New AASHTO Report Shows State DOT Social Media Trends

It was only a handful of years ago that the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, my work-day employer, began polling its member state departments of transportation about their growing implementation of social media tools.

 

In 2009, less than half of states used Facebook and then most were tepid in their level of engagement. The dominant tool for state DOTs was Twitter, but it was used almost exclusively for sharing roadway traffic conditions and emergency information.

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Snapchat still not gaining traction with state DOTs

The White House is there. Departments of health have accounts. Even departments of wildlife and interior have created Snapchat accounts. But state DOTs are still not embracing the fast-growing social medium popular with teens and young adults.

Mississippi DOT used this photo prop to help safety fair attendees connect with its Snapchat account.

The exception is Mississippi DOT, which in April partnered with a local Mississippi-based creative firm Godwin Group to engage youth and their parents at a safety fair in Jackson.

According to MDOT’s Rob Pettit, the DOT used custom geofilters to create a unique experience for safety fair attendees.