PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (WVLT) – New eyes might be watching you the next time you are in Pigeon Forge. Cameras are being installed on the city’s mass transit vehicles.
Officials with the city say the move is prompted by safety.
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“It just helps us understand more of what we can do to improve our services to the general public and also to keep us safe,” said Director of Transit Lynn Wilhoite.
The city said some employees will be wearing body cameras, while five permanent cameras will get a 360-degree view of the road and people riding. There will be “one facing each door and then up and down the aisles so we can see basically everyone that’s on that trolley and also see what the driver is seeing,” Wilhoite added.
Wilhoite said the move is part of a larger project that they say will improve the transit system. The information will be collected on traffic flow and riders for review.
The department said it could improve your drive in your own vehicle, as they plan to share the data with other city departments.
“Because we’re always on the streets, we may see an accident before the authorities,” Wilhoite said, “and that would be available for the public and for our police department to have.”
The city will keep the recordings from 30 to 40 days, and possibly longer if the city believes they need to observe something more.
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