Thermal cameras will be added to some public transit vehicles as part of a program aimed at reducing the number of accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists.

The Michigan Department of Transportation is receiving a $551,732 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration to install these cameras.

In 2023, the number of crashes involving road users increased by 10%, according to Michigan State Police. Accidents involving pedestrians increased by 11%, with 2,114 accidents, and accidents involving bicycles increased by 10%, with 1,480 accidents.

The new thermal cameras will help detect pedestrians and cyclists in different lighting conditions and environments.

“We are very pleased to have received this grant from our federal partners to improve safety, which could ultimately be a game-changer for transit agencies across the country,” said Jean Ruestman, administrator of the Office of the MDOT passenger transportation. “Although some high-end automobiles are equipped with thermal cameras, no public transportation vehicles currently have this technology. So my team worked hard to research this technology, make connections, and apply for this grant to make it a reality.

Partner agencies will test the thermal cameras on 60 public transport vehicles, including vans and large coaches.

Agencies that were chosen for this project include:

• Transit in the Blue Water zone

• City of Alma

• South Central Michigan Community Action Agency

• Southeast Michigan Regional Transportation Authority (RTA)

“As a college town and multi-modal community with pedestrians, cyclists and an ever-growing e-bike population, the launch of this new technology will help prevent pedestrian/vehicle conflicts and save lives,” said Brett Baublitz, transport director of the Alma transport center.

These thermal cameras will also be helpful in the event of accidents involving deer in Michigan communities.

“The city of Alma and surrounding service areas also have a significant white-tailed deer population,” Baublitz said. “Thermal camera systems will save on vehicle repairs by detecting oncoming deer earlier to avoid accidents. This reduces vehicle downtime while maintaining accessibility to our passengers by keeping our fleet on the road.