Happened to be on MBTA bus 3223 on Friday, while it was serving the 553 route.
Like most MBTA buses, there are a series of yellow grab bars, both vertical and horizontal, to hold on to while your MBTA bus is caroming through Boston traffic.
On this bus, the vertical grab bar on the rear side of the right front wheelhouse has something I haven't seen before: In addition to the usual red "STOP" button to request a stop, there is a somewhat hidden black button, on the other side of the pole (facing towards the side window).
I inadvertently almost pushed it when I grabbed onto it. Investigating further, it definitely appears to be a small button.
What does this button do? I don't know but I have some speculation:
1. It is just an extra stop button
2. It has something to do with the accessible/priority seating immediately adjacent (perhaps the bus driver is expected to press it whenever he secures a wheelchair passenger)
3. It activates an ejection seat (but this is the MBTA, so it is wired to activate an ejection seat on a completely different bus)
Like most MBTA buses, there are a series of yellow grab bars, both vertical and horizontal, to hold on to while your MBTA bus is caroming through Boston traffic.
On this bus, the vertical grab bar on the rear side of the right front wheelhouse has something I haven't seen before: In addition to the usual red "STOP" button to request a stop, there is a somewhat hidden black button, on the other side of the pole (facing towards the side window).
I inadvertently almost pushed it when I grabbed onto it. Investigating further, it definitely appears to be a small button.
What does this button do? I don't know but I have some speculation:
1. It is just an extra stop button
2. It has something to do with the accessible/priority seating immediately adjacent (perhaps the bus driver is expected to press it whenever he secures a wheelchair passenger)
3. It activates an ejection seat (but this is the MBTA, so it is wired to activate an ejection seat on a completely different bus)
