Improving Transportation Systems Management and Operations – Capability Maturity Model Workshop White Paper – Culture

8. References

AASHTO TSM&O Guidance: Culture Dimension. AASHTO’s web-based TSM&O Guidance follows the six dimensions of TSM&O capability described in this white paper, including Culture. It is designed for transportation agency managers whose span of control relates to the operations and management of the roadway system, including policy makers and program managers for ITS and TSM&O at both the State and regional levels. It incorporates insights from a review of the state of the practice in TSM&O among transportation agencies into a well-accepted change management framework that identifies doable steps toward mainstreaming TSM&O on a continuously improving basis. Specific guidance for culture is cited here for advancing an agency currently at Level 1 to Level 2 within the CMM framework. Other level changes within the framework can be found on the AASHTO TSM&O Guidance web site.

Business Case Primer: Communicating the Value of Transportation Systems Management and Operations, SHRP 2 L17. This guide focuses on communicating the value of TSM&O to a full range of stakeholders. It provides the “who, what, when, and how” to communicate the business case for TSM&O. It is intended to help practitioners communicate messages about the value and benefits of TSM&O so that important decision makers and peers will actively support TSM&O implementation and integration within their agencies. Basic steps addressed include the following:

• Identify target audiences and reasons to implement TSM&O that resonate with each
• Learn about opportunities for communication, both informal and formal
• Prepare to deliver the message whenever the opportunity is available.

In addition, specific messages are included, organized by audience type (decision makers, implementers, travelers) and problem/issue with summaries of communication messages, facts, and sound bites by audience and sub-audiences.

FHWA Benefit/Cost Resources. FHWA offers a number of resources that help estimate the benefits and costs of TSM&O strategies, an important capability to help make the case for supporting their application.

• Operations Benefit/Cost Analysis Desk Reference. This Desk Reference provides practitioners with guidance on how to effectively and reliably estimate the benefits and costs of operations strategies. It includes background information on benefit/cost analysis including basic terminology and concepts. It is intended to support the needs of practitioners just getting started with B/C analysis and unfamiliar with the general process. It also describes some of the more complex analytical concepts and latest research in order to support more advanced analysts. This Desk Reference is supported by an Operations B/C decision support spreadsheet tool, called the Tool for Operations Benefit/Cost (TOPS-BC).
• Transportation Systems Management and Operations Benefit Cost Analysis Compendium. (Posting to FHWA Office of Operations web site is forthcoming.) This TSM&O Compendium is a collection of cases from across the country where benefit/cost analyses (BCAs) have been applied to one or more TSM&O technologies/strategies.
• The Road Weather Management (RWM) Benefit Cost Analysis Compendium. This Compendium is similar to the one above and provides information about BCAs conducted around the country for specific RWM technologies or operational strategies. The actual project evaluations involve the use of custom spreadsheets developed by the agency or its contractors, or the application of available software tools to the BCA. The Compendium also includes hypothetical cases designed to demonstrate how BCA can be used for a specific RWM technology or operational strategy. The Operations Benefit/Cost Analysis Desk Reference (see above) should be used in conjunction with the RWM Compendium.

ITS Joint Program Office Knowledge Resources. This database provides standardized summaries by application area providing costs and benefits information that can be used in the development of business plans and outreach.

Making the Case for Funding Using Performance Management: The Washington State DOT Experience. This paper discusses issues associated with communicating the business case for TSM&O to gain public confidence. The paper demonstrates how support for the program can be achieved using performance management and measurement and effective, ethical communication.

An Overview for Improving Traffic Operations within North Carolina, NCDOT. This is a rare example of a business plan-like document that defines and describes the value of TSM&O; relates it to agency goals; and identifies stakeholders, current capabilities, and strategies to overcome program weaknesses, including those related to staffing, performance reporting, and outsourcing.

SHRP  L31 Outreach Materials. SHRP  has developed outreach materials tailored for State DOT and MPO leadership that can help gain support for TSM&O efforts. These materials include an adaptable PowerPoint presentation and an accompanying presentation guide focused on educating chief executive officers (CEOs) and senior managers of State DOTs about the value of mainstreaming TSM&O as a core mission, business practice, and investment priority. A similar presentation and accompanying presentation guide are tailored for CEOs and senior managers of MPOs and to the MPO’s board members about the value of mainstreaming TSM&O as a core component and investment priority in the regional transportation planning process.

State DOT PowerPoint presentation

State DOT presentation guide

State DOT PowerPoint presentation

State DOT presentation guide

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