Passengers will be monitored in Vitebsk
The first two trams equipped with a video surveillance system have begun transporting passengers on routes in Vitebsk, Petr Kashkar, head of the tram depot of the unitary public transport enterprise "Vitebsk Tram and Trolleybus Administration", told a BELTA correspondent.
The system is designed to ensure passenger safety and also serves as an additional factor in disciplining road users. Video surveillance will help prevent vandalism inside the tram and hooliganism on the road; it can also ensure objectivity when resolving conflict situations between conductors and passengers.
The trams equipped with video surveillance are AKSМ-62103 models produced by OJSC "Belkommunmash". The system was developed by a domestic tram manufacturer and includes four miniature video cameras, as well as a video recording system based on a personal computer, on whose display the images are displayed. The first camera is located in the driver's cabin and is intended for video recording of the road situation in front of the tram. The second device is mounted inside the cabin for internal viewing, the third is installed on the outside on the side and monitors passenger movement during boarding and alighting. The fourth camera is placed on the rear panel and monitors the situation at the rear of the tram, and also functions as a rear-view mirror. The display is located to the left of the main control panel in the driver's cabin.
While undergoing training on operating the new vehicle, drivers are simultaneously learning to use and maintain the video surveillance system. For now, according to Petr Kashkar, there have been no situations where video surveillance recordings have helped to resolve issues, but the practice of its use among Vitebsk specialists is still limited.
Today, the tram fleet of the Vitebsk Tram and Trolleybus Directorate numbers 110 units of equipment, with 54% of the trams being new models from "Belkommunmash". The fleet's equipment is constantly being updated; for example, 18 vehicles were purchased in 2013. In 2014, 4 trams have already been acquired, and the possibility of purchasing five more vehicles is currently being considered.