How prepared are the transit agencies in the face of terrorism and security breaches? In the face of a nation whose sense of security has been shattered by the events of September 11th , what can transit ITS technology offer? The Bus Emergency Communication System/Bus Service Management System (BECS/BSMS) CAD/AVL system developed and implemented by Orbital TMS offers Chicago Transit Authority a variety of security features designed to meet the customer's needs. It is imperative for agencies to train their employees for emergency situations, to instill a security mindset and to have effective coordination and collaboration with fire and police departments. Modern CAD/AVL systems like BECS/BSMS provide critical functions to promote system security and passenger safety, respond to and recover from emergency situations, develop mitigation responses, perform post-mortem analyses of incident response, and analyze archived incident data. When a transit agency has effectively implemented security policy and procedures, it demonstrates its preparedness to respond during incidents and crises. The installation of BECS/BSMS included the implementation of features promoting response preparedness, such as backup power, communication systems, data storage systems, and GIS-based location data. Several support tasks are required during a response to emergency incidents. During the response phase to an incident, an agency must have the capability to: (1)Alert public safety officials; (2) Ensure attention and assistance to ridership; (3) Arrange for transportation alternatives; and (4) Collect and preserve details of an incident and the response taken.
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