Case Study: San Diego Metro Transit System achieves enhanced passenger safety, faster investigations, and reduced costs with Avigilon high-definition surveillance

San Diego Metro Transit System - Customer Case Study

San Diego Metro Transit System (SDMTS) operates an extensive bus and trolley network serving more than 82 million annual passengers across San Diego County and faced challenges to ensure passenger safety, protect critical assets, and comply with federal and state security regulations while operating in high‑crime areas prone to theft, vandalism and potential terrorism. Meeting Transit Security Grant and other regulatory requirements pushed SDMTS to replace an underperforming analog system with a more capable solution.

SDMTS deployed Avigilon 5, 8 and 11 MP cameras, analog encoders and Avigilon Control Center (with HDSM) for 24/7 monitoring and 15 days of recorded video. The high‑definition system reduced the number of cameras needed for full coverage, cutting installation and maintenance costs, sped investigations via powerful search and zoom tools, provided indisputable evidence used daily by local law enforcement, and helped decrease false liability claims.

San Diego Metro Transit System

Larry Savoy

Assistant Director of Security and Code Compliance