Safety Programs Clearing House Center
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Department of Transportation (DOT)
Challenge
The NHTSA's Safety Program Resource Center is the principal communications and outreach effort to reduce traffic-related accidents. NHTSA personnel and contractors have developed safety awareness materials in a wide variety of formats, including posters, brochures, manuals, reports, educational videotapes and compact discs. The Resource Center maintains a catalogue of 1,500 titles, including scientific reports analyzing safety issues for technical experts and public service materials for consumers. Topics range from tread-separation tire accidents to the proper design and installation of child safety seats. Its public service announcements and related materials target parents, seniors, newly licensed drivers, and young children. In addition to distributing these materials in response to public requests, the Resource Center also serves as the vehicle for technology transfer among seven separate NHTSA offices through programs of workshops, conferences, and conventions.
NHTSA asked Axiom to support the Resource Center's distribution efforts and to broaden awareness of and increase demand for the Resource Center's materials.
Strategy
Axiom designed and maintained the NHTSA Materials Control System (MCS), a computerized system for processing orders, tracking inventory, and collecting data on requests for materials. This multi-user database system is connected through a high-speed data line to a local area network, so users can access MCS to place orders, check available inventories, automatically process back orders, and search the on-line catalogue by topic or title. The MCS can process orders received via telephone, fax, e-mail, surface mail, or the Internet, and the inventory control databases prepare packing lists and mailing labels. Materials are then packaged and metered for delivery by the U.S. Postal Service or commercial express delivery services.
Impact
Axiom's MCS has increased the efficiency and the capabilities of the resource distribution process. Each month the Resource Center processes 6,000 requests for materials, ships approximately 380,000 items, and manages an on-hand inventory of 1.5 million units. The databases support mass mailings notifying existing and potential customers of new products and allows for periodic special distributions of new materials to target audiences. The system generates reports analyzing inventory flows by product type, requesting audience, geographic region, and other variables. The number of monthly requests for materials and the volume of products shipped have increased significantly with Axiom's support, helping the NHTSA meet its mission of reducing deaths, injuries, and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes.