Organizing for TSMO
Case Study 6: Collaboration - Partnering for Traffic Incident Management
Chapter 3 - Summary
Multi-discipline and multi-agency collaboration are key components for a successful traffic incident management (TIM) program. Traffic incidents greatly impact the reliability and safety of the transportation network. Frequent and formal collaboration between first responders, emergency services, traffic operators, law enforcement, and others can mitigate common challenges that arise from unplanned events on transportation facilities. The best practices identified to support collaborative incident management activities include:
- Establishing a multi-agency or multi-state TIM working group, coalition, or task force to discuss regional challenges and objectives related to incident management promotes collaboration. These groups can share best practices and ideas to improve incident response in their region.
- Training for incidents is beneficial to ensure multiple agencies can work together efficiently to improve incident clearance time and safety. Development of training facilities and response procedures promotes multi-agency collaboration by providing consistency and order to incident preparation, response, and clearance.
- Technology can be utilized to support incident management initiatives. Identifying software for multi-agency use enables incident alerts and commands to be clearly communicated to all TIM participants and to the public.
TIM programs are generally outward-facing programs through which successes and failures are easily seen by the traveling public. Providing improved reliability, safety, and consistency to the end users of transportation networks is a key objective in any TIM program. The best practices for collaborating within a TIM program highlighted in this case study can be adapted into other agencies' processes to mature their own incident management programs.
