With potholes season in full swing, Gloucester Township is able to report dangerous driving conditions and other problems in the township with Citibot
As pothole and black ice season continues to linger in South Jersey, Gloucester Township residents have the ability to utilize the Citibot Text Messaging service to make sure problems are addressed.
Citibot allows residents to directly and easily communicate with their local government. Citizens can report issues and receive notifications regarding matters they raise to the attention of officials.
Residents can use Citibot to report different types of problems, from power outages to trash/recycling pickup to street repairs and more.
“They can use it for really anything that might be concerning for residents,” said Michele Treger.
Treger, along with Regina Castro, serve as aides to Mayor David R. Mayer and handle notifications received from residents through the Citibot service.
Residents can use Citibot in Gloucester Township by sending a text message with the word “hello” to (856) 644–6414. They can then communicate with Citibot to identify the exact problem using keywords and additional information as needed.
Then the information is available to be viewed by Gloucester Township. When messages are received, the alert is directed to the department that is able to address the issue, such as the department of public works, the police or code enforcement.
“Citibot is simple, conversational and more efficiently notifies the township of residents’ issues, allowing us to get the job done quicker and more proficiently. Save the Citibot number in your phone and text us if you have a question or should you need to report an issue. Citibot is another initiative that Gloucester Township is taking to help boost citizen engagement and community involvement,” said Mayer in a release about the text messaging service.
The goal of the service is to make civic engagement easier while increasing communication and the relationship with local government when it comes to residents’ immediate needs on a day-to-day basis.
Text messaging makes for an easier format to communicate, regardless of age or socio-economic status.
“In this mobile age that we find ourselves in today, let’s connect with citizens where they are comfortable, and for many that is through text and messenger apps they are already using,” said Bratton Riley, Citibot founder.
Despite Gloucester Township having partnered with Citibot just last August, Treger says many residents use Citibot to frequently solve problems by getting information to the appropriate departments while going through the right channels. Messages from residents vary in volume during the seasons, however the township traditionally expects to receive a few per day.
There is no timeline that residents should expect problems through Citibot to be resolved. Potholes often tend to be large topic of complaint among residents in South Jersey this time of season, so it is important to know the difference between county and township roads.
Citibot is available to Gloucester Township residents by texting ‘hello’ at (856) 644–6414.
