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NYC’s 311 phone service…making local government smarter

NYC’s 311 phone service…making local government smarter. “Think of 311 as a kind of massively distributed extension of the city’s perceptual systems, harnessing millions of ordinary eyes on the street to detect emerging problems or report unmet needs.”

Reader comments

PeterNov 10, 2004 at 2:10PM

also in toronto and several other canadian cities. although the $46 million price tag is a little contentious here in toronto.

SusanNov 10, 2004 at 3:01PM

In New York it has the additional bonus of subsidizing students, because they hire undergraduate and graduate students from CUNY to answer the phones. The pay rate is decent, and not having to work at an hourly-wage job that involves a fryer is a good thing.

Chad BakerNov 10, 2004 at 3:21PM

How well does the service work with out-of-towner's cell phones?

RickNov 10, 2004 at 10:34PM

City of Los Angeles provides 3-1-1 as well.

This thread is closed to new comments. Thanks to everyone who responded.