AVTA

Antelope Valley Transit Authority

1031 West Avenue L-12

Lancaster CA 93534

NEWS RELEASE

AVTA upgrades security cameras

For Immediate Release

5 February 2003

Contact: Pam Holland, Marketing Manager

661-729-2222

LANCASTER, CA – Safety, security and convenience continue to be priority issues for the Antelope Valley Transit Authority. Currently, for the safety of all passengers, AVTA is upgrading its security cameras by installing digital cameras on all buses.

“The new cameras,” said AVTA’s Executive Director, Bill Budlong, “will serve as an even greater deterrent to criminal activity. They will allow us to have a video and audio record of incidents that take place on the buses.”

Although many of the buses already had security cameras on them, the new digital cameras will include audio capabilities and with three to four cameras on each bus, will be able to capture incidents from several angles.

“Antelope Valley bus riders enjoy a minimal number of incidents,” said Budlong, “as compared to what goes on in major cities. We feel confident that the cameras will add another measure of security for our riders. In the event of any incident, accident, or accusation, AVTA will now have both a visual and an audio record to refer to.”

Positioning of the cameras will provide a very complete view of what is happening on board, as well as some of what happens outside the bus. AVTA will maintain the records for a full year.

The $500,000 system being installed by the Texas-based company, Safety Vision, should be complete by the end of the month. The entire fleet of 63 buses; local, commuter, and paratransit vehicles, will have the camera system on board and any new buses will be ordered with the video/audio system installed at the factory. Passengers may continue to ride any AVTA bus with confidence.

Photo cutline: AVTA Executive Director, Bill Budlong, discusses the new digital camera system with Carlos Marte, commuter vehicle operator who drives one of the double-decker buses to downtown Los Angeles.