TIMS2GO continues to gain industry recognition for innovation
The Illinois Tollway may need a bigger trophy case just for TIMS2GO.
The TIMS2GO mobile incident response tool was recognized by Government Technology magazine as one of its 10 top award winners in the operations category for its National Innovation Showcase. The operations category focuses on public agencies that use innovative technologies to improve internal operations.
Recognition for TIMS2GO by Government Technology is part of the online publication’s annual Special District Awards Program, which highlights innovative ideas and best practices across transportation, transit, airports and other public service agencies nationwide. Government Technology will recognize its top 10 Innovation Award and District of the Year award winners later this year.
Earlier this year, the American Public Works Association awarded its Technical Innovation Award to the Illinois Tollway for TIMS2GO. The national award recognizes the development, management and implementation of a creative idea, program, process or system that enhances delivery of public works services to the public.
TIMS2GO also has been a hot topic at various transportation and technology industry conferences. In September, it was featured at the ITS World Congress, an international conference that attracts hundreds of professionals from the intelligent transportation systems industry. It was previously showcased at the University of Illinois Traffic and Engineering Safety Conference in October 2021 and at the ITS Midwest annual meeting in November 2021.
Deployed in late 2020, TIMS2GO puts all the Tollway’s intelligent transportation system technologies into the palms of the hands of its traffic and incident managers. It gives traffic and incident managers the ability to gather real-time incident information and direct appropriate resources to respond anytime from anywhere using any smartphone, tablet or laptop on any browser.
One of the greatest benefits of TIMS2GO is improved communications, which allows the Tollway to respond quicker and more effectively to roadway incidents so that emergency responders can take necessary actions to minimize the potential for further injuries or property damage. By responding and clearing incidents quickly, the Tollway is able to maintain safe, efficient travel for Tollway customers.
Traffic and incident managers working offsite can immediately use TIMS2GO to access live video, incident details and response status updates, as well as share information with Illinois State Police District 15, which is responsible for patrolling the Tollway system, as well as other emergency responders. They don’t need to rely on traffic operations technicians and dispatchers to verbally describe what’s happening on the scene by phone or two-way radio.