Ohio DOT wraps record-busting winter in 50 seconds

Transportation communicators are in the information business. It remains a challenge to think of new ways to creatively sharing critical information. Therefore, a major hat-tip to the Ohio Department of Transportation.

ODOT turned to YouTube to share their annual snow and ice wrap up statistics.

According to the video, ODOT used more than 1 million tons of salt, compiled 1.2 million hours worked, drove 14 million miles and spent $113 million on snow and ice fighting. Somehow reading the list of ODOT’s accomplishments is not quite as powerful as seeing it on video.

Not every state transportation department or transit agency has access to video. But we all have the ability to think beyond the news release.

 

Public Involvement Tool Needs Your Thoughts, Opinion

Transportation communications professionals are constantly challenged with trying to reach the right audiences with the right messages. Public involvement experts take that challenge a step further – trying to develop a dialogue with key communities potentially affected by a project or plan.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation is working on a public engagement toolkit and they are looking for input and comments from practitioners prior to the tool’s public launch, which could come as soon as May. 

Shifting Audiences, Dead Newspapers Change Transportation Engagement

An interesting study recently published in the journal Political Communication studies the level of civic engagement following the closure of daily newspapers in Seattle and Denver.   The paper, Dead Newspapers and Citizens Civic Engagement, by Lee Shaker asserts that civic engagement in Seattle and Denver dropped from 2008 to 2009 after the Seattle PI and Rocky Mountain News closed their doors.

It is an interesting research effort that uses data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) conducted by the United States Census Bureau to analyze year over year participation in activities such as visiting a politician or attending a community organization meeting, such as a PTA or neighborhood watch group.

Talking Time: US Times Zones and Other Oddball DOT Stories

Departments of transportation have all kinds of responsibilities that go far beyond filling potholes and making sure the traffic signals are synchronized. During my time at the Washington State Department of Transportation, I was constantly amazed at the variety of projects and programs that were carried out by the dedicated agency staff and consultants.

Pew Internet Offers a Peak into Internet’s Future

To remain most effective in communications, it is a good idea to pay attention to what’s happening on the Internet. After all, the societal embrace of the Internet with all of its information sharing and communications power has had a profound influence on society and the ways in which we see the world.

I often cite the Pew Internet and American Life Project for its ongoing tracking of trends related to the Internet and the ways in which we interact on the Internet. Pew Internet is marking the 25th anniversary of the Internet with a series of reports. The first report, published last month, was an overall look at the development of the Internet and its rapid adoption by society. It’s very interesting material and worth digging into.

Talking Transportation: Filling the pothole story

It’s the best time of year if you love baseball, but the worst time of year if you own or drive a car. Yes, major league baseball players are enjoying sunshine and spring weather as they prepare for a new season. The rest of us are struggling through a different change of seasons – from winter to pothole season – that leaves roadways bumpy, and in some cases dangerous.

State transportation departments have used a variety of tools to engage the public on the topic of potholes. Some have been fun, others serious. In Washington, DC and other states the annual spring push asks the public to help officials locate potholes.

Missouri DOT Goes Mobile to Reach Employees

MoDOT NOW is an employee focused app created by the Missouri Department of Transportation.

It is a common trend among communication offices around the transportation world. We spend hours working with project and program managers identifying target audiences and the key messages that we hope will change behavior, garner support for a controversial idea, or perhaps increase participation in a public process.

But as we look outward toward “the public,” or “elected officials,” we neglect a tremendously important audience — our fellow transportation employees. Yes, do not be surprised if the people with whom you work are among the least knowledgeable about your agencies core messages and organizational priorities.