Talking Transportation, Innovation

The Transportation Research Board meeting held annually in Washington DC is among the largest gatherings of transportation geeks in the world. The January meeting typically tops 11,000 attendees with sessions and workshops beginning early in the morning and running well into the evening. The printed agenda is massive and looks and weighs like a major city phone book. The TRB annual meeting is indeed a big deal.

New Research Reveals Messages that Move Public to Support Transportation Investments

Key themes and messages identified in the new report, “Mobile Messages: Moving People to Support Transportation.”

A new research report published this week by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program offers some insight into how the general public views transportation, and suggests some ways to discuss investments that could generate greater support.

But there are not any “silver bullet” messages that work in every situation.

“Mobile Messages: Moving People to Support Transportation,” analyzes the results of more than two dozen case studies; a survey of transportation agency officials; eight focus groups; and, two dial testing sessions.

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. 

Transportation’s Best of 2013: Communicating with the Public

The Transportation Research Board held its annual meeting earlier this month in Washington DC. More than 11,000 people descended on the three hotels that host the series of discussions, workshops, poster sessions and committee meetings. In the broader transportation world, TRB’s annual meeting is the ultimate place to catch up with industry leaders and hear the latest in research trends and successful tactics.

For the transportation communicator, TRB’s annual meeting includes many important sessions, and one that I always enjoy is the 90 minutes dedicated to the winners of the “Communicating Concepts with John and Jane Q. Public” competition. The TRB Planning and Environment Group each year asks transportation organizations to nominate their best work at communicating a particular aspect of transportation to the public.

Incorporating New Media into the Environmental Review Process: A State DOT Overview

Photo courtesy Washington State Department of Transportation/Washington State Ferries

Incorporating New Media into the Environmental Review Process: A State DOT Overview

Last month the Transportation Research Board’s annual meeting brought more than 11,000 people to Washington DC to share research and best practices in all facets of transportation. I was fortunate and honored to have a few minutes to talk about how state departments of transportation are using social media in the public involvement process.

Gamification as a Communication Tool Part of Innovative Public Outreach Campaigns

The Transportation Research Board’s annual meeting is one of the most interesting gathering of transportation experts. Each year more than 11,000 people who work in, around and on transportation programs visit Washington DC for a nearly week-long exploration of all things transportation.

Of course, my interest points toward communications and this year specifically I enjoyed hearing from the winners of TRB’s sixth annual “Communicating with John and Jane Q Public” contest sponsored by the planning and environmental group. This year’s competition focused on efforts to engage the public in discussions about transportation finance and related policies.

Talking preservation? New report offers clues on how to improve outreach programs

Photo courtesy Washington State Department of Transportation

A new report from the Transportation Research Board‘s National Cooperative Research Program finds that, “Bringing about a change in attitudes toward highway maintenance and preservation actions will require thoughtful and ongoing communications campaigns by DOTs.”

“Communicating the Value of Preservation: A Playbook” is a well-written primer that state DOTs can use to develop outreach campaigns around the concept of preserving infrastructure.