Despite the fact that the crime rate on public transit systems in Boston is declining, the MBTA has just announced that it intends to install brand new surveillance camera systems inside hundreds of buses throughout the city.

The MBTA is retrofitting 225 buses in its fleet with new high-tech cameras that show the insides of the vehicles from multiple angles. Not only will the transit authority be able to get a better look at who’s riding the bus, but each installation includes a four-screen monitor housed at the front of the vehicles, affording other riders utilizing the transit system a chance to see what’s happening during their commute.

So far, only 10 vehicles have been retrofitted with the new devices, but MBTA officials said by summertime 215 more vehicles will feature the same updated technology. Money to pay for the cameras came in the form of a federal grant from the Department of Homeland Security. The MBTA is relying completely on the nearly $7 million allocation to purchase and install the cameras and multi-view surveillance screens.

The T spent none of its own money on this particular project, officials said. According to the Boston Magazine report, the system enables MBTA police to wirelessly link into the surveillance cameras on each bus […]