Public Works: Routeware

The Challenge

Historically when residents contacted the Sanitation Division regarding why their trash, recycle or yard waste was not picked up, Public Works might have little information to share other than an apology. That is, the drivers out and about were unable to accurately track or report when residents perhaps failed to place their bin on the curb, placed incorrect materials in the bin, or overfilled it. Instead, they radioed the information into administrative staff whenever they could, while still trying to complete their routes on time. Additionally, if the collection schedule needed to be altered due to a holiday, Public Works staff had to manually recreate routes and make sure all service expectations were met. The Sanitation Division needed to improve upon these antiquated forms of feedback and reactive problem-solving tactics. Michael Large, as Special Projects and Operations Manager, began looking into systems that would achieve these two goals. 

The Idea

Routeware is an all-in-one solution for the City’s Public Works Department as it helps save time and money, increase efficiency, improve safety, and do its part to make our world a greener place. Routeware offers both in-truck solutions like route optimization and progress tracking, and back-office controls such as work orders and billing. Routeware’s easy-to-use, 8-inch, in-truck touchscreen tablets simultaneously support multiple “smart-truck” features. They supply everything Public Works trucks need. Also, Routeware’s back-office software and billing interfaces make it easy for dispatchers, customer service representatives, and directors to compare route progress, service levels, productivity, speed, and other metrics to the City’s targets. For example, this data allows the city to track when pickup demand increases (around IU move-in and move-out) in order to better prepare the department for future crunch times. Before the city had to often guess at what a resident issue might relate to, but now Routeware plots each pickup on a map and allows drivers to report why they skipped a particular collection, both with photos and text. 

The Cost

According to Routeware’s estimations a garbage truck costs, on average, $1.67 per minute to run. Assuming per route per day go-backs took around 15 minutes on average for a 10-truck fleet running 4 days a week, Bloomington could, just by keeping their trucks off the road, realize a savings of $52,104 per year by eliminating unnecessary go-backs (when the collection was skipped by accident, as opposed to resident violation or forgetfulness). The software system costs the City $26,000 per year, but it saves hundreds of hours in labor and administrative logistics. It also contributes to the City’s overall goal to educate residents about recycling standards and enhances Public Works staff’s on-the-job skills and knowledge. Routeware is a very hands-on company, offering training on-site for the appropriate Bloomington staff. Right now, Public Works has a weekly call with a Routeware contact to make sure the City is using the software to its full potential, though this call will likely become quarterly or as-needed in the near future. 

The Benefit

Routeware aims to protect the planet by getting smarter about waste. With Routeware’s best-in-class fleet management and automation solutions, Bloomington’s Public Works Department can increase fleet efficiency, performance, and sustainability. One of the biggest benefits of using Routeware is now Public Works can be proactive rather than reactive. Real-time transfer of data between the drivers and the office means that communication is clear and quick, increasing efficiency immensely and decreasing frustration for everyone. Additionally, thanks to GPS data, Public Works always know where its trucks are. If they have a truck breakdown, they can easily send out a helper route immediately and have it be a seamless transition with almost no downtime. 

Thanks to the camera features, Public Works can back up drivers’ actions when residents call about a skipped pickup, for they have documented proof that the bin was not in place or overfilled, for example. The cameras on the trucks also allow Public Works to analyze infrastructure throughout the City, recognizing points of pain including everything from congested intersections to potholes or other safety hazards. Furthermore, this software is currently being used to enhance other projects across the City, such as the Leafing Pilot. 

Metadata

City Department: Public Works 

City Point of Contact: Michael Large

Partner(s): Routeware

Partner Point(s) of Contact: N/A

Date Implemented: October 2020

Type of Innovation: Process Improvement, Technical/Software