In Motion Technology to Provide Advanced Wireless Communications for the Utah Transit Authority

The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) today announced the fleet-wide deployment of the onBoard Mobile Gateway from In Motion Technology, the leader in mobile networking technologies that efficiently connect and manage equipment, information and people in the field. The solution provides wireless communications capabilities to enable in-vehicle credit card payments, Internet access and other advanced services for passengers utilizing UTA’s 530-vehicle bus service.

“We chose In Motion because they offered a mobile wireless technology that was reliable, secure and cost effective,” said Clair Fiet, Chief Technology Officer for the Utah Transit Authority. “This solution will enable us to improve operations and enhance the passenger experience in many ways.”

In Motion’s onBoard Mobile Gateway creates a wired and wireless local area network aboard transit vehicles, enabling multiple devices and systems to have reliable connectivity over a variety of networks. In Motion’s onBoard Mobility Manager will give UTA’s headquarters staff a virtual dashboard of information about networks, devices and vehicles from the field, and a high level of information and control over its wireless communications.

The onBoard Mobile Gateway provides real-time communication enabling authorization of credit cards, ski passes and other electronic fare media used by UTA passengers as they board, providing a convenience for passengers and increasing efficiency for the agency. Wide-area and garage area communications are also provided for systems, managing vehicle location, route, schedule and service information. Using the onBoard Mobile Gateway as a WiFi hotspot, passengers will also have access to email and the Internet from their laptops, PDAs or smart phones. UTA’s IT team will also be able to monitor and troubleshoot its wireless network and devices in real time.

“We have tried other mobile data solutions, but In Motion’s technology and team set it apart,” Fiet said. “In Motion worked with us to identify a variety of business needs and develop solutions that have improved our operations and the service we provide to our patrons every day.”

“The Utah Transit Authority is a leader in public transportation services and technology,” said Kirk Moir, President and CEO of In Motion Technology, which has deployed solutions for transit, first responder, utility and commercial organizations across North America. “We are proud to serve UTA with technology that enhances the passenger experience and improves operations.”

STARRS Deploys In Motion Technology

In Motion Technology, the leader in mobile networking technologies that efficiently connect and manage equipment, information and people in the field, today announced that the St. Louis Area Regional Response System (STARRS), representing 340 agencies, has deployed In Motion Technology solutions to enhance emergency communications and manage and coordinate responses across the St. Louis area.

STARRS was formed in 2003 as a result of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) grant to coordinate funding, planning and disaster response for eight counties in the St. Louis region. The STARRS network includes nearly 200 fire departments, 55 hospitals, 90 police departments and other agencies that serve 2.4 million people in a response region covering 4,600 square miles. Using UASI grants, STARRS purchased Gateways for deployment in ambulances, fire apparatus, police, hazmat and command vehicles throughout the St. Louis Urban Area.

“We selected In Motion Technology because they were the one mobile solution that could provide reliable, secure wireless communications and the management tools that we needed to coordinate large-scale disaster responses across the region,” said Nick Gragnani, Executive Director of STARRS. With Gateway-equipped vehicles, emergency responders in the St. Louis Area will have unparalleled access to real-time information to direct assets, manage personnel and save lives. Firefighters can send live video from inside buildings, and medics will be able to send real-time EKG information to hospitals. Law enforcement officers will have access to a variety of criminal databases, and operations commanders will have a bird’s-eye view of an incident scene and access to powerful new disaster response tools.

STARRS was conceived in the aftermath the 9/11 terroist attacks. A lesson learned from this catastrophic event was emergency agencies had no way to track victims after a disaster. STARRS developed a first-of-its-kind patient tracking system that allows emergency personnel to track the location and status of victims using hundreds of mobile wireless devices, including handheld bar code scanners, laptops and PDAs – all of which will now feature reliable, secure connectivity thanks to mobile technology by In Motion Technology.

