Monitoring the State’s Heartbeat

Operators are equipped
with highly advanced IT and communication tools

Efficient traffic circulation, optimizing delivery of both goods and people , is the lifeblood of a city and vital to the economy of the state. The NSW Transport Management Centre was established to ensure efficient management of traffic flow. The recent refurbishment of the Centre has seen operators equipped with highly advanced IT and communication tools integrated with advanced ergonomic workstations, operator seating and monitor arms. The latter effectively position an array of equipment and data, so as to enable operators to most effectively direct traffic and co-ordinate emergency and essential services responses as required.

The Transport Management Centre NSW is a key focused delivery agency. It is now part of the new Transport for New South Wales structure, established in 2011 by the NSW state government to integrate transport policy, planning and procurement.

The core operational element consists of special automated workstations

The core operational element of the new Eveleigh, Sydney based centre consists of two dozen workstations, each equipped with up to eight monitors and staffed 24/7 on a rotating shift basis.

“Traffic never sleeps” notes Joe Morabito, Manager of Traffic Operations, “and neither does our operation at the Transport Management Centre. It is vital for us to ensure the 18,000km State Road network operates with maximum efficiency, including during peak commuter travel times, special events and following unplanned incidents such as vehicle accidents. We assist in the coordination of services from multiple agencies, including the NSW Police, City Rail (RailCorp), and the State Transit Authority of NSW. The STA alone, for example, operate almost 100,000 services per week across the Sydney metro area.”

“It is vital for our operators to have a cockpit view of their areas of operations. The advanced ergonomics of our workstation set up gives us optimal operational visibility: it simply means we can optimise our responses and provide better traffic management,” said Mr Morabito.

Design of the workstations was undertaken by Bluesky Design Group, while the workstations were delivered by Classic Resources and the monitor arms were supplied by Uplifting Solutions.

Cockpit view of the areas of operations

The gas articulated monitor arms enable up to eight
monitors on the individual workstations to be finger
tip adjusted

The gas articulated monitor arms enable up to eight monitors on the individual workstations to be finger tip adjusted for height, tilt and depth; obviating the need for tools. The screens in certain configurations can also be moved together as an array, with up to 32 kg of screen weight supported by the gas articulated arms. Effectively the monitors float above the desk top and may be repositioned as required. The monitor arms were manufactured by Innovative Office Products USA, who also supply to the New York Stock Exchange.

In addition, the moveable workstations enable operators to stand when desired, so as to enhance operator flexibility and reduce fatigue from sedentary seating.

The combination of advanced ergonomics and integrated information ensures that the focus indeed remains on service delivery.