Special package supports ambulance and local authority transport management specialistDigital 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.