Durham City Hall On The Go Powered by MCA

Durham City Hall On The Go Powered by USAT

A Bustling City At The Heart of Innovation

Located along the Eno River in the Piedmont region of North Carolina sits the city of Durham. Home to over 285,000 residents, it was first home to Native American tribes and on the route of the Great Trading Path. For centuries, people have lived and worked here, with the city being formally incorporated in 1861. Since then, Durham has grown to become the fourth-largest city in the state of North Carolina and the seventy-fourth-largest city in the country.

Spread over 116 square miles, the city also makes up the core of the Research Triangle Park, a 7,000-acre pre-planned research park that’s home to over 300 companies that employ over 65,000 workers. And, of course, Durham is home to renowned institutes of higher learning - Duke University and North Carolina Central University.

The Challenge

Providing Connectivity For A Mobile City Hall Experience

With so many residents and businesses within city limits, Durham city hall is an incredibly busy organization. With a single building - located at 101 City Hall Plaza - serving all the needs of city residents and businesses, wait times could be long and it could be difficult for residents to make their way there during business hours.

To alleviate wait times and make City Hall transactions more convenient and expedient, Durham launched a City Hall on the Go truck. Inspired by the many successful food trucks that call Durham home, the new Durham City Hall on the Go serves residents where they live, work, and play. The truck, overseen by the City of Durham’s Neighborhood Improvement Services Department on behalf of all City departments, visits Durham’s many neighborhoods throughout the year and offers a select menu of services for residents and also attends special events, block parties, street festivals, and more.

City Hall on the Go powered by USAT and Cradlepoint

In order for the truck to provide residents with a more convenient City Hall experience, it needed to be outfitted with connectivity solutions so that City Hall workers could connect to the systems in the main building to process transactions and locate files and documents.

The Solution

Cradlepoint Provides Effective Network Connectivity

To address its various networking needs, Durham City leaders selected USAT to provision and install a Cradlepoint IBR1100 router with a Dual-modem dock. At the time, the IBR1100 router was the top-of-the-line solution, but deployments undertaken today have more robust 4G and 5G solution options, such as the CradlePoint 1700 (with secondary MC400-5G model) or R1900, to choose from.

Cradlepoint’s IBR Series features a fully integrated router/bridge, an integrated 4G modem, a ruggedized metal housing certified for shock and vibration, external 4G and WiFi antennas, and support for LAN/LAN and WAN/LAN. This, coupled with the pervasive Verizon Wireless 4G/5G network, provides the Durham City Hall on the Go Truck the ability to provide residents with effective network connectivity.

The Results

A Human Touch and Peak Convenience Is Restored

According to then-Director Constance Stancil with the City’s Neighborhood Improvement Services Department, for most residents, Durham One Call and the City’s website will remain the frontline for City service, but the truck is a great resource for those who find it difficult to make their way downtown.

“Many people need a personal interaction to get direct services, ask a question or get information, so Durham is taking City Hall to them,” Stancil said. “Every City department will have information on the truck and many different City employees – from police officers to firefighters to water management to solid waste – will also be represented at various times to answer questions, provide information, and offer assistance.”

Since the truck is outfitted with Wi-Fi, residents can get help directly from the truck with searching and applying for employment, paying water utility bills, or sending requests for services online to Durham One Call. But, according to Stancil, the truck is about more than simply providing services – it’s about connecting and communicating with residents in a face-to-face setting.

Mobile Government Office Connectivity Infographic

“In this day and age, everything seems to be going digital and folks spend all of their time behind the screens of their mobile phones or tablets. We’re losing human connections and it’s important for us, as public servants, to be out there so our residents see and know the people that serve their community. We really care about Durham, we want to help, and we’re coming to you.”

Our Team

Device Provisioning, Activation and Installation Services

USAT specializes in designing and deploying mobile wireless data connectivity solutions for public and private healthcare organizations — complete with implementation, training, proof of concept (POC), system auditing, and on-site RF surveying services with optional engineering maintenance contracts. Our team not only helps you select, provision, and activate devices, we make sure they work in practical applications and real-life situations.

For over 25 years, USAT has provided mobile communications solutions for healthcare applications across the USA. With our extensive catalog of world-class routers, gateways, and software designed for remote monitoring and management in even the harshest environments — you can count on us to get and keep you connected.

Better mobile connectivity translates to less manual equipment maintenance, reduced downtime, and an overall increase in your business’s ROI. Contact the experts at USAT to learn how our wireless networking solutions can help meet your organization’s exacting needs.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on August 3, 2016 and has been updated to include new devices and technologies available to city governments looking to implement similar solutions.