SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Transit Authority is working to increase the visibility of riders waiting for buses at night by adding reflective signaling devices at bus stops. Bus Stoppers are plastic tubes that attach to bus stop poles. Reflective material inside the tube shines when it catches a bus’ headlights. Riders can move the outer casing of the tube up and down, creating a flash that alerts bus operators that a passenger is waiting at the stop.
The devices were created by retired UTA bus operator Gordon Summers. He got the idea while driving one evening. He noticed something move in front of a reflective roadside marker, went back to check, and realized that two passengers had walked in front of the marker while waiting for his bus.
Summers brainstormed how to increase visibility at bus stops without adding a device that needed batteries, depended on solar power or required regular maintenance.
Public transit agencies in Logan, Roosevelt, Nevada, Georgia, Colorado, Oregon and California now use Bus Stoppers on their routes.
UTA has installed 200 Bus Stoppers at stops that don't have streetlights or other lighting. There are plans to install 100 to 200 more through the end of the year.
Anyone who believes a Bus Stopper is needed at a nearby stop can contact UTA via rideuta.com