Public transport companies are not allowed to constantly film bus drivers, Dutch DPA says

Systematically monitoring employees in their workplace with surveillance cameras is not permitted. Cameras may only be used when it’s strictly necessary, for example, to record incidents.

That’s what the Dutch privacy and data protection authority (DPA) has said following a complaint and a discussion with the public transport company Arriva about the use of cameras on its buses.

According to the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (AP), cameras in vehicles can contribute to the safety of both passengers and staff members. However, there are limits to their use. For example, it’s not allowed to permanently monitor employees at their designated workplace, like the bus driver’s seat.

“Employers must ensure that cameras don’t record more than is strictly necessary. Camera surveillance should never be a covert means of monitoring or assessing employees. Safety is important, but so is privacy in the workplace,” Monique Verdier, Vice Chair of the AP, said in a statement.

The Dutch DPA and Arriva have reached an agreement that respects the privacy of bus drivers. The public transport company used to permanently monitor bus drivers on certain routes. All recordings were stored locally on the bus and automatically deleted after a week.

Arriva said it would only review the recordings if there was reason to do so, for example, in case of an emergency, when a passenger was attacked, or when travelers complained about the driver’s behavior to the company.

The bus company has promised to take measures to ensure drivers are no longer visible when they’re behind the wheel. This includes technical adjustments to cameras, as well as modifying internal protocols and drafting clear instructions for employees.

The Dutch DPA emphasizes that the agreements with Arriva apply not only to all public transport companies in the Netherlands but also to freight transportation.

The AP says it will continue to monitor the issue and engage in dialogue with businesses to promote compliance with privacy regulations.

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