Anticipating a spike in phone calls when it launches its new ConnectCard electronic fare system next year, the Port Authority of Allegheny County (PA) plans to add customer service representatives and is considering an interactive phone system. “When people become too frustrated for any reason, they’ll stop using public transportation,” said spokesman Jim Ritchie. “We’reRead… Read more »
Huffington Post article Outrage Over $16 Muffin Was Half Baked The news this week that Justice Department had been caught allegedly spending $16 a piece for breakfast muffins and $8 for a cup of coffee for employees attending a conference in Washington two years ago was as stunning for its apparent extravagance as it wasRead… Read more »
Next Tuesday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (NY) is inaugurating wireless service at four subway stations in the Chelsea section of Manhattan. Riders with AT&T and T-Mobile devices will have access throughout the stations , but subscribers on other networks (including Verizon) are out of luck for now. Service will not be provided on trains orRead… Read more »
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (DC) customers now have the option to add value to their SmarTrip cards online. The launch follows a successful trial with about 150,000 riders. “Customers can now go online rather than getting in line,” said general manager and CEO Richard Sarles in a statement. “This is the latest — butRead… Read more »
I’ve spent a lot of time around departmental youth groups since joining the public service; I’ve launched them, provided informal advice to chairs, and spoken at national conferences. My general observation is that public sector youth groups are forged out of a deep sense of frustration that plagues many new public servants. It is aRead… Read more »
In July I presented at the SOCITM Building Perfect Council Websites 11 (BPCW11) in London on the topic of Channel Shift. The presentation was entitled “Is Developing Channels more Important than Promoting Shift?” Although the event was aimed primarily at Local Government, many of the concepts I presented are relevant to both Central and GovernmentRead… Read more »
Vital, Government’s shared services department under the Ministry of Finance has reaped savings of over US $1 million (78%) in travel insurance premiums for the whole of Government. Vital is Singapore’s largest back-of-house shared services centre for the government’s public sector provides centralised travel insurance programme for its public officers… By: Rakesh Sangani, Editor-at-Large, SSONRead… Read more »
Once a year Amsterdam plays host to the creators of urban design, technology, art, and science for the annual 3-day PICNIC Festival. I just returned from this amazing festival. A few months ago Bonnie from iStrategy Labs invited me to speak at PICNIC, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I was excited.Read… Read more »
October 4 UPDATE: NASPAA has posted the formal comments and recommendations we submitted for the proposed Pathways regulations. Here is NASPAA’s summary and analysis of the proposed regulations: Pathways Programs proposed regulations NASPAA’s summary and analysis On August 4, the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released proposed regulations to set up the Pathways ProgramsRead… Read more »
I was just asked “should I take this class on social media.” Here’s my somewhat complex answer to what seems like a simple question. Like any new field, learning how to use social media well isn’t a matter of taking one class, but rather of learning a variety of skills and mental models, and thenRead… Read more »