FAST Act Section 11411: Why Buy a Platform vs. Box Solution for Regulatory Compliance?

December 28, 2022

We’re circling back on the upcoming Locomotive Image and Audio Recording Devices for Passenger Trains regulation. Last time, we learned what to expect from FAST Act Section 11411, taking a high-level look at who this upcoming ruling will affect, the rough parameters, and even discussed a few use cases surrounding the regulation.

As the regulation inches closer to a final ruling, we know that US-based passenger and commuter rail systems will have four years to fully comply. While this sounds like a daunting task at first – especially if your rail system has a large fleet – compliance is easy when you create the right business relationships.

They’re questions we’re sure you may be asking: why purchase a platform rather than build one in-house? Or why purchase an IoT solution for fleetwide deployment when a standard box solution works just fine? We’re here to walk you through the answers. Let’s start with the first question: why purchase a solution when there’s an option to build a compliant one in-house?

To build an in-house solution, your rail agency will need either to pull team members from other projects or hire additional resources for the sole focus of product development, implementation, and long-term maintenance. If you purchase from an IoT platform provider, such as Wi-Tronix, your team will continue operating as-is while Wi-Tronix works alongside you while in the background, from installation to implementation, and continues to grow as your rail agency’s needs change.

If that’s not enough, going with Wi-Tronix also provides rail agencies with access to a community of over 13,000 Wi-Tronix users, all utilizing our product, and collaborating on their rail experiences. Simply put, assess your rail agency’s effectiveness, safety, and performance, and communicate with other users to improve processes.

Buying a platform such as the Wi-Tronix Violet is not only meant to satisfy your needs now, such as meeting regulatory compliance, but is built to last. This dips into the second question, “why a platform rather than simple box solution?” And the answer is quite simple. You need to invest for regulatory compliance; this is not up for debate. Why invest in a solution that only satisfies one need when you can invest in one that satisfies multiple needs?

Standard box solutions collect data and sit, waiting for you to physically pull it when needed. A platform, on the other hand, offers you real-time connectivity, allowing you access to your data from any device no matter where you are, along with a multitude of additional functionalities. Why only collect event recorder data when the same platform can also conduct low-cost operational testing, help identify undesirable behavior in or outside the cab using artificial intelligence, and provide the highest level of security for rail agency employees?

It doesn’t have to be intimidating. Let Wi-Tronix take care of your rail agency’s compliance with the Locomotive Image and Audio Recording Devices for Passenger Trains regulation once the final ruling is made. Our powerful, cloud-based platform provides total visibility into your rail network from the moment it’s installed on your fleet and provides expandability for unknown use cases into the future.