Case Study: Citizens Energy Group achieves streamlined consolidation of 600,000 water and gas meter-reading routes with RouteSmart Technologies

How Citizens Energy Group Is Leveraging Its Success with RouteSmart to Merge Water and Gas Meter Reading Route

Citizens Energy Group (CEG) needed to merge Indianapolis Water’s operations after an August 2011 acquisition, combining gas and water meter-reading routes for more than 600,000 customers without disrupting billing cycles or customer service. The integration had to address multiple route types, reader seniority, unmapped customers and legacy scheduling—issues Indianapolis Water had begun addressing in 2008 with the help of RouteSmart Technologies during a 360‑route redesign.

CEG leveraged RouteSmart Technologies’ RouteSmart routing software, mobile data capture and the Esri ArcGIS platform, plus printed maps, “what‑if” modeling and staff training, to consolidate and resequence routes, map trouble areas, and cross‑train meter readers. The RouteSmart solution accelerated design work (initial designs targeted for Q2 2012), improved route efficiency and identification of problem routes, and is expected to reduce personnel, vehicles, non‑productive travel and overtime while lowering per‑meter cost‑to‑read.

Citizens Energy Group

Christina Nigh

Meter Reading Manager