The University of Victoria just took a step forward at going in reverse.
For years, neighbours have complained about the ear-piercing beeps emitted by maintenance trucks backing up on campus.
So the school recently banned the beeps on a number of vehicles and replaced them with a new device that produces “white” sound.
Now, when trucks reverse they make a hissing noise — not unlike someone loudly clearing their throat — to alert pedestrians and protect them from injury.
Ron Proulx, executive director of UVic’s facilities management department, said the new alarms are both quieter and safer.
The devices, which have been used in Europe for years, employ a broadband frequency that makes it easier for pedestrians to pinpoint the truck’s location and get out of the way.
“They don’t come across as loud, but they’re directional, so you only hear them if the truck is backing up in your direction,” Proulx said.
Beeping alarms represented a significant safety advance when they first appeared in the 1970s.
But Proulx said people have become “desensitized” over the years, because the alarms are so loud and ubiquitous that you don’t always know where the sound is coming from.
“Sometimes when you hear this ‘beep, beep’ you don’t even know if it’s in the same neighborhood,” he said.
The university worked with WorkSafe B.C. to ensure that the new alarms meet all provincial requirements before converting 20 vehicles. A further seven are slated for upgrades, said Glenn Brenan, director of operations with facilities management.
Brenan said the university opted to keep beeper alarms on its larger vehicles, because they tend to be louder or pull longer loads. “So when they’re backing up, they need to be more audible from a distance of over 30 feet behind the truck,” he said.
Proulx hopes the new technology will reduce noise pollution both on and off campus in addition to improving safety.
“We have students in classes all the time,” he said. “We have people in exams. The last thing we want to do is distract them while we’re going about our operations on a day to day basis.
“So I think this is good for everybody.”
Bob Hart of the Gordon Head Residents’ Association welcomed UVic’s efforts.
“The hope is that other fleets will hear about this and start considering this new type of [alarm],” he said.