STARRS’ devices will connect using In Motion’s onBoard Mobile Gateway, which turns each emergency vehicle into a mobile hotspot that utilizes commercial cellular, 700 MHz, 3G, 4G and a variety of other wireless networks. Should one wireless network become overloaded – or fail altogether – the Gateway can seamlessly change networks to ensure an uninterrupted flow of critical response information. On the scene, Gateway equipped-vehicles will work together to create an incident-area network, enabling emergency personnel to scan bar-coded victim bracelets for triage, check databases to identify the nearest hospitals, track availability of hospital beds, and track patients until they receive care and are reunited with their families.

St. Charles County Ambulance District was the first STARRS agency to deploy the In Motion technology. “We tested other options, but determined that In Motion offered the greatest data security and reliability,” said Ken Koch, CEO of St. Charles County Ambulance District. “In addition, instead of paying for four or more network cards for devices in each vehicle, the Gateway consolidates our wireless traffic over a single network connection and saves us money.”

“Our technology helps first responders connect, collect, prioritize and understand the overwhelming amount of information generated in a large-scale incident,” said Kirk Moir, CEO of In Motion Technology. “STARRS responders will be able to quickly organize and understand data that will help save lives and protect regional communities. Their approach to large-scale incident coordination, response and funding is breaking new ground, and we are pleased to be helping STARRS improve communications, reduce costs, and keep the people of the region safe.”

Acadian Ambulance Service Deploys In Motion Technology

In Motion Technology, the leader in mobile networking technologies that efficiently connect and manage equipment, information and people in the field, today announced that Acadian Ambulance Service is deploying In Motion Technology solutions to manage operations, improve emergency communications and save lives across Louisiana and South East Texas.

Founded in 1971 with two ambulances, Acadian Ambulance Services today is the largest private ambulance company in the United States, with 270 ambulances and more than 2,650 employees. Acadian transports more 1,000 patients every day across its vast and diverse service footprint that includes urban and suburban areas, the remote swamps of Louisiana’s bayou, and offshore oil rigs in the open Gulf of Mexico. Acadian has dispatch centers in Lafayette, Louisiana and Austin, Texas.

Acadian Ambulance has deployed In Motion’s patented onBoard Mobile Gateway in 250 ambulances and command vehicles, and plans to deploy Gateways throughout its entire fleet.

The Gateway turns Acadian’s vehicles into reliable, secure mobile hotspots, enabling all on-board data devices, including laptops, mobile data terminals, ECGs, and driver and vehicle monitoring systems to connect seamlessly and securely. The Gateway senses and selects the best available wireless network, and roams across commercial cellular, 3G, 700 MHz and municipal W-Fi networks to provide mobile communications with unparalleled reliability across Acadian’s vast service area. The Gateway offers levels of data security and communications reliability that set it apart from other mobile communications solutions.


“In Motion Technology has dramatically improved our operations and reduced our response times,” said Kenny Logan, Director of Electronic Technology for Acadian Ambulance Service. “Previously, emergency communications took up to 2 minutes to be received by units in the field. Today, with In Motion Technology, voice, data and diagnostic quality patient information get through instantaneously.”

Acadian’s headquarters staff uses In Motion’s onBoard Mobility Manager to monitor and manage operations remotely and in real time. The Mobility Manager continuously collects and analyzes information from Gateway-equipped vehicles to provide headquarters staff with a virtual dashboard of detailed information about networks, vehicles and devices. In the future, Acadian plans on deploying recently released modules that allow organizations to remotely monitor vehicle diagnostics, track assets and troubleshoot data devices connected to Gateways.

“The gulf coast region is one of the most demanding parts of the world for first responders, and we are honored that Acadian Ambulance relies on In Motion Technology,” said Kirk Moir, CEO of In Motion. “More than 185 utility, commercial and first responder fleets have entrusted In Motion Technology to transform operations, improve communications, and reduce costs.”

Tempe Police Department Arms Officers with Mobile Communications by In Motion Technology

In Motion Technology, the leader in mobile networking technologies that efficiently connect and manage equipment, information and people in the field, today announced that its solutions have been deployed by the Tempe Arizona Police Department to put reliable, secure, real-time information at the fingertips of its officers in the field, enhance the Department’s ability to manage assets in the field, and strengthen law enforcement efforts.

