By Susan Jarvis Moody
December 9, 2002

City public works, solid waste and environmental departments continue to utilize new technologies to streamline operations and manage personnel more efficiently. During MWMA's 2002 Fall Summit in Pittsburgh, the cities of San Diego, Washington D.C. and Miami-Dade County shared their technology initiatives.

San Diego recently installed a V-Track global positioning system (GPS) in 140 trucks. The GPS wireless receiver and modem provides drivers, supervisors and management with real time information about day-to-day operations. Charles Woolver, Deputy Director, Environmental Services, City of San Diego, explained the success of the initiative depended on buy in from labor and a clear communication of the benefits for the drivers.

Washington D.C.'s technology initiative, DPW Works! was designed to increase accountability and decrease paper work. The user friendly program, explained Tom Henderson, Solid Waste Administrator for the city, provides up to the minute information about the department's activities. Additionally, employees have developed new technical skills and an increased ownership over their operational areas.

While San Diego and Washington D.C.'s technology programs were aimed at streamlined internal procedures, Miami-Dade County's grant funded on-line waste reduction tool was designed to assist community businesses. Reduceyourwaste.org is a virtual one'stop shopping center and resource guide, explained Deborah Silver, Assistant to the Deputy Director, allowing users to create waste profile and design custom solutions.

While the three programs explored during the session highlighted different types of initiatives, the keys to their successful implementation are the same, communication, education and training and well defined and attainable goals.