Dallas Area Rapid Transit Partners with ELERTS to Launch DART Say Something
September 28, 2017
Mobile safety and security app improves public safety and uses crowdsourcing to support transit police
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Weymouth, MA – September 28, 2017 – Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has partnered with ELERTS Corp, the leading provider of See Something Say Something mobile apps for transit agencies, to launch ‘DART Say Something,’ a mobile safety and security app that allows riders to quickly and discreetly report safety and security concerns directly to DART police. App users can submit incident reports with a photo, video, description of what is being reported, and the location of incident.
DART, servicing 67.2 million passenger trips in 2016, joins a growing a number of Transit agencies launching a transit-branded See Something Say Something app leveraging ELERTS technology. DART is embracing the growing trend of crowdsourcing to increase transit safety, reduce crime, and cut down on vandalism. The DART Say Something app enables transit police to have eyes and ears everywhere riders are, and therefore to gain situation awareness of active incidents observed by riders.
Features include:
- Under 20-second Incident Reporting – the app is designed to enable riders to submit reports quickly to police.
- Discreet Incident Reporting – to ensure discretion and safety for app users, the camera flash is automatically disabled when photos are taken through the app.
- Two-way communication – DART Police dispatchers may ask questions or provide instructions to the rider.
- BOLO Alerts – DART Police may broadcast BOLO’s (Be On the Look Out) to ask riders to look for specific persons of interest such as criminal suspects or missing persons.
“The safety of our riders, employees and property is our top priority and we are always encouraging our riders to educate themselves about safety and security aboard transit vehicles. The DART Say Something app gives them a powerful tool to protect themselves and others, and enables riders to become an integral role in increased transit safety,” said James D. Spiller, Chief of DART Police. “In addition, the ability for my staff to receive immediate information as events unfold allows us to be more clearly informed and respond appropriately.”
DART has also enabled ELERTS Attention Engine technology, which can identify surveillance cameras nearby a reported incident – allowing dispatchers to immediately view what the cameras see. The result enables cameras to be used for real-time crime interception and enhanced situation awareness, versus simply storing video footage for after-the-incident forensic purposes.
“Transits like DART are taking great strides to increase not only the safety of their riders, but to arm their riders with a way to help alleviate crime before it happens,” said Ed English, ELERTS CEO. “ELERTS technology enables human-detection of a threat to provide authorities with real-time situation awareness and an immediate way to communicate with riders who report an incident.”
About DART
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) gets you around 13 cities with rail, bus, paratransit, and rideshare services. We serve DFW International Airport and Fort Worth via the Trinity Railway Express (TRE). The service area consists of 13 cities: Addison, Carrollton, Cockrell Hill, Dallas, Farmers Branch, Garland, Glenn Heights, Highland Park, Irving, Plano, Richardson, Rowlett and University Park.
For more information, please visit https://www.dart.org.
About ELERTS
ELERTS develops best-in-class emergency communication software, empowered by community-sourced reporting of safety and security concerns. The company is the leading provider to transit agencies for See Something Say Something apps. ELERTS cloud-based approach leverages smartphone technologies to provide robust, bidirectional communication between multiple parties. ELERTS mobile technology integrates with video surveillance and access control systems to provide actionable information for first responders.
With headquarters in Weymouth, Mass., ELERTS can be reached by 877-256-1971 or connect with us on the web at:
- Twitter: @ELERTSCorp