VicRoads to roll out mobile app, tablets

Victorian highway department VicRoads is set to roll out a mobile app for its field workers and tablets for driver license testers which are to be delivered by March 2014.

Speaking at the Technology in Government Summit in Canberra, VicRoads’ director of information management and technology, Susan Sly, told delegates that the mobile app is to improve productivity and efficiency of VicRoads maintenance staff.

“It will allow our road maintenance staff to work with contractors through an integrated app. They can lodge a road issue with the contractor, the work is done, and the information fed back through the app,” she said.

There are also plans to install tablets into the cars of drivers licence testers so they can complete the test and fill in the online pass or fail form without having to return to the office.

The tablet will track the journey and provide a recorded drivers licence test for parents to review.

In addition, VicRoads is set to introduce video translation services at its driver licencing customer service centres.

“If someone has arrived from overseas and English is their second language, we can put video interpreter services into those offices and it will offer a huge benefit for the person who has come in to sit the test for an Australian drivers licence,” Sly said.

The organisation recently integrated its traffic information and emergency road closures onto the VicRoads website.

“Traffic information online used to be a great resource for commuters but when we had the bush fires in Victoria, it changed overnight to a mission critical application,” she said. “That information helps get people out and emergency services in.”

When there is a natural disaster, radio and TV stations now direct people to the website.

Hamish Barwick travelled to Canberra as a guest of Association Communications Events

Follow Hamish Barwick on Twitter: @HamishBarwick

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