Bus and coach operator Busways has invested in a major CCTV upgrade project across its Greater Sydney fleet by enabling live access to onboard CCTV footage.
Through its Operations Control Centre (OCC), Busways can now access real-time footage to improve onboard safety for passengers and drivers.
Busways’ Operations Control team can now remotely view and respond to incidents in real time using up to eight upgraded cameras inside and outside each bus, across almost 900 buses operating in Western Sydney, Northwest Sydney and the Central Coast.
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Previously, CCTV footage could only be accessed by physically retrieving a memory card from the bus. Now, incidents can be reviewed immediately and, when necessary, shared with police to support investigations and help keep services moving.
This change has already proven valuable, with Busways OCC manager Bhim Raj Singh recalling a recent incident where a driver was unaware a passenger seated directly behind them in a blind spot had been wounded.
“From the live CCTV feed, I could see the situation clearly and instructed the driver to secure the bus and assist the passenger,” Singh says.
“Without live footage, that incident may have escalated.”
Busways head of assets Chris Wolf says the project reflects the operator’s ongoing focus to use technology to strengthen different aspects of the business.
“We are always looking for ways to improve safety and support better outcomes for passengers, drivers and the wider community,” he says.
“When incidents occur, we can now assist police immediately with footage, help clear roads faster, and reduce disruption for the entire community. It’s about being dependable when it matters most.”
The technology also supports faster responses to major road incidents, with Singh’s team able to review and share relevant CCTV footage immediately in one case when a motorbike collided with a bus in Shalvey.
“The footage showed the rider came out of an alleyway behind a parked truck without stopping,” Singh says.
“As soon as police saw the video, they cleared the road within half an hour. It could have been an all-night diversion otherwise.”
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