TxDOT’s 2021-20215 Strategic Plan
The Texas Transportation Commission adopted the Texas Department of Transportation’s 2021-2025 Strategic Plan on May 28, 2020. This plan will be a major reference that will guide the department’s decision-making processes over the next five years. It outlines the agency’s values, vision, mission, budget arrangement, goals, and a comprehensive action plan.
The TxDOT 2021-2025 SP lists the following goals:
- Promote Safety
- Deliver the Right Projects
- Focus on the Customer
- Foster Stewardship
- Optimize System Performance
- Preserve Our Assets
- Value Our Employees
Things of note mentioned in the plan include the Historically Underutilized Business Plan, a draft of the Statewide Capital Plan, the Workforce Development Plan, a list of identified issues regarding obstacles and redundancies as well as the summary of surveys conducted over the past year. The surveys of note are those concerning Employee Engagement as well as the Report on Customer Service.
Report on Customer Service Survey Results
The Report on Customer Service is a survey conducted as part of the strategic planning process. The Institute for Organizational Excellence was contracted to conduct a customer service survey on behalf of the Texas Department of Transportation.
The survey was conducted from March 10 to 24, 2020. Out of approximately 46,800 customers in the total population, 2014 completed surveys were received for a total response rate of 10.6%. Of these respondents, 62.4% consider their overall experiences with the state highway as excellent or good. Overall, the Texas Department of Transportation was given a satisfaction score of 64.4%. This data will be used to determine how the TxDOT can better manage public relations.
Unified Transportation Plan Annual Update
Meanwhile, The Texas Department of Transportation presented their 2022 Unified Transportation Plan (UTP) at the June 30, 2021 Commission Meeting. The UTP is a 10-year plan which serves as a guideline for transportation work developments across Texas. It provides the framework on how funding for construction will be available for distribution over the next 10 years. It is updated annually and requires approval from the Texas Transportation Community prior to its publication. The framework provided by the UTP allows the TxDOT to work with the necessary point persons on high-priority transportation projects.
Developments in Emergency Operations
Both transportation plans have greatly influenced the recent developments in the Texas Department of Transportation’s Emergency Operations. These developments have helped maintain readiness for responding to all sorts of hazards, focusing primarily on imminent large-scale threats.
The TxDOT has doubled up on its efforts to serve its mandate of providing safe transportation options in emergency and disaster situations. This includes public assistance during evacuations or getting citizens home safely as well as debris removal and facility repairs. These developments have also allowed the TxDOT to provide courtesy patrols as well as essential needs (such as fuel and water) to keep traffic moving during evacuations.
Technological advancements and procurements have also allowed the TxDOT to better inform the public of emergency situations. These include information dissemination through broadcast media, dynamic signage as well as updates through social media. Incident updates such as weather conditions, road closures, or even accidents can now be sent out much faster.