ELERTS empowers riders of San Francisco BART system with “See Something, Say Something” smartphone app

Transit riders keep each other safe with the launch of BART Watch™ app by ELERTS.

San Francisco transit riders now have the ability to use the BART Watch™ app by ELERTS to discreetly report crime or suspicious activity to BART police. Successfully launched in Boston, Atlanta, Santa Clara and Buffalo/Niagara, ELERTS See Say communication system helps keep transportation systems safe, with assistance from watchful riders.

BART carries approximately 400,000 people to and from their destinations each weekday, utilizing 44 stations and 104 miles of track. The need for safe transport is the top concern. Inspired by the Department of Homeland Security’s “If You See Something, Say Something” public safety campaign, BART and ELERTS have joined to offer the BART Watch™ app to riders.

“People understand the ‘see something, say something’ slogan,” said Ed English, chief executive officer of ELERTS. “What’s been missing is an actionable way for riders to ‘say something.’ When you witness criminal or suspicious activity, riders need an easy way to send a report to police. Our app provides San Francisco’s transit riders with a quick and discreet option to alert security personnel about safety or security concerns.”

The ELERTS BART Watch™ app transmits reports over cellular or Wi-Fi signals. The app automatically disables the camera flash when the user takes a photo. Reports can be anonymous, if desired. Available for iPhones and Android phones, it supports English, Spanish and Chinese languages.

Riders reports are managed by the transit police dispatch center. Two-way communication allows the dispatcher to ask riders for more details. Alerts can be broadcast to all riders using the app. For example, the transit system can also enlist the help of riders with BOLO (Be On the Look-Out) alerts for missing persons or persons of interest, and provide information about delays and service interruptions.

The app is designed for challenging communication environments. In the event that a cell or Wi-Fi signal is weak or non-existent, the ELERTS app uses a store and forward model, delivering reports to transit police when signals reach usable levels.

“We need to be watchful and help protect one another,” said English. “Fellow transit riders are the key to keeping each other safe.”

ELERTS

ELERTS Corporation (http://elerts.connectingsmart.com ), headquartered in Weymouth, MA, develops best-in-class emergency communication software, empowered by community-sourced reporting of safety and security concerns. The company’s cloud-based approach leverages smartphone technologies to provide robust, bidirectional communication between multiple parties. ELERTS mobile technology integrates with video surveillance, access control and mass-notification systems. The result is actionable information for emergency situations — to help first responders become faster responders.

CONTACT

Chris Russo
Executive VP
ELERTS
crusso@elerts.com
781-267-1500

August 26, 2014