Special package supports ambulance and local authority transport management specialist

May 04, 2009 — Digital mapping and address data supplied and configured by MapMechanics forms a key component in the latest mission-critical transport planning software developed by Cleric Computer Services (CCS) for ambulance services, health authorities, local government and private-sector organisations.

CCS supplies sophisticated response handling, transport planning and vehicle routing systems both for front-line ambulance despatch management and for many non-emergency and special needs transport activities.

CCS software can handle a multiplicity of functions, including constant GPS monitoring of vehicle locations, identification of the nearest available vehicle to an incident, and estimating journey times to each incident.

It is essential to support these systems with detailed, accurate road mapping and address information, and MapMechanics has become a regular supplier of these products to CCS.

For the road and street mapping, MapMechanics has supplied NAVTEQ street-level map data, which includes essential navigation attributes – for instance, one-way streets, dual carriageways, banned turns and pedestrianised streets.

MapMechanics has been able to supply the map data to CCS on special licensing terms that allow for the intensive use required for vehicle planning and optimisation purposes without incurring prohibitive charges.

To help the CCS software to plot the position of addresses more quickly and accurately, MapMechanics has specially produced a combined data file that includes both PAF (Postal Address File) data and unit postcode coordinates. This provides an instant cross-reference between addresses and their map location.

According to CCS founder and managing director Eric Porter: “We’ve bought digital data from various sources over the years, but we’ve found MapMechanics particularly helpful to deal with. They have a very informed data sales team and good technical backup, and their whole approach is highly professional.”

He adds: “They’re a customer-focused company, not just an organisation selling data products as a commodity. They provide us with the kind of service we aim to offer our own customers.”

Both MapMechanics and CCS have been in business more than twenty years. CCS, which was founded in 1985, is the UK market leader in computer solutions for ambulance services, and one of the foremost suppliers of special needs passenger transport logistics systems.

Alongside its RESPOND-2 emergency service system, CCS offers its widely-used APTS (Advanced Passenger Transport Services) package, which handles over 14.5 million journeys each year and provides special needs passenger transport operators with a comprehensive range of interactive, dynamic real-time journey booking, transport planning and vehicle scheduling capabilities. The system includes many advanced features such as wireless communications, real-time vehicle tracking, multi-stage journey planning, eligibility assessment, multiple service types, modelling and comprehensive analysis and reporting.

About MapMechanics

MapMechanics has been providing innovative solutions in sales and marketing, logistics planning, digital mapping and geographic analysis for twenty years.

MapMechanics uses digital map-based technologies to offer an extensive range of Web, desktop, paper and component solutions for a variety of business applications, from atlas production to business analysis, site selection, customer profiling and vehicle routing and scheduling.

MapMechanics distributes a wide range of data products including AA, NAVTEQ and Ordnance Survey digital mapping, as well as leading business and demographic datasets from many sources throughout the world. This data is listed in the Data Catalogue, which is probably the most extensive and up-to-date printed listing of its kind in Britain. It is published at least once a year, and is also available on the Internet.

MapMechanics is a major supplier of software solutions. It is the UK distributor of the GeoConcept geographic information system, which is used extensively in a diverse range of fields such as retail planning, marketing, healthcare, environmental planning and management, transport and logistics, site selection, network planning and territory allocation, telematics and command and control applications, policing and broadcasting, and central and local government.

MapMechanics also supplies and supports MicroAnalytics’ TruckStops and OptiSite in Britain. TruckStops is the world’s most widely-deployed routing and scheduling solution, and is in use in North and South America, Britain, continental Europe and elsewhere. OptiSite is an established and widely-deployed network modelling tool. Backing up its extensive product range, MapMechanics offers a comprehensive service of implementation support and training.



Contact:

Katy McKenna
MapMechanics
Canal Court, 155 High Street,
Brentford, London, TW8 8JA
Email: Email Contact
Tel: +44 (020) 8568 7000
Fax:+44 (020) 8568 7400
Website: http://www.mapmechanics.com

Press Release also available on the Web
http://www.mapmechanics.com/mapmechanicspressroom/press_room.htm