TraCS FAQs

Sometimes it is necessary to add a Radar Model within TraCS. This process requires a full version of the Microsoft Access program.

Sometimes it becomes necessary to amend a Transmitted ACC Report when new data becomes available or mistakes are identified.

** Note: Only Transmitted ACC's can be amended.

Changing the Input/Output (I/O) and the Unit Type

It is sometimes necessary to reset a User’s password from the Configuration Manager. For example if a User has forgotten their password it will need to be reset from the Configuration Manager by the TraCS Administrator. 

A User may also have the need to change their own password, which they can do under their own User profile when they are logged in to TraCS 10 just like they could in TraCS 7. Note the User will only be able to create a new password if they know their old one, if they do not know the old they will need to contact their TraCS Administrator.

** NOTE - Passwords can only be changed in the station. They cannot be changed in the field units.

Oftentimes, an agency, in the station, will plug in their brand spankin' new USB printer that has a couple of nifty card-readers built in. Sweet stuff, except for the fact that they eat up the E: drive letter formally utilized by your USB thumb-drive! TraCS is not happy. What we need to do is permanently assign a drive letter to the printer's card-reader to leave the E: drive open. Remember, you have to be an Administrator to perform this process.

It will be necessary at times to manually add users into the TraCS 10 User Table, either because a new user starts on the job, or a brand new installation of TraCS is taking place with no existing users or user tables to convert.

It is important that each user performs the endshift process in TraCS 10. Unlike TraCS7 if a user does not endshift, no one else's endshift will include another users forms. Only a Supervisor will be able to transfer non endshifted forms by going out to that car and searching for them. Also it is important that the user refreshes the Manager grid by performing the Search and ensuring that all forms are selected prior to the endshift using the "Select All" button

The Incident Location Tool (ILT) is developed and maintained by the Iowa State University (ISU) Institute for Transportation and licensed for NYS Police agencies to use. ILT is designed to enable officers to designate the location of any incident using a map. The relevant location information (e.g., x and y coordinates, road name, etc.) is then automatically transferred to TraCS and populated onto the TraCS form. Location of incidents can be done manually via the map or assisted by a GPS device. Maps are provided and updated by NYS DOT using ALIS (Accident Location Information System) maps.

The use of the ILT and subsequent recording of coordinates allows the use of the Incident Mapping Tool (IMAT). IMAT is designed to connect with the TraCS agency database to load data and then present captured data using a map based user interface.

The use of the ILT and subsequent recording of coordinates also provides timely and accurate information for NYS DMV to perform Crash Analysis and for NYS DOT.

For agencies using perforated paper with the PJ 6 printer there are certain settings on the printer that are needed to make the UTT print on one page only.

It becomes necessary, at times, to print multiple forms at one once in TraCS, either for reports or records keeping.. By default, TraCS selects all the different versions of a form (for example, in a UTT it selects the Motorists Copy, The DMV Copy and the Supporting Deposition). The problem is, the officer only wants to print the Motorist Copy (or whichever version of the form the officer needs).

Periodically it becomes necessary to replace mobile computing equipment. Here is how to move TraCS from the old unit to the new one.

Sometimes it becomes necessary to resend Forms from a field unit due to a lost thumb drive or other data-movement error. This is done through the Data Transfer - Resend process on the Field Unit.

Sometimes in TraCS it becomes necessary to reset the com port of your scanner within TraCS. Possible causes are if a scanner is unplugged and put in to a different port which changes the com port number of your scanner.

In TraCS10 the resetting of the com port has been simplified by adding a Scanner Reset utility on the desktop. This utility will delete the com port setting within TraCS and allow the auto-detect feature to pick-up the new com port.

NOTE * -This will not re-install the scanner driver if it becomes necessary.

TraCS Transfer can be used to replaces the use of USB drives when a wireless connection to the TraCS server is available. It can perform End Shift functionality in TraCS as well as transferring the Suspended, Stolen, & Revoked file (LPRInfo.zip) and updating User files.

TraCS Transfer needs to be installed and configured by your IT personnel

When installing the TraCS 10 Reporting Tool on workstations that have MS Office 2007 and
higher one may encounter issues when configuring the program. Issues may also be
encountered on 64Bit machines.

The TraCS Crash Coordinate Tool (TraCSCCT) allows the user to input coordinates (with the help of
the Incident Locator Tool (ILT)) for accidents that have already been entered into the database.

Sometimes a UTT or ACC gets inadvertently LOCKED in manager if the form
is selected when a user does a Start-shift.

Sometimes it becomes necessary to update a Court Address within TraCS.
This process requires a full version of the Microsoft Access program.