A Guide for Transit Organizations Looking for Next Generation Security Solutions

Bus, rail and subway systems are struggling to rebound after ridership plummeted during the pandemic. As passengers and lawmakers call for more security funding and oversight for transit systems, transit organizations are under increased pressure to modernize their security infrastructure.?

Capturing clear images while moving in all lighting and weather conditions is a unique challenge?

Security for buses, trains and stations have unique technical challenges. The inside of a moving vehicle is a difficult installation space because it is a limited area. Onboard security cameras must ensure a view of every corner of the bus or train. It is also just as important to capture crisp, detailed images in all lighting and weather conditions. Passing suddenly from bright outdoor sunlight into dark tunnels can leave some cameras temporarily blinded. And if that wasn't enough, there's always the threat of someone tampering with the camera itself. When choosing new security cameras, transit organizations should prioritize choosing cameras capable of reliable monitoring under any lighting and environmental conditions that can provide stable, high-resolution video quality even when buses or trains are moving.?

Taking advantage of advances in analytics?

Forward thinking transit organizations are already taking advantage of analytics to make the move from reactive to proactive security. The new generation of analytics can be programmed to send alerts when certain pre-set actions occur, such as loitering in restricted areas. Analytics can also be useful in alerting security about other suspicious behaviors at a transit stop, such as an untended bag or package. AI-powered cameras can detect distinct objects, e.g., people and vehicles, and all but eliminate false alarms from environmental factors such as wind, rain and shadows.?

Breaking away from proprietary and analog systems?

The transportation industry is in a transformation period, where organizations are moving away from older siloed, proprietary analog video systems, recording devices and software. Even if they have a path to modern IP networked infrastructure, they will still face limited flexibility, growth and difficulties to integrate with other systems.??

The best solutions offer high levels of integration and automation?

The best solutions enable more integration and automation where flagged events and data are automatically offloaded via 5G/4G and system and device status is available in real time. Sending video from a moving bus can be inefficient. Modern security bus barns are equipped with Wi-Fi so that with the right system, when a bus returns to the depot, video events from its onboard cameras can be automatically downloaded without human intervention unlike older, siloed systems where the bus hard drive would need to be removed and offloaded in another area.??

Since recording video 24/7/365 and storing it all is not realistic, modern systems have rules and triggers to flag moments of interest which help decide which clips should be archived beyond the normal retention period. This can be as easy as triggering a marker in the video when the door opens, or more advanced, such as having the driver press a button anytime they feel something of interest might be happening. This makes searching for events easier if something requires further investigation.?

Partnering with manufacturers who can help navigate funding sources??

Finding enough funding to meet all their security and safety goals can be a hurdle for transit organizations. When looking to upgrade their security infrastructure, mass transit organizations should partner with manufacturers who can support them through every step of the process with contract and grant information, customized funding research and consultation services so they can get the very best security technology available to meet their needs.?

Going beyond security?

With more connected IoT devices onboard public transit vehicles, agencies can collect more data from their fleet and offer better updates to commuters. An IoT device, such as a security camera, can be thought of as an in-vehicle data collector to retrieve information for analysis by a central platform.??

Enabling proactive security?

For example, an agency can track their fleet’s exact GPS location and each vehicle’s current onboard situation, like its number of riders. AI-enabled security devices can also instantly alert transit operators to intrusion, loitering, aggression, left-behind objects or smoke, enabling a fast response. If incidents do happen, support for embedded search capabilities makes the investigation and identification fast, accurate and easy.??

Unlock improvements in passenger service?

Security technology can also be a source of network insights that lead to improvements in passenger service. Data-driven solutions can also help agencies capture data about passenger flow, mobility and accessibility that can inform future planning. Gathering passenger count and demographic data can support service adjustments, such as additional capacity or schedule changes. The same technology can also help monitor for fare evasion, overcrowding, queue lengths, boarding management and more.?

By choosing non-proprietary security systems, transit agencies can consolidate and correlate the data between their various systems. When operators have a clear picture of their agency, they can quickly turn accurate data into actionable information faster. Once cities make the move towards adopting a more connected and collaborative transit infrastructure, commuters will be more likely to choose public transit over personal vehicles.???

Mitigating cybersecurity and privacy risks maintains public trust??

Because transit agencies rely on an ever-growing number of IoT devices, they also get exposed to higher cybersecurity risks as there are more network access points to manage. Cybersecurity breaches are on the rise in the transit industry in the form of ransomware attacks, private data breaches and hardware that can have malware. Mitigating these risks has become a critical undertaking to maintaining public trust.?

Look for NDAA, TAA and FIPS compliance to safeguard transit operations??

Looking for products that conform to standards such as NDAA and TAA ensures organizations are safeguarding their operations with IoT devices meeting federally regulated standards. For cybersecurity, looking for cameras with FIPS-2 Level 3 will ensure the highest protection available for networked security cameras.??

Respecting individuals’ privacy must be considered in system design??

Cybersecurity and privacy go hand in hand. When it comes to physical security technology, transit organizations need tools that allow security professionals to gather and manage data, including video, while supporting compliance with privacy laws around the world.??

They need solutions that are designed to help enhance cyber hygiene and respect privacy regulations by making data and privacy protection features integral to their system design. Transit agencies should therefore look for security solutions that not only protect data but also preserve the privacy of individuals. Video surveillance solutions should be designed with privacy protection features to protect innocent bystanders by anonymizing individuals in the camera's field of view without obscuring actions and movements. If an incident occurs, authorized operators should be able to access video evidence to see what is happening in the footage without violating anyone’s privacy.?

Next generation transit security operations have open platform solutions with easy data exchange??

Mass transit organizations should avoid proprietary solutions that could lock them into an ecosystem and limit their future choices. Instead, they should opt for open platform solutions that allow an easy data exchange between systems and quickly scale and adapt to the future needs and emerging technologies. Modern video systems can transform not only security but operations and customer service by supplying actionable insights that monitor customer experience throughout their journey.?

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