AST Digital Magazine February 2017 AST Digital Magaiinse Volume 10 | Page 69

Volume 10
stop , such as an untended bag or package or a person going into a restricted area .
Whether it is on the bus , train or ferry or at the stops themselves , cameras and intuitive video management systems are the key to both active and forensic transit security .
By using the proper cameras and recording systems in a transit environment , quick-acting personnel can locate a person of interest who boarded a train at one station , follow him during his trip and produce a crisp , clear identifiable image at the end . Those setting up the system thus should keep in mind proper camera positioning , resolution and motion-based changes to frame rates or other compression settings .
Feb 2017 Edition
Within the stations themselves , there can be from 15 to 30 or more cameras capturing wideangle shots .
Train stations , which have a restricted point of egress , often deploy high-definition cameras to better support facial recognition software to get that actionable image .
Although bandwidth and storage can be a concern , with motion-based recording , the resolution can be bumped up during event , resulting in a 1 megapixel stream jumping to 4 or even 8 mbps when needed .
By changing the resolution on demand , end users can cut their storage needs significantly .
Image Credit : Apollo Video
A typical 30-foot bus often has six cameras — one each at the front and middle doors , two more within the bus and then one looking forward and another looking behind the bus .
The latter two are important in the event of accidents to verify liability .
Some cities use buses that are up to 60 feet long and those can be equipped with up to a dozen cameras .
Train cars are similarly equipped with two to four cameras to view activity down the center aisle .
Transportation settings often rely on the same technology used in other security installations , primarily mini dome cameras , although there are some mini transit domes built specifically for the environment with the proper aesthetics .
Because of vandalism threats , transit typically avoids pendant mounts , which can be more easily grabbed and damaged .
Temperature ratings for cameras also come into play in cold climates with cameras often getting outdoor exposure . As trains and buses move along their routes , especially those that service outlying areas , Internet connectivity becomes an issue as well .
69