“Today our officers are able to spend less time behind a desk and more time in the community, protecting the public,” said Hugh Hallman, Mayor of the City of Tempe, whose 320 officers protect 170,000 residents across 42 square miles and respond to more then 115,000 calls each year. “Our officers appreciate the quick access to information that they could previously only get at their offices, and are anxious for us to give them more applications that can further extend the office to their vehicles! In Motion Technology is helping us improve our operations and enhance public safety.”

In Motion’s patented onBoard Mobile Gateway creates a wireless mobile hotspot in and around each vehicle. The Gateway connects to commercial cellular, 700 MHz, 3G, 4G and a variety of other wireless networks -- and seamlessly switches between networks – to create a continuous, high-bandwidth pipeline of information to and from the vehicle.

The Gateway offers levels of data security and communications reliability that set it apart from other mobile communications solutions. This enables Tempe officers to file reports and access information about suspects, vehicles and property from their patrol cars. They can download mug shots, view databases of “most wanted” criminals, and access other crime fighting resources without returning to the station. This level of knowledge lets officers make split second judgments based on real-time information. The Gateway is designed to enable the Tempe Police Department to easily add the latest network and crime fighting technologies to the vehicle area network. In the future, this will allow the Police Department to deploy mobile surveillance video technology, electronic ticketing, automated license plate recognition and a variety of other devices to enhance officer safety and effectiveness.

The onBoard Mobility Manager, In Motion's network management system, played a key role in Tempe's decision to work with the company. It provides a full suite of management tools that enable the City to remotely monitor vehicles and onboard communications, so they can keep patrol cars on the street. Coverage tools that analyze wireless network signals were instrumental in helping the City and their carrier improve wireless coverage in their operating area.

“Effective policing is all about presence, and In Motion Technology's products are allowing our officers to do the work they used to do in the office from their vehicles," said Dave Heck, Deputy CIO for the City of Tempe. "It provides officers in the field with worry-free communications, and seamless access to crime fighting tools and information."

In Motion Technology solutions are cost effective and easy to deploy. Tempe installed Gateways in 180 vehicles in under three weeks, and is now considering deploying In Motion Technology in other city fleets to enhance operations, reduce costs and improve services for the residents of Tempe.

“The City of Tempe has taken a visionary approach to policing that leverages technology, and we're delighted to have them as a customer," said Kirk Moir, President & CEO for In Motion Technology. "Our goal to provide seamless connectivity that enables teams in the field to operate as efficiently and effectively as if they were at headquarters is exemplified in Tempe. We’re pleased our solution is enabling them to enhance the safety and security of the people of the City.”

Queen Anne's County, MD Deploys In Motion Technology Solutions

In Motion Technology, the leader in mobile networking technologies that efficiently connect and manage equipment, information and people in the field, today announced that Queen Anne’s County, MD Department of Emergency Services and Office of the Sheriff have selected In Motion Technology's solution for their fleets of EMS and Sheriff’s vehicles.

In Motion Technology’s end-to-end solution provides seamless, reliable communications, and real-time information from the field. The onBoard Mobile Gateway turns emergency vehicles into mobile wireless hotspots, enabling all on-board devices -- including laptops, video cameras, ECGs and other devices -- to connect seamlessly. The onBoard Mobility Manager gathers and analyzes information from Gateway-equipped vehicles to enable headquarters staff to track vehicles, monitor engine diagnostics, and troubleshoot on-board data systems, all on a single, web-based virtual dashboard.

“This solution gives emergency organizations the information they need to manage operations to peak efficiency,” said Kirk Moir, CEO of In Motion Technology. “It also frees emergency personnel at the scene to focus on protecting and saving lives.”

Queen Anne’s County, MD Department of Emergency Service provides first responder services to more than 48,000 residents across 510 square miles along Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The Department of Emergency Services and Office of the Sheriff plan to install onBoard Mobile Gateways throughout their fleets of ambulances and patrol cars.

