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21st Century Operations Using 21st Century Technologies
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Bridging the Communications Gap in Understanding Road Usage Charges

Chapter 6. Conclusions

This study represents a synthesis of the outreach, education and communication approaches used by the 11 Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives (STSFA) pilot sponsors with different stakeholders (elected officials, transportation policy leaders, the public, interest groups, and the media). It describes which were considered to be the most effective as well as what did not work. All the information in this report was based on lessons learned by pilot sponsors through interviews and their participation in a virtual webinar (see appendix B). Communications and outreach are important elements of any road usage charges (RUC) pilot. Well-planned and executed communications strategies can be the difference between a successful pilot that informs the public and one that confuses them. State pilots identified three criteria they deemed to be critical to launching a successful RUC pilot.

A Detailed Plan

States that invested "up-front" time and resources in designing a communication strategy that fit their pilot were the most successful:

  • States who began with understanding and articulating the goal of the pilot and the goal of the communication activities were then able to identify the message, the messengers, and the audience.
  • Pilots believe that utilizing communications professionals (within or from outside State departments of transportation (DOT)) improved their communication strategy.
  • States who attempted to save money by minimizing proactive communications encountered obstacles. Many of these States discovered that handling problems retroactively was more expensive and less effective.

A Comprehensive Approach

Planning for the communications approach can leverage all the different resources and media that are at the disposal of the pilot sponsors:

  • Many States believed that they were limited by time or budget from adopting a comprehensive approach that focused on audience, message and strategy. These States had to compensate after the fact, which led to higher costs, both financial and time, than States that adopted a comprehensive strategy. Relying on a reactive approach, which may seem the best course at the outset, proved for many to be a false economy. Developing a communications strategy, scaled within the budget, proved to be a beneficial investment of time and money.
  • A stakeholder focus can be effective to work through and, with intermediaries, to leverage agency resources. Care must be taken to avoid the perception that the pilot is being implemented solely on behalf of the insular interests considered "stakeholders."
  • Attempting to reach out directly to the general public has implications for cost and scale as differing elements of the general public will coalesce around different concerns and all will need attention. However, providing basic communications to all audience types can increase a basic understanding of the concept and avoid reactive communications over the long term.
  • With comprehensive communications strategies and plans, sponsors used the full range of media including Web pages, email lists, and both paid and public service advertisements. Further, they created partnerships with others (such as advisory groups or existing consortia) to extend their reach economically and efficiently.
  • Ensuring that both current and future concerns of pilot participants are addressed can reduce costs, both financial and time.

Careful and Consistent Messaging

Addressing the questions that are on people's minds in a straightforward manner can aid communications:

  • Provide context for the pilot and describe what it means to future actions in the short and long run.
  • Acknowledge unknowns that may or may not be covered in the pilots (e.g., impact on non-electric vehicles (EV), freight community support, best long-term security strategy, length of transition, and ability of technology to reduce administration costs), if that is the case.
  • Provide relatable information that will improve the understanding of the implications for equity/fairness.
  • Explain what other pilot States are learning.

Multiple Media

People learn in different ways, and they absorb information from different media. Repetition (when the content is consistent) fosters that absorption:

  • Use multiple media.
  • Make sure the campaign is comprised of consistent message content and coordinated across audiences.
  • Web pages can provide a wealth of information to potential pilot members and the public, particularly if they are kept up to date and provide an opportunity for questions and further contact.
  • Opportunities for one-on-one conversations and materials for specific audiences such as legislators, news media, and the general public were critical for effective communications with political leaders.