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What is TELUS?
TELUS (Transportation, Economic & Land-Use System) is a fully integrated information-management and decision-support system
to help metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and state departments of transportation (SDOTs) prepare annual transportation
improvement programs and to carry out other responsibilities under the Transportation Efficiency Act for the SAFETEA-LU.
How easy is TELUS to use?
Ease-of-use is the most distinguishing and valuable feature of TELUS. The simple, highly graphical data-input and project-display
screens allow users who have scant knowledge of data-management techniques to use the system effectively and efficiently. Point
and click buttons, drop-down menus and other helpful features ensure quick data entry and ease-of-movement through the various
components and modules of the system.
How much does TELUS cost?
At least one fully functional CD-ROM for all versions of TELUS is free to all MPOs and SDOTs. Technical assistance, through the TELUS
website, also is available free-of-charge to help users install and use the system.
How long does it take to input a transportation project?
The TELUS team finds that, excluding entering project-scoring data, it takes 12-15 minutes to manually input data for each
transportation project. Time can be substantially reduced in several ways:
- Import the database of the current system into TELUS;
- Copy last year’s transportation improvement program in TELUS into the present year; the completed project can then be deleted and new ones, approximately 20 percent, manually entered;
- Provide lower levels of government with data-input disks so that the MPO/SDOT will not have to manually enter data. TELUS staff will provide the data-input disk;
- Choose which fields, if any, not to use. For instance, the contact person’s name and telephone number for projects could be left blank, although the TELUS team encourages inclusion of as much information as possible;
- Gather all relevant project information prior to inputting data.
How do I transfer my current system?
TELUS stores project information in MS Access 2000 data tables, allowing access independently of TELUS if the user chooses. There is little risk of losing time or data in trying TELUS. Also, if the user’s current system employs another data management or spreadsheet program, the data can be entered in the current system and imported into TELUS.
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 University Heights | Newark, NJ 07102 | 973.596.5700 | telus@njit.edu
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