Summer 2006

Ringway Highway Services, a highway maintenance contractor, has been working with telematics specialist Masternaut to develop a real-time asset mapping system for its gully maintenance services operation.

The concept is elegantly simple; each time a vehicle visits a given location, the driver simply presses a key on a special keypad, and the location of the gully is calculated by GPS. At the same time, by entering other codes on the pad, the driver can record condition information associated with the gully (cleaned and running, broken grid, jammed grid and so on).

The system automatically pinpoints the location to within one metre and logs the time and date. This means the company can map the location of each gully more accurately than in the past.

The keypad is mounted on the gully-emptier vehicle's external swing arm for easy access at the gully itself, and has an array of keys to allow fast, easy input of typical operational information.

 

According to Ian Kilburn, Ringway's contract manager: "For the first time we have accurate locations plus up-to-date information on the condition of gullies, catch pits and manholes. This means we can prioritise maintenance work, improve route planning and improve productivity."