Synectics Mobile Systems has signed two new deals with bus operator Cardiff Bus to supply mobile CCTV systems for the operator’s 30 new vehicles, as well as service and maintain CCTV across the 220-vehicle fleet.
Synectics’ relationship with Cardiff Bus goes back to 2002, when the company installed digital video recorders. Upgrades followed in 2005 with CCTV becoming the product firm says ever more business-critical for the operator. An early adopter of wireless technology, Cardiff Bus now has one of the largest municipal fleets with WLAN-enabled CCTV.
CCTV is used to protect drivers and customers, preventing anti-social behavior, but also to reduce fraudulent insurance claims. Cardiff Bus carries 100,000 passengers every day on 3,000 journeys covering 27,000 miles, making CCTV video storage capacity as well as gap-less recording critical operational challenges.
With the new Synectics order, Cardiff Bus is moving to Timespace’ V400 DVR, a single-box, fully integrated recorder with long recording times, up to 16 cameras and near real-time footage that can be accessed remotely. The service contract ensures that all CCTV systems are healthy and recording at all times, fleet-wide.
Synectics’ service engineers are scheduled to visit and check the CCTV across the Cardiff Bus fleet six times a year, and provide on-site support whenever it is required in the event of a problem.
In summary, the new contracts will see Synectics
– supply Timespace V400 units for 20 new Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses, to be installed in Mannheim, Germany, for delivery in November/December 2013;
– supply Timespace V400 units for 10 new ADL E200 buses, to be installed by Synectics in the UK, for delivery in November 2013;
– maintain and service CCTV systems on 220 vehicles in the existing fleet as part of a 12-month rolling extension to a service contract in place since 2010.
Gareth Mole, Engineering Director at Cardiff Bus, said: “Working CCTV systems are a vital part of our operations. They have become increasingly important for reliably protecting our customers and drivers – as well as the business – against insurance fraud and anti-social behaviour. That’s why we didn’t think twice to order the latest CCTV technology for our 30 new vehicles. Synectics is a great partner for this, giving us the peace of mind required for something as important as CCTV. Whatever happens, their service engineers are always just a phone call away.”
And Jeff Fail, Managing Director, Synectics Mobile Systems, addws: “We are pleased to see our relationship with Cardiff Bus go from strength to strength. Like most bus and coach operators nowadays they naturally recognise the value CCTV adds, but they’re also not afraid to go for cutting edge technology – to offer their passengers in Cardiff the best and safest experience possible.”
According to the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK (CPT), the UK bus and coach industry spends around 3pc of its operating costs each year on insurance and claims. In 2012 this amounted to £93.8m (Confederation of Passenger Transport UK Cost Index 2012).
Cardiff Bus can download footage wirelessly rather than having to physically attend the vehicle and pull the disk (as a fail-over, it is still possible to retrieve footage through physical removal of the disk).
About Synectics Mobile Systems
Synectics is a wholly owned subsidiary of UK-based Synectics plc. Its specialist Mobile Systems division is a UK supplier, installer and maintainer of mobile digital video recorder (DVR) and Telematics systems and ancillaries. With over 20 years’ experience, Synectics Mobile Systems division supports over 20,000 CCTV systems and over 3,000 telematics systems for major bus, coach and heavy transport operators across the UK.
For more information – visit www.synx.com/mobile
