SEPTA plans this spring to begin road testing safety compartments with bullet-resistant glass for bus operators — protection demanded for several years by members of Transport Workers Union Local 234 amid a surge in assaults on drivers.

In the wake of the shooting death of a SEPTA bus driver nearly a year and a half ago, the agency will place eight protective shields in its busses in a pilot program to protect drivers.

The compartments were designed after the murder of Bernard Gribbin, who was driving a Route 23 bus on Germantown Avenue when he was shot multiple times by a passenger on Oct. 26, 2023 – sparking concerns about safety among drivers.