.