CRAB Information Services

What is Information Services?

CRAB Information Services provides the Legislature, Agency, Counties, and the Citizens of Washington State with systems and data; enhancing the ability to make quality decisions through consistent, equitable, and defensible management plans and operations.

Why Information Services?

Fifty percent of publicly traveled roads in Washington State are within county jurisdiction. Approximately $900 million is spent annually to maintain and operate the nearly 40,000 miles of county roads. It is critical to utilize information technology to its fullest to ensure the safe and efficient movement of people and goods over county roads (RCW 36.78.070). CRAB was formed with the mandate to provide Standards of Good Practice pertaining to effective use of transportation-related technology (RCW 36.78.020), and the duty to develop uniform and efficient transportation-related information technology resources.

RCW 46.68.124 assigned the distribution of State Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax (MVFT) to the County Road Administration Board in 1985. These duties involve the equitable distribution of approximately $200 million annually through formula and grant programs to the 39 counties of Washington State for county road maintenance and improvements.

Responsibilities

• Ensure effective use of IT tools through development or procurement of, and support and training for, appropriate applications and software.
• Maintain a high level of professionalism in the use of IT in county road departments through training and support.
• Enhance the effectiveness of county personnel in their projects and initiatives through IT consultation.
• Provide a stable and secure network and computing environment to our agency and our customers.
• Provide desktop, hardware, and software support to agency staff.