He explained the company is a systems integrator
or a reseller, meaning it brings together products from various manufacturers—such as cameras, recording devices, servers, networking equipment, sensors—to create tailored security systems. These systems, he said, are designed to address both physical and cybersecurity needs with an emphasis on automation, identity man- agement and analytics. The company, which works with government, school and commercial enterprise custom- ers, also provides software that unifies all components, enabling features like real-time alerts, video analytics and automated response to security events. McOmie advised transportation directors to vet both the manufacturers of security products and the systems integrators and installers. “Ensure they operate under a zero-trust security policy,” he said, adding that no data should be shared or accessed without proper authoriza- tion and auditability. He also advised ensuring that organizations carry cy- bersecurity insurance, a critical indicator of how seriously they take cybersecurity. He said they should also ensure network architecture is designed to limit exposure, set proper access controls and firewalls rules, and validate compliance with cybersecurity policies. McOmie noted it is important to automate employee access to the net- work, or identity management, when an employment is terminated. “Integrating that functionality when a person is disabled within Active Directory, automatically revokes their card so it’ll no longer open doors and automatically disables their user account, so they can no longer access the software to either manually unlock doors, export video or delete video,” he explained. He noted the the transportation director, the security
director, the IT director as well as the procurement team should all be involved in ensuring a successful security project. Engaging all these stakeholders creates a better rollout and more meaningful conversations. “We’re buying a product, we’re trying to recognize that
we’re buying it from a reputable manufacturer, so that we don’t really need to know the cybersecurity back-end piece of it,” he explained, noting the importance of end-users vetting suppliers. “When data is transferred from this point to this point, it’s protected in some fashion, and being able to have that information from these manufacturers is criti- cal. We call this security of security.” He said he borrowed that phrase from one of Con-
fluence Security’s trusted partners because it ensures a cybersecurity-first attitude. “It’s understanding the product choices that we’re selecting are being systemically protected by design, and not just an afterthought.”
46 School Transportation News • SEPTEMBER 2025
Samsara is also focused on one system working together. The company built a connected operations platforms that brings together purpose-built hardware, intuitive software and real-time cloud analytics to sup- port operations like school transportation departments. Ben Caldern, the executive vice president and CTO
of hardware and operations, said the company’s goal is to simplify operations, enhance student safety and give transportation leaders the visibility they need to make informed decisions, “all from a single, connected plat- form,” he continued. “Because safety and operations are constantly evolving, we invest heavily in research and development and work closely with districts to ensure the platform continues to meet their needs, today and in the future.” He explained that data security is a core principle at
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