Oklahoma State University (OSU) is a premier modern land-grant university with more than 35,000 students across five campuses. It is located in Stillwater in northeast Oklahoma, just 60 miles from both Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
Parking on and transportation across the campuses is a part of day-to-day life and it is essential that it runs smoothly and efficiently. There is a shuttle service known as BOB (Big Orange Bus) that runs between OSU Stillwater and OSU Tulsa nine times a day. OSU is a bike friendly college and bicycles are welcomed on campus. Spin scooters are also available on campus as a great last mile mobility option.
Challenge
Oklahoma State University Parking and Transportation Services parking officers are responsible for providing information and updates on activities across the campus. Parking and Transportation Services are also responsible for the management of parking garages across the campus.
Getting signal for traditional radios inside the parking garages is extremely difficult. As a result, communication between officers was unreliable, creating inefficiencies and making it difficult to know the whereabouts of officers. This made it hard to respond in a timely manner to incidents across the campus, putting the safety of individuals at risk and causing frustration between customers and employees.
The safety of drivers and passengers is of utmost importance to OSU Transportation and Parking Services, with timely reporting of all incidents on the transport network encouraged so these issues needed to be addressed urgently.
Solution
Unlike their traditional two-way radio system, push-to-talk over cellular (PTToC, also known as PTT and PoC) technology uses cellular networks and WiFi, meaning that it enables reliable communication across greater geographical distances and inside buildings.
Recognising that the introduction of PTToC technology across the campus would improve communication and thereby enable officers to assist customers in a timely and more efficient manner, the OSU Transportation and Parking Services partnered with Stolz Telecom, a US based reseller of push-to-talk over cellular technologies developed by Mobile Tornado,
Two of Stolz’s world-class dispatch consoles, which are also powered by Mobile Tornado, were also installed on the campus. Using the dispatch consoles, the dispatch controller is able to manage operations, communicate with and track and locate officers across the campus, all from a central location.
Improved, more reliable communication, together with the location tracking and monitoring feature, makes it possible to know the whereabouts of officers, enabling them to respond to enforcement requests faster.
Knowing the location of officers also keeps them safer, allowing help to be sent more quickly if required. In addition, officer are able to send emergency alerts, with a single press of the SOS button, enabling them to be quickly located and help to be sent faster.
Results
Reliable communication in the campus garages is extremely important as they are the most protected zones within campus. Since introducing Stolz Telecom’s push-to-talk over cellular technology, communication has improved across the campus, including in the garages where the traditional radio system failed. This has increased productivity, made enforcement easier and reduced the time needed for the team to clear garages for events.
Having crystal clear, reliable communication between officers and knowing their location, no matter where they are on campus, keeps them safer and enables help to be sent more quickly in the event of an emergency.
Overall, the introduction of Stolz Telecom’s PTToC technology has increased productivity and efficiency across the Parking and Transportation Services operation.
“The introduction of PTToC has been an extremely positive experience.
We are delighted that the new cellular radios are working in places where our old traditional radio system failed. What’s more, the added features of PTToC make it miles better than the traditional radio solution we had.
The safety of our officers and customers is extremely important to us and Stolz Telecom’s PTT solution provides us with reassurance that should any of our team find themselves in an emergency situation, other users can be alerted and help can be sent quickly.
The technology is easy to use and the team have embraced the solution. The introduction of the new technology has helped make operations across campus slicker and more efficient. A great result all round!”
Brandon Snow, Supervisor Park & transit, Department of Parking and Transportation at OSU
