By AYATERU HOSOZAWA/ Staff Writer
January 14, 2025 at 17:15 JST
A train driver wearing sunglasses (Provided by East Japan Railway Co.)
Railway companies across Japan are giving train drivers a new addition to their uniforms that boosts visibility and reduces fatigue to help them stay focused and provide safer journeys.
East Japan Railway Co. (JR East), which employs about 7,000 drivers, announced that it will gradually begin providing sunglasses to them starting in February to reduce glare and improve safety.
Railway companies that have already implemented the eyewear report positive feedback from drivers, who say the shades help reduce eye strain and improve focus while driving.
JR East has conducted trials since February last year on the Tohoku Shinkansen Line and the local Chuo-Sobu Line.
The trials have shown that the sunglasses improve forward visibility by reducing glare not only from direct sunlight but also from reflected light off snow along the tracks, while also helping to alleviate driver fatigue.
Although driver cabins are equipped with sun visors, more than 70 percent of Shinkansen and conventional line drivers expressed a preference for sunglasses after the trials.
Starting in February, JR East will provide sunglasses with polarized lenses that do not affect signal visibility.
Staff at 17 stations, including Shinjuku and Yokohama, where safety checks are required throughout the day on the platforms, will also be allowed to wear shades.
Companies that allow the use of sunglasses include West Japan Railway Co. (JR West), Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai), Kyushu Railway Co. (JR Kyushu) and major private operators including Keikyu Corp. and Seibu Railway Co.
JR Tokai fully introduced sunglasses for conventional line drivers in 2023; it said that 95 percent of drivers reported improved visibility in a survey and 77 percent felt reduced fatigue. Passengers also don't seem to mind the new look.
“We haven’t received any particular negative feedback from passengers,” a company representative said.
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