“Prior to In Motion Technology, our units in the field struggled to stay connected,” said Brad Smith, Data Manager for the Department of Emergency Services. “In Motion Technology has improved our communications, provided us new tools to manage our operations, and is allowing us to deploy the latest technologies to reduce costs, enhance productivity and improve the service we provide to the community.”

For the Office of the Sheriff, the onBoard Mobile Gateway will allow video cameras to be used in and around vehicles to document evidence. Deputies will be free to file reports and send emails without being tethered to the patrol car. And, in the future, the Office of the Sheriff plans to use the Gateway to deploy electronic ticketing and other technologies to improve officer safety and productivity.

“Our Sheriff’s deputies are already seeing significant improvements in communications in the field,” said Cpl Sean Hampton of the Office of the Sheriff. “But we are only scratching the surface of how this technology will enable us to deploy the latest law enforcement tools to improve operations and enhance our ability to protect the public.”

For the county’s emergency medical services, live video is being streamed to operations command from ambulances outfitted with web-cams, improving incident scene coordination. In the future, the Gateway will allow lifesaving information from ECGs and other devices to be sent from ambulances to emergency rooms before the patient arrives, saving critical minutes before care is administered and improving patient outcomes.

In Motion Technology Partners with AeroScout to Take Mobile Asset Tracking on the Road

In Motion Technology, the leader in mobile networking technologies that efficiently connect and manage equipment, information and people in the field, today announced that it has entered a partnership with AeroScout, Inc., the leading provider of Unified Asset Visibility. The combination of solutions from the two companies will allow customers to track and manage assets in vehicles enabled with In Motion’s wireless networks. The partnership thus will enable organizations to extend asset tracking and monitoring to the field, reducing the cost of lost and misplaced equipment, improving inventory management and increasing staff productivity.


AeroScout solutions use Wi-Fi Active RFID to track the location, status and condition of mobile assets and people. Organizations across a range of industries – including healthcare, manufacturing and logistics – rely on AeroScout solutions to automate business processes and improve operational efficiency.

“We’re pleased to be working with In Motion Technology to bring our asset visibility applications, which leverage standard wireless networks, to vehicles and field personnel,” said Chuck Pledger, Vice President, Global Channel Sales of AeroScout. “This partnership takes mobile asset management to a new level and extends our operational improvement capabilities to a new set of customers.”

In Motion Technology’s patented solutions turn vehicles into high performance wireless hotspots and provide headquarters staff with real-time information from the field to manage operations to peak efficiency. More than 175 transit, commercial and first responder fleet organizations rely on In Motion Technology to enhance communications and operations and reduce costs.

Coupling AeroScout's leadership in Unified Asset Visibility and Wi-Fi Active RFID with In Motion's mobile networking capabilities will provide organizations with an unprecedented capability to track and manage mobile operations.

“In Motion Technology is focused on enabling organizations to operate their fleet vehicles as mobile branch offices,” said Kirk Moir, In Motion Technology's President & CEO. “We are pleased to partner with best-in-class application and systems providers like AeroScout to enable mobile organizations to maximize their efficiency and reduce operating cost by improving response times and optimizing service delivery."

In Motion Technology Partners with Rockford Ambulance

New technology will save lives in cardiac cases
Beth Altena - Rockford Squire - December 18, 2008

For residents in the 700 square miles served by Rockford Ambulance, new technology will allow specialists to see test results before the patient arrives at Emergency Room doors.

New state-of-the-art technology opens new avenues of communication between ambulance and hospital staff.

In Motion Technology created the system that allows connectivity for on-board data communications, that includes patient tracking, medical monitoring devices, patient care records, GPS ambulance tracking and control center systems.

Matt McConnon of Rockford Ambulance explained that new computers and modems provided by grants will allow ambulances to reach patients faster, and send test results, including EKGs straight to cardiac specialists at the hospital.

"It offers faster definitive care. It brings the capability of the hospital to the ambulance," McConnon said. "The cardiologist is seeing the test results before the patient gets to the hospital."

