Utah’s Department of Transportation, or “UDOT,” has renewed its contract for Convergys’ (News - Alert) On-Demand Speech Self Service solution for 10 additional years.

In July 2000, the Federal Communications Commission assigned the telephone number 511 for nationwide access to traveler information services. Utah was one of the early adopter states in implementing a 511 service for traveler information, and was the first state to deploy a voice-activated 511 system.

Convergys officials said that UDOT has worked together with the company since 2004. In that time, the company has made a number of key enhancements to Utah’s 511 system, including providing additional traffic and weather information and streamlining the call flow for callers navigating through the 511 system.

As part of the contract, Convergys will continue to provide network voice hosting services and support of UDOT's 511 traveler information telephone service on its On-Demand Speech Self Service solution from Convergys. 

Convergys will also continue to assist in the enhancement, design, building, implementation, operation and maintenance of Utah’s 511 system.

“Since its deployment, the Convergys platform for the 511 system been very stable and reliable, handling millions of inbound calls for help and assistance from travelers all over the state,” Dave Kinnecom, director of UDOT's traffic operations center, said. 

Kinnecom said that the public now routinely relies on the 511 system for traffic information, emergency help, travel times, and road conditions throughout Utah and it has become a staple in the traveler’s arsenal of information resources.

“Utah’s Department of Transportation is a pioneer in providing a popular 511 traveler information service,” Paul Colangelo, vice president of Government Solutions for Convergys, said. 

“With immense scalability built in to Convergys On-Demand Speech Self Service solution, UDOT’s 511 line is able to respond when weather and tourism events drive increased call volume to the information service,” Colangelo said.

In September, Convergys announced that a FORTUNE Top 50 telecommunications company has renewed its longstanding contract for Convergys’ Smart BSS solutions portfolio. Convergys estimates the value of this three-year contract extension to be approximately $72 million.