Software streamlines vehicle recovery
The Fleet Management Group (FMG Support), which manages all vehicle recoveries for the Highways Agency, is rolling out new software to manage the vehicle recovery process more efficiently, saving both manpower and resouces.
The Fleet Management Group (FMG Support), which manages all vehicle recoveries for the Highways Agency, is rolling out new software to manage the vehicle recovery process more efficiently, saving both manpower and resouces.
WPC Software, specialists in police computer management systems, is providing FMG Support with its ELVIS-VR system, currently used by 15 UK police forces.
FMG Support, which is responsible for the removal of abandoned and damaged vehicles from motorways and major A-roads, handles over 250,000 incidents per year on behalf of its clients.
The ELVIS-VR system integrates with FMG Supports £3 million bespoke Ingenium-i system to streamline the storage and disposal process for vehicles left at the roadside. The software is helping FMG Support halve the number of vehicles held in long-term storage.
The system records all data about a vehicles removal and disposal and automates many tasks, such as informing removal contractors of the next actions in the storage and disposal process.
It speeds up communications between FMG Support and its national network of vehicle recovery operators and ensures that strict vehicle disposal procedures are adhered to.
As a fully interactive platform, the system provides instant data sharing between the Highways Agency, FMG Support and its contractors, reducing unnecessary emails and telephone calls. It can also manage the payment of statutory fees associated with vehicle recoveries and disposals.
WPC recently updated the system to allow police forces to work more closely together and make efficiency savings by sharing the cost of hosting the vehicle recovery software.
New force layers mean that one police service can now host ELVIS-VR for others. The first to utilise the new facility was Northamptonshire Police, which is hosting the system for Leicestershire Constabulary.
This not only allows the forces to work collaboratively by sharing an application, but also helps to reduce the investment needed when purchasing and maintaining a vehicle recovery system.
Key savings have been made on technical infrastructure and hardware as well as operational benefits.
The new force layer allows both forces to utilise the same installation while maintaining separate databases. It offers the potential for multiple forces to work collaboratively from the same ELVIS-VR installation, while maintaining their own working practices and procedures.