Speed is essential to treating patients in heart distress and McConnon notes that patients can be losing heart muscle every minute they are in transport. When hospital staff see EKG results and know what treatment needs to be done prior to patient arrival, they can begin preparation and be ready to go faster.

"They have time to activate the cath (catheter) lab, get the staff in, get the specialists in if they aren't there," said Chuck Premer, Rockford Ambulance Marketing and Public Relations Specialist. "They can be hanging the drugs and be 15 or 20 minutes into having the problem fixed."

Premer said chest pain accounts for about 25 percent of the ambulance service's total calls. They respond to 10,000 calls a year and perform some 5,600 transports. Transport rates can vary. Many calls turn out to be false alarms - a response to an accident where no one is hurt, or a call to a car off the road when no one is in it. "The other day we had 50 calls and only transported 15," McConnon said.

The service has five ambulances ready seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Six other ambulances are on-call three days a week. The 700 square miles of coverage is 55 percent of all of Kent County from six substations.

Regardless of whether a call is in response to chest pain or some other medical emergency, anyone who faces a ride in an ambulance in the future should appreciate the new technology. Part of the GPS communication allows dispatch to know where every ambulance is at all times. This has already allowed faster response for calls.

Ambulance drivers operate from a base of six stations, including the main building on Shaner and Ten Mile. In the past dispatch relied on drivers calling in location and trying to send the closest to a call. "We cover a lot of dirt," noted McConnon.

Now the icons of each vehicle, as well as the address of the emergency, is displayed on a map which shows exactly which is closest. McConnon said this is more helpful than people may realize. Just because one substation is Courtland Township, an address in Courtland Township may be closer to a different substation. In addition, a vehicle may on the road. At a glance dispatch can see who will get there in the least amount of time.

Purchase of the modems and docking stations, a $34,000 cost, came from a grant from the Metropolitan Medical Response System. Computers for each ambulance - another $45,000 - came from a grant from the Homeland Security Bioterrorism Defense Network.

Theoretically they will be useful in case of a catastophic event. In the meantime, every user of the ambulance system reaps the benefits.

For any patient brought into EMS care in the ambulances, first responders in these vehicles will be able to pull up the patient history through the in-vehicle computers. They will tell at a glance what special procedures may need to be followed for a specific patient.

In addition, the touch-screens of the laptops eliminate the tedious and time-consuming process of writing out a report of each tranport. The screens also eliminate the chance of a mistake in patient record due to bad handwriting. Premer admits that it is hard to write well while traveling in the back of an ambulance over different types of road surfaces.

Louise Labuda is the director of marketing at In Motion Technology. She said the new equipment is top-of-the-line and can save ambulance companies and other users money. "It used to be that each piece of equipment had to have its own modem if it was capable of transmitting," she added. "This router allows any kind of device to send data. It's future-proof." She said drivers also enjoy the directional capabilities of Global Positioning Systems to reach destinations.

She said not only is this technology for emergency vehicles and the medical field, but will also find many uses in other applications.

"Transit organizations are using it. They count the number of riders on a bus and can swipe a card instead of paying cash for the bus ride." She said with it, people in vehicles can communicate just as easily as from their offices. "This brings a bunch of new functionality."

Labuda explained that not only can this system allow ambulances and other vehicles to function to best capacity, it can greatly reduce breakdowns - a bad scenario for an ambulance in transit.

"If the oil pressure is too high, if the engine light is on, if it's time for a warranty-required mechanic visit, this system can alert the drivers to any of this," she said.

She also said the GPS capability allows dispatch to know where individual components are. "If the drivers forget a medical device during a call, that's an expensive piece of equipment. They can see where it is. 'Oops, I left the EKG at the hospial, I'd better go back and get it.'"

She said the equipment is high profile for Homeland Security because it works off satelites, not cell towers. "If something were to happen and our cell towers disappear, there is still communication," she said.

All other benefits aside, getting to the hospital faster and having care ready quicker is likely the highest priority for anyone taking a ride with Rockford Ambulance. McConnon said, "For the ones who are seriously sick and time is going to matter, this will make a huge difference."