President Preckwinkle Proposes Technology Upgrades To Track County Vehicle Locations

The Cook County Board today approved technology upgrades proposed by President Toni Preckwinkle to track the location of County vehicles and automate building inspections, moving away from a paper-based system. The Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) system will provide real-time GPS tracking of county vehicles. President Preckwinkle anticipates that over the next several years the new technology will improve emergency response times, snow removal and roadway maintenance. The AVL system also will capture performance data within County departments. “This is a way for Cook County to ensure that we know where County vehicles, and the employees using them, are located during the workday,” Preckwinkle said. “This information also will allow us to more effectively manage our resources and make sure we provide the best services in the right location. This is one of the ways we plan to use data to improve the County’s performance and operations.” County vehicles will be linked to desktop, mobile and web-based system using the county’s Geographic Information System architecture. The AVL system also will help the County increase work-place safety and productivity. The $1.7 million contract takes effect March 1, 2014. The Board also passed the final phase of the County’s Building and Zoning Permit Tracking Application. The E-permit process creates a mobile tool for field inspectors and allows one-stop shopping for residents seeking County permits. “E-permits will provide the public with quicker access to permits, cut back on counter-time and move the county towards an automated system for building inspections,” Interim Chief Information Officer Mary Jo Horace said.