Friday Funny: Pee Odor in Transit Elevator Got You Down?

This abbreviation may be coming to other transit elevators if it proves its snuff in Atlanta: UDD, short for Urine Detection Device. The sensors and the camera will force offenders to find appropriate places to relieve themselves, or risk arrest.

1 minute read

December 27, 2013, 1:00 PM PST

By Irvin Dawid


The good news for users of Atlanta’s transit elevators can’t come soon enough, explains John Bachman of WSB-TV, Atlanta in this newscast about the new program deployed by Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA).

The olfactory problem is "about to change with first-of-its-kind technology which catches 'offenders' literally -- with their pants down," he explains in the newscast. It all comes down to the "splash factor".


credit: WSBTV - Atlanta

Standing in an elevator, MARTA Director of Elevators/Escalators Tom Beebe tells Bachman (with a straight face) how UDD works. "If somebody was to urinate in here, there's going to be a splash factor. It would splash and it [camera points to UDD in elevator] would sense," Beebe said.

Bachman explains that “if a person relieves her or himself, the sensors sound the alarm and the MARTA police will be there in seconds to catch the offender in the act.”

The pilot program has been in place for a month, and that daily problem dropped to one incident, in which an arrest was made. 

The cost: $10,000 per UDD - which MARTA can probably recoup in reduced maintenance costs. But for their transit customers who use the elevators, it may be priceless if it solves the problem.

Thursday, December 19, 2013 in WSB-TV - Atlanta

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Floor-to-ceiling rotating gates at Fairmount subway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Crime Continues to Drop on Philly, San Francisco Transit Systems

SEPTA and BART both saw significant declines in violent crime in the first quarter of 2025.

April 28 - Mass Transit

South LA Wetlands Park in Los Angeles, California.

How South LA Green Spaces Power Community Health and Hope

Green spaces like South L.A. Wetlands Park are helping South Los Angeles residents promote healthy lifestyles, build community, and advocate for improvements that reflect local needs in historically underserved neighborhoods.

April 28 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Intersection in downtown Sacramento, California with neoclassical building with columns on left.

Sacramento Plans ‘Quick-Build’ Road Safety Projects

The city wants to accelerate small-scale safety improvements that use low-cost equipment to make an impact at dangerous intersections.

April 28 - The Sacramento Bee