In 2008, Goldman Sachs made a strategic investment of approximately $50 million in American Traffic Solutions (ATS), a leading provider of red-light and speed camera enforcement solutions. While the exact figure was initially undisclosed, industry reports described the investment as a significant minority stake. The move positioned Goldman Sachs on ATS’s board of directors and provided crucial funding to meet rising nationwide demand for automated traffic enforcement systems.
Scottsdale, AZ-based ATS was, at the time, the largest independent, privately held company offering photo traffic enforcement services in North America. The company experienced rapid expansion, with its 2007–08 quarterly compound revenue growth rate exceeding 80%. As of the investment, photo enforcement programs were in use in over 300 communities across 25 states and the District of Columbia.
ATS served more than 125 municipalities in 18 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Alberta, Canada. Major cities such as New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Houston, Fort Worth, Phoenix, St. Louis, Seattle, and San Diego were all clients of ATS.
The capital from Goldman Sachs helped ATS scale its operations, develop camera technologies, and expand deployment capabilities. This investment marked one of the earliest signs of Wall Street’s interest in smart city infrastructure and traffic enforcement technologies.
Competitive Landscape
ATS’s largest competitor was Redflex Group, an Australian-based photo enforcement provider. The two companies competed for city contracts across North America, offering red-light camera systems, speed enforcement, and other automated traffic safety solutions.
Acquisition and Legacy
In 2017, ATS was acquired by Platinum Equity, a global private equity firm. It was later integrated into Verra Mobility, which today operates one of the largest portfolios of traffic enforcement, tolling, and vehicle compliance technologies in the world.
The Goldman Sachs investment was a pivotal milestone in ATS’s growth and helped accelerate the proliferation of automated enforcement programs. These programs remain controversial—praised for improving road safety, but often criticized as revenue-generating mechanisms for cities and private firms.
To explore photo enforcement locations and trends, visit PhotoEnforced.com.