OAKLAND, Calif., The Metropolitan Transportation Commission introduced software, dubbed MobileRater(TM), for hand-held computers to help city and county public works departments and others improve the maintenance of local streets and roads by accelerating the collection of pavement distress data. MobileRater(TM) is fully compatible with MTC's popular StreetSaver(R) Online program, which is used by nearly 400 municipalities nationwide to most efficiently invest their limited maintenance funds.

MobileRater runs on Microsoft Windows Mobile 6, which is widely installed in smart phones and other PDAs. The program is designed to help pavement evaluators record their inspection data faster and more accurately, and enables on-the-spot calculation of the pavement condition index (PCI) of a given section of pavement. MobileRater(TM) can simultaneously record multiple distresses -- such as alligator cracking or utility-cut patching -- and records this information in the same format pavement evaluators would normally use on paper inspection sheets. After recording the day's inspection data, evaluators can use a USB cable to connect their mobile device to a computer and import the information to the StreetSaver(R) Online server. 

MobileRater(TM) already has earned rave reviews in tests by pavement managers. "We're pleased with the initial version of the program," says City of Santa Rosa engineering technician Dennis Ripple. "We now anticipate a successful inspection season using the MobileRater(TM) data collection system coupled with StreetSaver V.9 online." "The technology is straightforward and easy to use, and will cut costs on printing paper and performing data entry. It delivers seamless data transfer between StreetSaver(R) Online and your device, and enables the user to perform on-the-fly PCI calculations," said Robert Estimo of AMS Consulting. 

"In a nutshell, MTC's MobileRater is simple, convenient and easy to use," according to Vijay Pulijal of Harris & Associates, a Concord-based consulting firm. 

MTC's established StreetSaver(R) program, which has been recognized for its effectiveness by the Federal Highway Administration, helps cities and counties allocate resources by predicting the future condition of their pavement at different levels of funding. This helps municipalities plan and manage road improvement projects, document budget needs and shortfalls, and use the collected data to build support for additional transportation funding. More information on both StreetSaver(R) and MobileRater(TM) is available at www.streetsaver.com or by e-mailing mtcsales@devmecca.com. 

MTC is the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.

Source: Metropolitan Transportation Commission http://www.mtc.ca.gov