Case Studies > How RouteSmart helped support Woodbridge, NJ in reducing costs by $4 million per year

How RouteSmart helped support Woodbridge, NJ in reducing costs by $4 million per year

Company Size

1,000+

Region

America

Country

United States

Product

RouteSmart

Tech Stack

Routing Software

Implementation Scale

Enterprise-wide Deployment

Impact Metrics

Cost Savings
Customer Satisfaction
Productivity Improvements

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Fleet Management Systems (FMS)
Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems

Applicable Industries

Cities & Municipalities

Applicable Functions

Facility Management
Logistics & Transportation

Use Cases

Fleet Management

Services

System Integration
Training

About The Customer

Woodbridge Township, located 25 miles outside of New York, covers an area of 29 square miles and serves approximately 29,000 homes and 6,000 multifamily units. The township's Public Works Department is responsible for garbage and recycling collection, servicing between 600 to 800 homes daily for garbage and 800 to 1,200 homes for recycling. The department faced the challenge of optimizing their operations to reduce costs and improve efficiency, particularly in the face of potential privatization. The team, led by Director of Public Works Dennis Henry, sought to implement an automated system to streamline their processes and maintain competitiveness.

The Challenge

In 2007, Woodbridge Township’s Department of Public Works faced a significant challenge: the need to reduce operational costs in their Sanitation Department, which was spending about $10 million annually. The push for cost savings was driven by the threat of privatization, which required the department to become competitive with private sector costs. The team proposed an automation scenario to Mayor John McCormac, which included reducing garbage service frequency and consolidating waste collection days. Additionally, the department had to incorporate new routes from Carteret Borough without hiring more employees or purchasing additional equipment. The existing routes were inefficient, with significant overlap and uneven distribution, leading to noise issues for residents.

The Solution

The Public Works Department's Programmer Analyst, Frank Heslin, recommended RouteSmart to optimize and consolidate their routes. After evaluating other routing software, the team found that RouteSmart fit well with their plans. The implementation of RouteSmart led to a complete overhaul of the garbage and recycling collection process in Woodbridge. The software eliminated route overlaps and allowed for efficient sector-based routing. This was crucial for setting up their automated fleet. The team utilized RouteSmart’s knowledge base to run routes by ZIP codes, ensuring smooth operations even when the number of trucks increased. The collaboration with RouteSmart was highly effective, with the team praising the support and training provided by RouteSmart.

Operational Impact

The Public Works department reduced their sanitation employee count from 107 to 44, while decreasing daily routes from 20 to 14.
The department successfully incorporated new routes from Carteret Borough without additional hires or equipment.
The implementation of RouteSmart led to smoother operations and efficient route management, even with changes in the number of trucks.
The team maintained high employment levels by making routes more efficient, avoiding the need for privatization.
The collaboration with RouteSmart was highly effective, with the team benefiting from ongoing support and training.

Quantitative Benefit