By:
North Central PA.com
Harrisburg – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) received two awards today in the regional America’s Transportation Awards competition for its demand response shared ride system and its work relocating an endangered species during a bridge project.
“These awards recognize the innovative ways PennDOT resolves challenges to better serve the people of Pennsylvania,” Secretary Richards said. “I offer my sincere thanks to our staff for their outstanding work.”
PennDOT won the Best Use of Technology & Innovation, Small category, for its Statewide Demand-Response Transit Scheduling Software Implementation. PennDOT completed installation of the Ecolane system earlier this year. The scheduling and dispatch software, installed at 42 shared-ride providers, improved efficiency and service for people who use the service in 65 counties. The system improves on-time performance and data collection, which helps transit agencies improve customer service. The system saved an estimated $600,000 a year in maintenance costs and generated additional administrative savings.
The department also won the Best Use of Technology & Innovation, Medium category, for its Hunter Station Bridge project in northwestern Pennsylvania. As part of a project to replace the Hunter Station Bridge in Tionesta, PennDOT managed an effort to move an endangered species, mussels, to streams in six other states and other areas of Pennsylvania. The innovative environmental work allowed the bridge replacement project to move forward.
Learn more about PennDOT’s award winning projects at these links: Statewide Demand-Response Transit Scheduling Software Implementation (Best Use of Technology & Innovation, Small category) and Hunter Station Bridge (Best Use of Technology & Innovation, Medium category).
Learn more about the overall competition at: www.AmericasTransportationAwards.org.