TRENDS AND COUNTERTRENDS IN MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

There are a number of trends and countertrends in the evolution of systems being used to manage road and street maintenance. Current trends appear to help satisfy the need for better information and to promote broader acceptance of system concepts. Managers in several maintenance agencies have combined the traditional financial and performance budgets common to maintenance management systems. Many more have integrated maintenance management and cost accounting systems. The resulting plans are far more realistic and the accounting for expenditures is far more accurate than the model system designed nearly 20 years ago. Advances in automated data processing have significantly increased the value of system concepts and procedures; and the need for better information is being satisfied by better pavement maintenance data. Pavement management systems are beginning to provide data that are helpful in defining the kinds and amounts of work that need to be done. Other trends include (a) maintenance standards that take into account local and regional needs and (b) increased use of data from system components in making decisions about contract maintenance and in determining equipment needs. Countertrends--trends that seem to ignore the historical perspective--include a reduced life expectancy for maintenance work programs, fewer defined activities, and simplified inventory procedures.