Author(s)

G. Lucisano & L. Nicotera

Abstract

Security in public transport involves a high number of users and a wide variety of \“stakeholders” and for this reason transport operators /agencies must adopt a comprehensive approach when designing systems and measures to ensure security in transport. Before tackling the operational aspects, this approach requires operators to have a thorough understanding of the \“notion” that users have of security in order to take initiatives that are consistent with their needs. In this scenario, innovative communications systems and/or the innovative use of traditional IT systems seek to comply with ambitious objectives that have considerable operational implications: it is necessary to trace a clear profile of the concept of security according to the users, understand what are the real reasons for the fears that passengers have, understand what security measures would be most meaningful to the users, and to what extent they would be meaningful, and finally monitor the curve of social attention paid to security. In order to go beyond the conceptual dualism that exists between security in the technical sense of the term, and security as perceived by experts, one needs to step out of the shoes of the security manager and interpret reality with the eyes of the man-in-the-street that uses public transport. From this standpoint the service set up recently, which is dedicated to security and which enables anyone who is interested to report their opinions on line, is an effective instrument to collect messages from the users, analyse them and \“see” security with the eyes of the users. This initiative offers major practical benefits: social involvement in security management, cooperation by the users, more \“eyes” on watch throughout the territory. Thanks to the positive results obtained, as confirmed by the values processed by the monitoring bodies, on-line security will produce increasingly positive benefits for the community as far as the perception of security is concerned. Keywords: public transport, security, perception of security, on-line reporting.

Keywords

public transport, security, perception of security, on-line reporting.