Foothill Transit launches ELERTS See Say

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – West Covina, CA – July 1, 2019 – Foothill Transit launched Foothill Transit Watch today, a mobile application that allows customers to communicate suspicious activity and safety concerns discretely and in real time.

Foothill Transit partnered with ELERTS Corporation to develop Foothill Transit Watch to make real-time communication of safety and security tips possible. In addition to the mobile application, Foothill Transit and ELERTS developed a text a tip hotline where customers can send tips by texting (626) 243-7322.

“Safety is Foothill Transit’s number one priority,” said Doran Barnes, executive director of Foothill Transit. “This advanced tool for enhancing customer safety, while protecting and simplifying the communication of crucial information, is a smart new addition to our agency-wide safety initiatives.

Customers can report tips with pictures and videos, providing a first person account of on board incidents or suspicious activity. Tips may be submitted with customer location and contact information, or anonymously. While reports will be monitored 24-7, the app is not intended as a replacement for calling 911 in emergencies. 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 – Foothill Police dispatchers may ask questions or provide instructions to the rider.
• BOLO Alerts – Foothill 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.

Foothill Transit Watch is now available for download on Google Play or the App Store.

“ELERTS is proud to help Foothill embrace crowd sourcing for increased safety and security – we’ve seen time and again the value it brings to transits, and we are committed to making it easy for Foothill’s riders to provide information on what they are seeing, while remaining safe in doing so,” said Ed English, CEO of ELERTS. “Our See Say apps are proven to improve safety for riders, and we’re glad we could enable Foothill to take the next step in rider safety and security.”

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About Foothill Transit

Foothill Transit provides community-oriented, environmentally friendly bus service throughout Southern California’s San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys, including express routes to Downtown Los Angeles, offering 14 million bus rides annually. To receive a complete travel itinerary of starts, stops, and transfers to your destination, call 1-800-RIDE-INFO or visit one of Foothill Transit’s four Transit Stores located in West Covina, Pomona, Puente Hills Mall, and El Monte.  Find us online at foothilltransit.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:

• elerts.com
• ELERTS Blog
• Twitter: @ELERTSCorp

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