Department of Public Works: Route Optimization

The Challenge

In 2017, The City of Bloomington implemented its Sanitation Modernization Plan aimed at adjusting operations to better fit the needs of the city. A core part of this initiative is automation, with three specific goals: 1) increase recycling participation rates, 2) decrease the risk of on-the-job injuries, and 3) increase the efficiency of operations. To accomplish this, the City’s Department of Public Works (DPW) set out on a mission toward route optimization that prioritizes safety, efficiency, and cost savings. 

The Idea

DPW Special Projects Manager Michael Large has been spearheading this initiative with Director Adam Wason, and Richard Creek, Max Stier, and Meghan Blair from the City’s Information and Technology Services Department (ITS) DPW has four trucks utilizing data collection and smart mapping technology to maximize the efficiency of sanitation routes! With the help of the City’s Information & Technology Services Department, DPW can now use updated maps with ArcGIS software to show the most efficient routes for each truck. 

Using those new maps and RouteWare, DPW can now track the number of stops for each route, cross reference them with the weights of each truck after a route, and change their number of stops based on their capacities. 

The Cost

Since the collaboration between ITS and DPW utilizes the City’s existing contract for ArcGIS mapping technology, this innovation comes at no extra cost to the City. Route optimization using ArcGIS will save the City tens of thousands of dollars in fuel costs, equipment wear and tear, and most importantly - the rejection of non-compliant recycling materials.

The Benefits

Not only does this new innovation save the city money, it’s also much safer. With the previous system, drivers would have to backtrack along one-ways, navigate narrow streets, or deal with surprisingly sharp curves. With smart mapping technology, drivers can now take routes that ensure staff and equipment avoid dangerous routes. 

Prior, DPW’s maps had too many stops for a single truck to complete its route efficiently. The new maps with more accurate polygons maximize the capacity for each truck so that they only need to take one route. 

According to DPW’s Michael Large, crew members are continually working to improve route optimization to be more efficient and helpful to drivers and residents alike. More efficient routes result in less wasted fuel, time, labor, and noise! A finalized version is currently being tested and will likely debut next year. This is not your grandfather’s sanitation department! 

Metadata

Department(s): Parks and Recreation

Department Point(s) of Contact: Haskell Smith

Partner(s):

Partner Point(s) of Contact: n/a

Type of Innovation: New Technology

Date Implemented: 2018