Pierce Transit, the second largest transit agency in Washington, implemented a March Networks video surveillance system to enhance safety and efficiency across its nine transit centers serving 18 million passengers annually. The system integrates various surveillance technologies allowing for better monitoring, quicker response to incidents, and reduced liability claims. With advancements such as video analytics, the agency can now enhance security measures and streamline operations effectively.

1. March Networks News
VMS Solution
Offers Transit Agency
System-Wide
Oversight
Pierce Transit Serves 18 Million Passengers a Year
Pierce Transit, a transportation agency serving Tacoma, Washington and Fortunately, March Networks® hybrid
recorder and server-based technologies are
neighboring communities in Pierce County, purchased its first hybrid designed to operate seamlessly on a com-
recorder-based video surveillance system from March Networks in 2002 mon platform, allowing Pierce Transit to take
advantage of leading edge, all-IP video sur-
for one of its nine transit centers. Five years later, when a decision was veillance technology without having to retire
its earlier generation equipment.
made to equip all of its transit centers with video surveillance systems, the “We have March Networks hybrid
technology had evolved to include all-IP, server-based solutions. recorders, four Video Management System
(VMS) servers, third-party analog cameras
and March Networks IP cameras,” said
Paul Strozewski, Pierce Transit Security
Sergeant. “Everything integrates and works
well together, so we can move forward and
upgrade as budgets allow.”
Pierce Transit, the second largest transit
agency in the state of Washington, operates
a fleet of 272 buses and provides transporta-
tion for close to 18 million passengers a year.
Several of its transit centers interconnect
with commuter rail services linking Tacoma
to other communities, including Seattle,
35 miles to the north. The agency also oper-
ates two multi-story parking garages accom-
modating a total of 2,500 vehicles.
Only two of its transit centers were
equipped with video surveillance prior to the
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2. recent system expansion. One was a March The video surveillance technology Convergint Technologies
Networks hybrid recorder system. The other plays an important role in supporting the Convergint Technologies is a North
was from a competing vendor. overall mission of all three divisions of the
American systems integrator with a
“When we began our planning, we Department of Public Safety, including the
decided to go with one platform instead of Uniformed Security Division, said Rod Baker, dedicated focus on electronic security,
using two, or buying a third one,” recalled Pierce Transit Chief of Public Safety and fire alarm and life safety, and building
Strozewski. “Of the two systems we had, Transit Police.
automation systems. Convergint employs
the March Networks system was definitely In 2010, the Pierce Transit security
the easiest one to work with, so the decision team pulled video to document 178 inci- hundreds of professionals in locations
was easy.” dents. Finding the video clips required to throughout North America, and was
The primary reason for going with a document so many incidents can be slow and
recently recognized by SDM Magazine
single enterprise-wide platform is ease of grueling work with some systems, but using
use, he said. the motion histogram in March Networks’ as the 10th largest systems integrator in
“With one system, everyone knows how Evidence Reviewer software, security staff North America. www.convergint.com
to use it and all your video is saved in one can quickly zero in on periods of increased
location. It just makes life so much easier. activity.
With two systems, you have two different Another feature of the Evidence
ways of doing things.” Reviewer that security staff like is the
capability of following a person or vehicle
captured by a series of cameras.
“We have March Networks hybrid “If someone’s driving through the park-
recorders, four Video Management ing garage and going from one camera to
System (VMS) servers, third-party analog another, you just hit pause, switch cameras
cameras and March Networks IP cameras. and it holds the time, so when you bring it up
on the next camera, it continues playing from
Everything integrates and works well
the time you paused on the previous one,”
together, so we can move forward and said Strozewski. “This feature lets you follow
upgrade as budgets allow.” someone right through the garage and saves
— Paul Strozewski hours of work.”
Pierce Transit Security Sergeant Strozewski also looks forward to taking
advantage of March Networks’ video ana-
lytic software to alert security staff to vehicles
As the March Networks video surveil- driving up to the top level of the agency’s
lance system was deployed at transit centers parking garages late in the afternoon.
that hadn’t previously been covered, “the “They probably aren’t there to park
problem people” found other places to hang because most of the garage is empty at that
out, and calls to the Pierce Transit security time, so an alarm would go off and we would
department fell by 50 per cent. make sure to watch that particular vehicle,”
Video surveillance also provides the evi- he said. “There’s a lot of movement to keep
dence the agency needs to dispense with track of between the transit centers and the
false liability claims. “A little over a year ago, two parking garages, so having that analytic
for example, somebody claimed they were in place would help us monitor things easier.”
hit by a vehicle at one of our transit cen- Pierce Transit relied on Convergint
ters,” recalled Strozewski. “We pulled up the Technologies, a March Networks Certified
video and were able to prove that the vehicle Solution Provider, to install the system and
never came within 10 feet of the person, so provide support locally.
Pierce Transit
video surveillance definitely helps to mitigate “They’ve been really good about
potential liability payouts.” responding to any issues we’ve had,” said Pierce Transit is the second largest
Pierce Transit’s enterprise-wide March Strozewski. “If I have a question, I can call transportation agency in the state of
Networks video surveillance system includes them up and have access to any one of four
Washington. Based in Tacoma, the agency
SiteManager software and decode stations, or five people who participated in the instal-
allowing security staff to monitor activity at lation.” provides service throughout Pierce County
the transit centers from a central location. Getting the security team up to speed on with a fleet of 272 buses, public vanpools
“That allows us to dispatch security the March Networks system was easy. and a SHUTTLE service for people with
staff based on information from the cam- “Once I was trained on how to use
disabilities. Pierce Transit carried 18 million
eras,” said Strozewski. “If we see something it, I was able to teach everyone else,” said
going on, we can send out security officers Strozewski. “You do it one time and you pick passengers in 2009.
as required, saving us time and manpower.” it up.” ✹ www.piercetransit.org
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