Road to Safety: How cost-effective cellular video surveillance bolsters transport security

The safety and security of those using and operating transportation systems is a non-negotiable, and video surveillance analytics have long been identified as critical to combatting the challenges faced.

Here, Zak Doffman, Founder and CEO of Digital Barriers, explains why using video over cellular technology can further support security professionals and provide real time feedback for faster incident response.

The EU’s transport sector employs over six million people and moves many millions more around the region every single day. National infrastructure doesn’t get much more critical than this.

That means those tasked with physical security and fire safety play a vital role in the sector. Whether it’s monitoring for suspicious behaviour, reacting to incidents or carrying out day-to-day maintenance and operational work, expectations are high and the pressure is on.

That’s why demand is growing for smarter use of video monitoring, to accelerate incident response and in some cases take proactive, preventative measures. But not all systems are created equal. This is where live video and analytics over cellular can help—optimising operations in transportation environments without the costs associated with wired infrastructure.

A risky business

Transportation systems are open, easily accessible and serve large numbers of people. That makes them a magnet for anti-social behaviour, criminal activity and even terrorist plots. It could be anything from passengers getting harassed at a subway stop, to handbag thieves operating at busy intersections. Some members of society are particularly exposed. Over half of women in the EU are said to avoid certain places, including public transport, for fear of being assaulted. Nor is public safety simply a matter of protecting passengers and commuters. In the US, 75% of transit workers fear being assaulted on the job.

Accidents are also inevitable. Some 14,000 people are injured on average in bus crashes every year in the US. And in the EU, nearly 21,000 people were killed in road accidents in 2022. Although this is a drop on pre-pandemic figures, the number is still too high. In urban areas, vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists represent nearly 70% of fatalities.

Some of these accidents are caused by congestion. Between 2000 and 2019 there was a reported 22% increase in freight transport, an 18% surge in car transport and a 20% increase in passenger travel within the EU. Tackling this scourge would also reduce noise and air pollution and petrol consumption, to help the region meet its sustainability goals.

Yet funds are an ever-present challenge. The pandemic had a multibillion-euro impact on transport agencies and companies. In some cases, rider numbers still haven’t returned to pre-COVID norms, and rising inflation and supply chain costs have put yet more financial pressure on. That means any technology solution must be carefully costed and calculated to deliver low TCO and high ROI. When it comes to surveillance cameras, that means optimizing use of existing hardware and reducing bandwidth and data costs.

How real-time video monitoring can help

Security and fire safety workers in transportation environments need better situational awareness, to make the right decisions at the right time. Smart camera solutions can help, by detecting suspicious behaviour which might indicate gang-related activity, vandalism of assets and other crimes. They can also flag when life-threatening situations occur, to drive rapid incident response.

Smart camera systems can prevent traffic congestion and pedestrian jams by monitoring flows in real time and flagging when problems are expected. Operators can then take proactive action – such as feeding new instructions to digital displays – to minimise bottlenecks and harm to passengers, pedestrians or motorists. Continuously monitoring asset health and traffic flows will also help to reduce service disruption, downtime and delayed repairs which can impact safety and the citizen experience.

Why go wireless?

The challenge with using wired infrastructure to deliver smart monitoring of transport environments is it can be expensive, complex and challenging to deploy. Video over cellular offers several advantages. It can be used with both new and existing cameras to optimize existing investments. And because it works wirelessly, cameras can be deployed where fixed infrastructure either isn’t technically possible or is too costly.

Redeployable cameras can also be used by transport authorities at large-scale events like music festivals to enhance safety and security. Or to monitor, manage and protect assets in remote locations. Video over cellular also supports body-worn cameras to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour, assist emergency responders and ensure transit authorities meet their obligations for employee safety.

However, with some providers, reliability and quality can be compromised due to bandwidth, congestion and packet drops, which make it difficult to use video over cellular for real-time applications. Networking, storage, people and hardware costs can also drive up TCO, while some solutions can be challenging to set up and resource-intensive to manage. That’s why it’s important to read the small print when assessing solutions. Go for vendors whose solutions provide bandwidth optimisation and video compression to lower costs and improve picture quality. Ideally, they should also be access agnostic and work across platforms and devices, as well as deliver secure, end-to-end encrypted video streams.

It’s time to go wireless

Security and fire safety professionals working in the transport sector have their work cut out. But live video and analytics can be a force multiplier for enhanced productivity and faster incident response. With the right video over cellular technology, organisations can keep costs down while improving physical security and safety, enhancing operational efficiency and meeting their compliance obligations.

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