The answers provided here are specific to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles implementation of the application known as TraCS (Traffic and Criminal Software).

What is TraCS?

TraCS is an application used by law enforcement officers investigating motor vehicle crashes. TraCS is designed to reduce the necessity for paper forms by allowing for the collection, validation and transmission of crash data electronically. The TraCS application provides auto-enabling/disabling of fields based on data entered and provides drop-down lists where applicable. The application also allows for the creation of field defaults which help to reduce the time officers spend entering crash data. TraCS also allows users to search DMV databases for North Carolina driver and registration information and auto-fills driver/vehicle fields on the report for your investigating officers.

Who provides TraCS?

DMV offers TraCS at no cost to law enforcement agencies reporting motor vehicle crashes.

When can we get TraCS?

DMV can provide TraCS to interested law enforcement agencies after your trainer has completed TraCS training and all paperwork has been completed. Contact Operations Support at (919) 861-3084, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm for more information. You can also email operations-support@ncdot.gov.

Where does training occur?

DMV provides training in Raleigh multiple times each month. DMV may also schedule training in other locations if there is enough interest in your area. Contact Operations Support at (919) 861-3084 for additional information.

Why should law enforcement use TraCS?

TraCS helps to provide accurate and timely crash data for all crash data stakeholders, which ultimately helps to improve the safety of our highways.

How does TraCS work?

The TraCS application is loaded to your investigating officer’s desktop computer or Mobile Data Terminal (MDT). The reporting officer (Reporter) can collect, validate, save and send crash reports to their Supervisor for review and approval. Reporters must be working online to send crash reports to their Supervisor. The Supervisor must be working online to retrieve a report submitted for review by a Reporter. After Supervisors have reviewed and approved a report, they can accept the report. Supervisors also are able to reject reports and return them to the reporting officer for correction. Supervisors can also provide rejection reasons to the reporting officer informing Reporters what corrections are needed.

Once reports have been accepted by DMV, they will get processed by DMV.

What is TRCS and how does it work?

TRCS (Traffic Records Communication System) is the server used to transmit crash data between users and to DMV’s Crash Reporting System (CRS). The TRCS Server has an internal process that forwards Supervisor accepted reports to CRS using the DMV TRCS Service process. CRS processes crash report data nightly and applies its internal business rules to validate the Supervisor accepted reports. If validation is successful, CRS assigns a DMV Crash ID and creates a document image of the crash report. If the crash report fails CRS validations, an error report will be created. A message is returned to the TraCS Server with either a DMV Crash ID number (report passed validations) or an error message (report failed validations).

The Reporter submitting the report can retrieve the DMV Approved or Rejected reports.

An example of the process would be as follows:

• A Reporter enters crash data pertaining to the crash into TraCS.
• Vehicle and Driver information may be retrieved from the central database (performing a search based on NC driver license, plate or VIN).
• Reporter validates all data that has been collected.
• Reporter transmits the crash data to the TraCS Server either while in the field or when they arrive back at the office.
• The Reporter's Supervisor receives the crash data from TraCS Server.
• The Supervisor accepts the crash data and transmits it to the TraCS Server.
• TraCS server sends accepted crash data to CRS.
• CRS accepts the crash report and provides a DMV crash ID number.
• TraCS receives DMV crash ID number.
• Reporter will receive the DMV crash ID number.

What will TraCS give law enforcement agencies?

TraCS uses mobile computing technologies to facilitate data collection where motor vehicle crashes occur. TraCS is a complete data collection solution that provides an electronic form browser, specialized databars to expedite data entry, and a Forms Manager that enables users to work with and manage their electronic crash reporting forms. Overall, it reduces time needed to create crash reports while in the field. TraCS provides NC driver and vehicle search capabilities. After crash data is validated and accepted, the crash report is sent to DMV for final approval. Reports rejected by DMV are returned electronically to the investigating officer for correction and resubmission. DMV processes crash report data nightly, so all crash data is processed within 24 hours of being received by DMV. This helps facilitate faster correction time and in turn, expedites public availability of crash data.

What are the benefits of TraCS?

• Expedites entry of crash reports by providing drop-down lists (instead of using a DMV-349 paper pad to lookup codes), disables and enables fields based on data already entered, and allows for validation/cross-validation of fields.
• TraCS allows for NC driver/vehicle data searches which allows for the auto-filling of returned data to the crash reporting form. This saves investigating officers valuable time.
• Avoids repeated data entry into the form thereby reducing errors.
• All transactions are paperless, unless a report is printed (i.e. Driver Exchange, uncertified copy of the DMV-349).
• Expedited public availability of crash data.
• Provides integrated diagramming capability with Easy Street Draw (ESD). DMV has statewide licenses for Easy Street Draw software, eliminating the need for law enforcement agencies to acquire separate licenses.
• TraCS allows officers to provide crash victims copies of the uncertified DMV-349.
• TraCS encrypts and compresses data.
• TraCS is free to law enforcement agencies.

How will TraCS save officers time?

The TraCS client has a temporary database that holds information regarding drivers (name, address, phone) once it is entered. For example, after searching driver and/or registration information the data can easily be transferred to other fields within the form. This prevents officers having to re-enter data into the same form.

TraCS also allows users to search DMV databases by entering a driver license number, VIN or plate number. The data returned can be populated within the TraCS form thus reducing the need for additional data entry. Users can also search by USDOT number for Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMVs).

Submitting crashes electronically is far more efficient than submitting paper reports. The crash report is created and validated on a Reporter's MDT, electronically sent to their Supervisor's MDT or PC, and then ultimately submitted electronically to DMV for processing. Once a crash report has been approved by DMV, the DMV-349 is available typically within 24 hours after submission.

What are the minimum system requirements to use TraCS?

The minimum system requirements are:

• Operating system: Windows Server 2008 or 2008 R2 (32 bit and 64 bit); or Windows 7 (32 bit and 64 bit)
• .NET Framework: 2.0, 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 (full installs)
• Processor: Dual-core, 2.0GHz or faster
• Memory: 4 GB of RAM or more
• Hard disk drive size: 50 GB or more with 10 GB of available hard-disk space
• Network connectivity: Firewalls must allow access to dmvtrcs.dot.state.nc.us on port 96, dmvtrcs2.dot.state.nc.us on port 96, and https://dmvtrcsupd.services.ncdot.gov on port 443
• Screen Resolution: TraCS is optimized to run on computer that have screen resolution of at least 1024X768. Although TraCS will still function properly on computers with screen resolution as low as 800X600, the user experience will be reduced.

Does TraCS give law enforcement officers access to print reports?

TraCS has three reports that can be printed: the Driver Exchange form, the North Carolina Crash Reporting Form (NCCRF), and an uncertified copy of the DMV-349 form. The Driver Exchange form can be printed to provide all parties involved insurance information. The NCCRF can be printed as well. The report appears as officers see it in TraCS. The uncertified copy of the DMV-349 is a facsimile of the DMV-349. If occupants involved in a crash need a certified copy of the DMV-349 form, they should visit the Traffic Records webpage.

Is their a solution for agencies that want to submit crashes electronically currently using third party software to collect crash data?

Yes! Law enforcement agencies using a third-party front-end application to collect crash data may now be able to submit crash reports electronically to DMV. For more information please contact Operations Support at (919) 861-3084 or by email at operations-support@ncdot.gov