The 'key' to the transport industry to improve infrastructure management efficiency

(Baonghean) -For a large, fragmented area like Nghe An, the management and maintenance of traffic infrastructure, quick handling of incidents on the route, protection of traffic corridors, etc. are always difficult for the transport sector and localities. Therefore, the application of information technology is considered the "key" for the Nghe An transport sector to overcome difficulties and improve the efficiency of managing traffic infrastructure.

In recent times, Nghe An Department of Transport has applied many advances in science and technology, information technology in management, operation and implementation of public services. Especially the use of Mobiwork Transport Infrastructure Management software (now Govone).

Construction of the road connecting N5 Road of Southeast Economic Zone to Hoa Son (Do Luong). Photo: Document

This is a software with powerful support features in collecting information on traffic infrastructure assets, supporting road patrols and inspections using smartphones or tablets, and can assign tasks, control progress and quality of road maintenance work; the software supports information collection, serves infrastructure management, and captures unexpected situations occurring on the route so that they can be handled promptly to ensure traffic safety.

With just an iPad installed with the Govone software application, logged in with a registered account, with a few simple steps, the current state of road deterioration and violations on route 48E through Nghi Loc - Yen Thanh district was updated with images and current status by Mr. Nguyen Huu Do - a worker at Nghi Loc Traffic Department. Data at the scene was immediately updated and displayed visually on the map, recommending a solution to the Nghe An Department of Transport.

Staff of the Department of Transport's Capital Management Board apply Govone software to manage transport infrastructure. Photo: Le Thanh

Previously, this information took 3-4 days to reach the functional departments, then there were directions to fix it. But now, with the application of Govone software right at the scene with just a tablet connected to the network, road patrol workers only need to take photos, record videos and send them to the system, the information will be updated immediately by the leaders of the Department of Transport, in just 5-10 minutes, the damage to the road and bridges will be directed to handle. For example, the phenomenon of oversized and overloaded vehicles circulating on the routes is taken by officers and workers of the traffic departments in charge of the area and sent to the system, the leaders of the Department of Transport will immediately update the information.

“The information is updated thanks to the Govone software application, grasping the situation, directing management units to overcome and divert traffic. The applied software has reduced human resources, improved the quality of traffic infrastructure works, ensured traffic safety, limited encroachment on traffic corridors, prevented overloaded vehicles... With a large area like Nghe An, when applying this software, urgent problems at the scene can be handled quickly” - Mr. Tran Khac Xuan - Head of Infrastructure Management Department of the Department of Transport said.

The overpass was built to help change the appearance of Dang Thai Mai Street. Photo: Archive

In previous years, information collection and road inspection were mainly done by paper, pen, chalkboard combined with the use of digital cameras, phones, and video cameras to record the scene, making information fragmented, difficult to manage, synthesize, and untimely. The location of field collection through the recorded itinerary was not yet visualized on the map. The exchange of information between departments from field inspection, work request form creation to work assignment to repair units as well as post-repair inspection was mainly still done by traditional methods, leading to the quality of road maintenance work not meeting actual requirements.

To help collect and manage road inspection information more effectively, in April 2015, the Department of Transport deployed Mobiwork software. In November 2016, this software was upgraded to phase two (now called Govone) and officially started using the new version from October 1, 2016 to serve the management and maintenance of traffic infrastructure assets. The upgrade of this software has helped the Department of Transport update district routes on the traffic map, based on intersections and bridges on the road to determine the location.

At the same time, add the function of using maps and getting offline routes when the phone does not have a 3G or wifi connection; build a system of traffic infrastructure assets displayed on the map to serve the management of asset status on the route; help the Department's leaders monitor the management of traffic construction quality and appraisal of traffic construction; add a map of construction quality management, management of construction quality inspection.

Yen Xuan Bridge. Photo archive

Nghe An currently has over 8,530 km of roads including national highways, provincial roads, district roads and commune roads. The management scope is wide, the terrain is complex, and it is even easily cut off when there is rain or flood. The application of Govone software has overcome these limitations, while creating two-way information: from bottom up and top-down direction in a convenient and accurate manner; meeting the requirements of fast processing, ensuring accuracy, work information is stored safely, scientifically, and easily searched, helping the Department's leaders as well as the unit to be proactive in monitoring the progress of work implementation, improving the professional quality of the road management unit.

After a period of use up to now, the entire system of kilometer posts, signs, bridges, and culverts on the entire national and provincial highways has been fully collected by the units. Along with that, the digital traffic map system of Nghe An has also been fully and accurately updated according to the current management and route management status on the routes, automatically positioned through the GPS location of the management unit assigned by the Department's leaders to deploy repairs; traffic inspectors promptly handle overloaded, oversized vehicles and encroachment on traffic safety corridors in the shortest time; at the same time, shorten the time, reduce administrative procedures, human resources, improve efficiency in state management and maintenance of traffic infrastructure, especially urgent issues, sudden incidents at the scene can be handled quickly; create conditions for socio-economic development of the province.

People coming to get or change their driving licenses at the Department of Transport will get an automatic queue number with their photo printed on it. Photo courtesy

Along with that, to improve the efficiency of management and maintenance of traffic infrastructure, the Department of Transport always focuses on the management of traffic safety corridors, patrolling, controlling and detecting violations has been strengthened. In particular, the Department consults on the construction of a proposal to the Provincial People's Committee to submit to the Provincial People's Council to issue Resolution No. 56/2016/NQ-HDND on "Regulations on a number of measures to clear violations of road, railway and sidewalk traffic safety corridors in the province in the period of 2017 - 2020". Nghe An is the first locality in the country to issue this Resolution.

Flood and storm recovery work is directed promptly, ensuring smooth traffic. At the same time, the Department also regularly directs, urges, inspects and guides the maintenance of the district road system, and directs and coordinates the work of ensuring traffic on centrally managed roads in the province.

Currently, the Department of Transport is managing and maintaining 36 roads with a total length of 1,737.5 km (an increase of 60% compared to 2015). Despite many difficulties such as lack of capital, rapid increase in the number and tonnage of vehicles, etc., thanks to enhanced direction and coordination, these have been overcome, ensuring smooth traffic, serving socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security.

Le Thanh