By John Osumi
With the continuing acceleration of urban sprawl and the crucial demand for reliable transit, a critical question looms large for many transit operators: How can they guarantee the well-being of both passengers and drivers?
When it comes to ensuring a safe and effective transit operation, comprehensive event recording is foundational to safety and security as it provides verifiable, real-time, and historical evidence of incidents. This enables transit agencies to:
• Protect passengers and vehicle operators by deterring misconduct and enabling rapid security response.
• Support incident investigations with high-quality video, audio, and location evidence.
• Mitigate liability by documenting events accurately, reducing exposure to false claims.
• Improve operations by analyzing trends and identifying additional training or maintenance needs.
Unforeseen events such as accidents, traffic violations, and unruly passengers can pose significant challenges to transit agencies, potentially leading to increased liabilities and operational disruptions. However, with solutions like Luminator’s Mobile Video Security (MVS), agencies can quickly improve both incident response and reporting.
AI-powered edge computing: AI processing units to allow real-time video processing without relying on cloud-based service latency and internet bandwidth restrictions.
Video-based Automatic Passenger Counting (APC): Traditional sensor-based APC systems are seeing a significant increase in competition from video-based APC solutions in recent years. Powered by advanced video analysis algorithms and AI-enabled processors onboard, many of these systems have achieved the requisite APC counting accuracy standards to meet Federal Transit Administration (FTA) mandates. However, integration with third-party systems and long-term reliability may vary widely between vendors.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS): Various types of ADAS sensors have been available in the automotive industry for more than 20 years. Only recently has the technology progressed to the point where these can operate entirely (and reliably) through video-based camera systems.
Modular scalability and long-term support: Luminator specializes in leveraging best-in-class DVR hardware, designed for each vehicle type and purpose. With nearly 100 years in business and more than 20 years delivering MVS solutions to transit agencies around the world, Luminator has a long history of commitment in support of its customers.
Unified platform: As Luminator continually innovates, incorporates, and integrates its core RoadRunner MVS products, the complete product lifecycle is fully managed end-to-end to ensure “right sized” bespoke solutions to fit the needs of each customer.
8K video resolution and video-based Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS): Luminator offers an industry-leading unified ADAS solution that leverages onboard RoadRunner Pro DVR, Video Mirrors, and mSET Video Management Software for both real-time driver alerts and retrospective analysis.
Health diagnostics and seamless remote access: mSET software provides secure web-based video access, automatic video clip downloading, and real-time health monitoring for all its connected products.
Whether you are retrieving video after an event or viewing real-time video in a monitoring center, the level of detail and accuracy provided by Luminator’s MVS solution enables operators to react more quickly to situations and access compelling video evidence to support investigations and combat false liability claims. Luminator’s MVS solution excels with features such as:
• Rugged onboard DVRs with AI processing capabilities.
• IP and analog Cameras capturing high-quality video and audio, compliant with ONVIF industry standards.
• mSET Video Management Software for secure real-time video management, health diagnostics, and easy access.
• Vehicle Event Triggers (e.g., braking, door opening, turn signals, reverse) that tag video segments for quick retrieval.
Video is stored in heavily tested & secure storage media onboard the DVR, which can be uploaded automatically or on-demand via Wi-Fi or cellular networks. mSET software supports both hosted and on-prem deployment scenarios.
While there are many critical considerations when it comes to ensuring optimum performance of a video surveillance system, an effective fail-safe measure is crucial to ensuring the technology is functioning properly. Luminator’s MVS solution includes proactive health and diagnostic reporting to detect hardware/software issues; redundancy with automated backups in hosted environments to ensure uptime and disaster recovery; automatic alerts for camera disconnection, storage issues, or system faults; and secure browser-based access for real-time monitoring and troubleshooting.
For many transit agencies, it is important to promote public transportation as a favorable commuting alternative to attract more riders toward utilizing transit. To achieve this, it is essential to present a secure environment for both passengers and staff. Thanks to advancements in IP video technology, the industry is changing the way public transportation professionals respond to security concerns, while also enhancing passenger experience. Visible and well-marked video surveillance systems can help act as a deterrent for criminals. Today’s high-quality images are also leagues ahead of fuzzy CCTV images of the past. The high reliability of IP video systems coupled with forensic-quality images is used repeatedly to help solve crimes.
In the event of an accident or crime, Luminator’s MVS solution enables transit agencies to protect themselves, their employees, and their riders by quickly retrieving and sharing footage with law enforcement or legal teams, maintaining full chain-of-custody during the entire process. The system also aids in demonstrating compliance with safety protocols and training standards, supports insurance claims with time-stamped, high-resolution, location-based evidence and enhances public trust by showing commitment to transparency and safety.
The system’s design ensures that only authorized personnel can access recordings, and GDPR-compliant policies govern data retention and disclosure.
Luminator’s mission is “to empower transportation systems globally with reliable, safe, and efficient solutions to maintain a high standard of excellence across diverse markets”
Luminator streamlines transit operations with innovative smart video surveillance solutions that enhance safety, security, and operational efficiency through real-time and AI-capable applications.
John Osumi is Luminator’s Director of MVS Product Management & Global Strategic Initiatives. For more information, visit https://luminator.com/.