Vehicle for change

Q: Has there been an increase in queries regarding mobile video surveillance in the months following the attacks on London?

A: The terrorist attacks in London, along with attacks in New York and Madrid, were certainly a wake-up call for many transit authorities throughout the world. Not only has there been an increase in queries but also more of a sense of urgency in making decisions on deployment of mobile video surveillance.

Transit authorities do see the value of having a strong mobile surveillance system in place, to protect customers, staff and assets. More interestingly, perhaps, along with the increase in queries we see that customers who are evaluating the technologies are also asking better questions, such as:

• How easy will it be for us to manage a mobile surveillance system?
• How can I ensure that the system on every vehicle is operating properly?
• Do I need to remove vehicles from service in order to maintain the surveillance system?
• Are the systems rugged enough to survive/keep working through a traumatic event?

A: Traditional legacy systems such as analogue and first generation digital equipment simply do not measure up to the reliability and performance that transit authorities need today. Mobile video surveillance is about more than just capturing and storing video. Reliability, manageability, and efficiency are paramount when deploying a mobile system that the public can count on.

The best mobile surveillance systems today are much more innovative and advanced when compared to legacy systems. Their rugged nature allows them to survive reliably in harsh environments that include shock, vibration, dust, moisture, and temperature extremes. The latest management software allows transit authorities continuously to monitor and maintain the health of the recording equipment, ensuring near 100 per cent recording up-time.

Support for the latest wireless technology will alleviate the need for vehicles to be removed from service in order to extract critical video. These features are important to transit authorities, not only because they provide for a reliable mobile video surveillance environment, but they also create an efficient environment that reduces the amount of time, resources and cost required to ensure complete mobile surveillance.

Q: Do you think the fact that the CCTV equipment on the bus that was bombed in Tavistock Square was not working has damaged the industry in the eyes of the public?

A: I think it is reasonable for the public to expect the appropriate safety and security technology to be in place and working in these transit environments. I don't believe it has damaged the reputation of the industry overall, however. On the contrary – I believe that some vendors are being praised for their ability to monitor remotely the health status of critical recording equipment.

The biggest issue for transit providers today is 'time to action'. Many transit systems are government-funded and decision-making processes tend to be longer than those cycles in the private sector

If the equipment on buses and underground networks has the ability to notify transit staff in the event of a malfunction or health alert, then the transit system can respond in a more timely manner and provide better assurances that the surveillance service up-time is as close to 100 per cent as possible.

This level of technology is available today and has been deployed at various transit systems throughout the world such as the San Francisco Municipal Railway. In properly evaluating and deploying the aforementioned technologies, San Francisco MUNI is just one example of a transit provider that can call its mobile video system truly reliable, efficient, and innovative.

Q: How can installers encourage public transport clients to maintain and upgrade their surveillance equipment? What are the issues, if any, preventing these firms from embracing more high-tech systems?

A: Given the world that we live in – including the possibility of further terrorist attacks, vandalism of public transit assets, violence on buses, trains, and subways – I don't believe there is a lack of motivation today for public transit authorities to maintain and upgrade their surveillance equipment.

Transit authorities need to be engaged and shown the current state-of-the-art, not only in the technology itself, but in the ease of use, cost-effectiveness and real returns that can be gained from its use.

They need to be made aware that the technology is available effectively to deploy, maintain and centrally manage an enterprise-class mobile video solution that covers all areas of the transit environment, including on-board vehicles, on platforms and stations, and within maintenance yards and headquarters buildings, all from a single networked system.

The biggest issue for transit providers today is "time to action". Many transit systems are government-funded and therefore the budget allocation and decision-making processes tend to be longer than those cycles in the private sector.

Q: What improvements are we likely to see in public transport surveillance in future?

A: In many ways, the innovative technology of tomorrow is available today. Wireless capabilities that allow for downloading of video and maintenance of mobile systems make for a far more efficient surveillance environment that lowers total cost of ownership.

In the future, we see surveillance systems going beyond their traditional functions so that more predictive
analysis can be provided...

GPS location, speed and direction tracking technology as well as other vehicle sensor data (brakes, lights, etc) can now be integrated with mobile digital video recorders to provide transit authorities with more comprehensive surveillance information at their central monitoring stations.

These technologies not only serve the immediate need of security but also can assist in enhancing the operation of a transit system to ensure superior transit services are being offered. In future, we see video surveillance systems going beyond traditional functions so that more return on investment can be realised and more predictive analysis can be provided to security professionals.

For example, video analytic software applications will be offered so that video can be intelligently analysed to optimise the business of public transportation. Also, sophisticated analytic packages are being introduced to monitor traffic flow, detect suspicious objects, and track individuals for security purposes.

Similarly, mobile video management devices can be used to push information, be it advertising, public advisories or event information to passenger information systems located on public transit vehicles. Such systems are also known as digital signage. While these may have been viewed as future system improvements, the reality is they are available today.

About Marc Holden

Marc Holden is the Vertical Business Manager for Transportation Solutions at March Networks. He has been involved in many aspects of advanced technology development and deployment for more than 14 years. Working for various companies such as Cabletron Systems, SMC, and ADC Telecom, his roles included overseeing the delivery of advanced technology services to both government and private-sector agencies. Marc is a graduate of Gonzaga University in the United States, is a member of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and has been a guest speaker at numerous industry events.

About March Networks

March Networks is a provider of innovative IP-based video applications used for security surveillance and monitoring. Its software and hardware solutions allow businesses to increase operational efficiencies, address risk, and manage assets with an integrated set of video-based intelligence tools that support enhanced decision-making. Today, the ISO 9001:2000 certified company serves the needs of leading banks, retail organisations and transportation authorities in more than 40 countries throughout the world. For more information, please click on www.marchnetworks.com