PinPoint Public Works is a GPS-enabled data collection and dispatching tool for city public works departments conceived by the city administrator of Clemson, South Carolina. Created by PinPoint GeoTech, it allows sanitation truck drivers to record the actual location of debris piles by pressing a screen button on a small computer device in their truck as they drive by.

 

When the crews finish their route, the information is wirelessly transmitted to the public works office, and maps and work orders are created showing the addresses where debris, by type, needs to be picked up. By knowing the exact locations of the debris, cities can eliminate the need to run routes on every street looking for these items, thus saving fuel and reducing vehicle maintenance costs.

 

The product can also be used for documenting the location of potential risks, such as potholes and overhanging trees; identifying and documenting code enforcement issues; and collecting many other types of data.

 

PinPoint GeoTech has won three awards for its effectiveness: The South Carolina Municipal Association’s Innovation Award to the City of Clemson for its PinPoint PublicWorks implementation; the South Carolina Municipal Insurance Trust’s Safety Innovation Award to Clemson for its implementation; and the Small Enterprise Innovation Award from the Innovision Technology Awards.