Custom Zetron Solution

Mass transit systems are fundamental components of the infrastructure of most modern cities. They move large numbers of people around in a way that is safe, orderly, predictable and efficient. They also help reduce the pressure of automobile traffic on city streets and roads.

Their broadest goals were to:
 - Immediately upgrade and replace the aging ETS console system.
 -  Integrate the new system into the existing infrastructure and thus provide a seamless transition from the old system to the new one.
 - Ensure that the new console system would be interoperable with existing Motorola equipment.
 - Ensure that the new console system would be flexible and expandable so that it would be compatible with new equipment ETS expects to add in the future.

"Zetron had what we needed …"  As part of the project, the City of Edmonton would have to purchase a new communication console system. According to Dan Heggerud, Senior Corporate Account Manager for Glentel and the ETS project, the City chose Zetron equipment because of its benefits, features and flexibility.

“Zetron had what we needed to meet the requirements of this project,” says Heggerud. “We find that Zetron equipment is more sophisticated and stable than other technologies. We are able to do more on the back end so the client has to do less on the front end.”

End users help shape the final design  The design process for the ETS project involved various levels of employees at ETS. Selected user groups being trained on the new system were asked to give feedback on a preliminary system mockup. Their feedback was routed to Zetron engineers who then determined the feasibility of incorporating the requested changes into the final design. When it was possible to do so, and with ETS management approval, the changes were added to the final version of the system. According to Gary Foster, the other Senior Corporate Account Manager for Glentel who worked on the ETS project, this approach not only improved the usability of the system, but also improved the buy-in of the operators who use the system every day.

The right solution for ETS  Throughout the project, Glentel continued to work closely with Zetron and ETS to determine which equipment and technical features would best suit the solution for ETS.

The final design included:
- Nine Zetron Integrator RD Consoles running on a Zetron Series 4000 Model 4048 Common Control Unit (CCU) with eight positions for the regular dispatch center and one position for the backup dispatch center.

 - Radio Control Channels for bus communications, Light Rail (LRT) communications and Transit Security.
 - Telephone Control Channels for phone-to-radio patching.
 - An Intercom Control Channel for communications with personnel and transit customers. For communications with personnel, these occur through intercom units located at the dispatch center doors and elevators. For communications with transit customers, these occur through PAs located on transit platforms and at washroom entrances.
 - An Auxiliary Input/Output (I/O) option that allows dispatchers to open doors and control the elevator from the console.
 - A Telephone Radio Headset Interface option that allows dispatchers to use one headset to dispatch radio traffic and answer the adjacent telephone.
 - A Patch option that supports radio-to-radio and radio-to-telephone patching.

New system  exceeds  expectations  When asked how well the new system met the project requirements, Gary Foster says, “From day one, the client was extremely impressed. They continue to be very pleased with the entire system. What’s more, some security features have become available that the customer would probably be interested in. That the Zetron equipment would support this is a testament to its expandability and flexibility. This project is a good example of how Glentel partnered with Zetron to provide a customer with an effective, custom-made solution.”