Not only were PCC controllers under the floor, they were about mid-car connected with rods and levers to the foot pedals up front. I spent a good amount of time one day last fall in a pit under a PCC at Orange Empire RY Museum lubricating sticking throttle, brake, and deadman's pedal underfloor mechanisms.

On all the new U.S. LRT systems I can think of the motorman has no interaction with the passengers. On older lines that survived the 1930s, 40s, and 50s dealing with fares, and all the questions that involves, no doubt makes the job much more difficult.