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16/08/2013
Boston Mayor, Thomas Menino, has spearheaded a new technique for battling pot holes within his city. By developing smartphone apps! The city's new Urban Mechanics program, is focused on finding new and innovative ways for citizens to report problems in their local area, with badly maintained roads being top of the list.
Nigel Jacob, from the Mayor's office, said the department had "developed a model that focuses on the quality of life (and) the livability of Boston's neighborhoods, using a range of new techniques and approaches where government services meet the public."
The app in question is named Street Bump, and has proved extremely popular since its inception almost a year ago. Designed to be used in the car, by mobiles with a built in accelerometer, the app registers every bump, shudder, jolt or judder and records the location on a GPS mapping system. This information is then sent back to a central database. The app is able to distinguish between pot holes and things like manhole covers or storm drains.
Repeat offenders are officially declared pot-holes and maintenance teams are then dispatched to repair the area.
It's proven to be a cost effective service, with several other US cities taking their cue from Boston. Salt Lake City and San Francisco have introduced similar smartphone apps, and with President Obama insisting that government at all levels must be more accountable to the people, it won't be long before we see these kinds of apps spreading across the US, and who knows, maybe we'll see them launched this side of the pond before long!
This is another great example of how technology is being used in an effective way to provide effective fleet management.
For more information, and to find out how you can manage your fleet more effectively, make sure you call G-Force on 01928 715 724.
Original article published by BBC News on June 12th 2012