"Re"-Organizing for Transportation Systems Management and Operations

The FHWA Resource Center, along with the Arizona, Colorado, New Hampshire, Tennessee,  and Vermont Division Offices would like to invite you to the “Re”-Organizing for Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSM&O) web-conference. 

There is a cultural shift occurring in transportation and it will likely affect all disciplines within the industry.  Once upon a time when Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSM&O) was discussed, the focus centered primarily on technology.  Approximately twenty to twenty-five years ago society was not as tech-savvy or accepting of the changes brought on by emerging technologies as it is today.  With this said, we are at the height of the information technology age and it is not only embraced by society – it is actually vastly sought after. 

Technology is a huge part of the transportation industry and TSM&O seamlessly connects across modes and systems (i.e. freeway networks, arterials, transit, freight, etc.).  This cultural shift in the transportation industry focuses on better systems performance, which prospectively translates into better customer service for the traveling public.

Aside from the technical architectures, TSM&O requires institutional architectures/arrangements commonly found with legacy programs such as safety, construction, and maintenance.   This encompasses development of an appropriate TSM&O-related organizational structure within and between State DOT headquarters and districts.  It also involves the continued identification, development, and maintenance of essential staff capabilities for both agency personnel and contractors.

It is enthusiastically believed by many within the transportation industry that TSM&O should be established as a program with a separate and more visible identity.   A handful of State DOTs have recently re-organized to better emphasize TSM&O and improve systems performance as a whole for their transportation networks.  Along with the emphasis of TSM&O, there is a focus on the development of the professional capacity of the agency’s workforce to support and sustain their TSM&O program.

FHWA has partnered with the a few State DOTs to conduct a virtual executive panel to discuss the business case presented by the TSM&O champions that ultimately gained buy-in from executive/sr. leadership for the re-organization of their agency to advance TSM&O.  All disciplines are invited to participate in this web-conference...Registration is required.    Please forward to your counterparts at the State DOTs and local transportation agencies.                                                                                                             

REGISTRATION

·       FHWA Participants please register at the link shown on this page.

·       External Participants - (those without a @dot.gov email address) will need to request an account before being able to register. Here is the link to request an account:  https://collaboration.fhwa.dot.gov/FBA/Register.aspx .  The account issuance takes approximately one business day. Once you receive your account information, you can access the site by clicking on the registration link and logging in.

o   Step-by step instructions on how to request an account can be found here: https://connectdot.connectsolutions.com/espnon-dotstaff/