Organizing for TSMO
Case Study 5: Organization and Staffing - Organizing for TSMO
Executive Summary
Transportation systems management and operations (TSMO) provides tools for transportation managers to address safety, system performance, and reliability. TSMO is "an integrated set of strategies to optimize the performance of existing infrastructure through the implementation of multimodal and intermodal, cross-jurisdictional systems, services, and projects designed to preserve capacity and improve security, safety, and reliability of the transportation system.1" Through participation in the second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2) workshops, transportation agencies are working to better support TSMO programs. Deploying intelligent transportation systems (ITS), hiring internal information technology staff, and using performance measures for data-driven decisions are just a few examples of the many activities a TSMO program can support.
Given the varying stages of TSMO adoption and advancement, the Federal Highway Administration identified the need for case studies to provide examples of common challenges and best practices for transportation agencies to learn from each other. This is one of 12 case studies developed to support organizing for TSMO. This case study focuses on how TSMO organizational structures can be developed to support management and operational strategies and how each agency applied their TSMO structure to improve agency culture.
Four agencies that have restructured their organization to support TSMO initiatives were interviewed: the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT), the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), and the Vermont Department of Transportation (VTrans). Each agency provided information on how they restructured their organization to accommodate TSMO activities, their lessons learned, and the next steps to continually improve these efforts. Some of the best practices identified include:
- UDOT's matrix-style structure to support TSMO initiatives by ensuring communication between layered leadership roles.
- UDOT and NHDOT's approaches to applying a TSMO structure to a specific mobility strategy that supports agency TSMO goals and objectives.
- ADOT and VTrans organizational restructuring to include both existing and new roles that utilize existing staff capabilities and enable agencies to identify additional roles that will support TSMO activities.
- Each agency's use of a benefit-cost analysis as a tool to make the business case for TSMO staff, which facilitates support from agency leadership and funding resources.
