GOOD AFTERNOON, OR GOOD MORNING. WELCOME TO THE FIRST TALKING OPERATIONS WEB CONFIDENCE, THE IMPACT ON STATES MUNICIPALITIES AND REGIONAL AGENCIES. MY NAME IS JOCELYN BOWER AND I WILL BE GIVING A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE WEB CONFERENCING ENVIRONMENT BEFORE TURNING THIS OVER TO JERRY WARNER WHO WE ARE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE AS OUR MODERATOR FOR THE TALKING OPERATIONS SEMINARS. PLEASE STAND BY AS TODAY'S SEMINAR IS BEING RECORDED. I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER A FEW LOGISTICAL DETAILS. TODAY'S SEMINAR WILL LAST APPROXIMATELY 90 MINS WITH 70 MINUTES ALLOCATED TO THE SPEAKERS AND THE FINAL 10 MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS. THE OPERATOR WILL GIVE YOU INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO ASK QUESTIONS. HOWEVER, IF DURING THE PRESENTATIONS YOU THINK OF A QUESTION, YOU CAN TYPE IT INTO THE SMALLER TEXT BOX UNDERNEATH THE CHAT AREA ON THE LOWER RIGHT SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN. INDICATE WHO YOUR QUESTION IS DIRECTED TOWARDS, UNLESS YOUR QUESTION IS INTENDED FOR ALL SPEAKERS. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE TYPING IN THE THIN TEXT BOX AND NOT THE LARGE WHITE AREA. PLEASE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT YOU SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO ALL PARTICIPANTS RATHER THAN JUST THE HOST OR THE SPEAKER. JERRY WILL USE SOME OF THEIR QUESTIONS TYPED INTO THE CHAT BOMB TO START OFF THE CONSEQUENCE SESSION, AND IN THE LAST 20 MINUTES OF THE SEMINAR. IF AT ANY TIME WOULD YOU LIKE TO ZOOM IN ON THE SLIDE THAT IS SHOWING ON YOUR SCREEN, YOU CAN CLICK ON THE ZOOM ICON AT THE TOP OF YOUR SCREEN T. LOOKS LIKE A MAGNIFYING GLASS WITH A PLUS SIGN IN IT. FINALLY I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT THIS SESSION IS BEING RECORDED. A FINAL CONTAINING AN AUDIO AND VIDEO PORTION WILL BE POSTED TO THE TALKING OPERATIONS WEB SITE WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK. TO ACCESS THE RECORDED SEMINAR, PLEASE VISIT TALKINGOPERATIONS.WEBEX.COM AND CLICK ON THE REPORTED EVENTS LINK ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PAGE AND THEN USE THE SESSION WOULD YOU LIKE TO VIEW. DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE FILE, THE RECORDED FILES ARE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING/LISTENING PURPOSES ONLY AND CANNOT BE IS SAFED TO YOUR OWN COMPUTER. WE ENCOURAGE TO YOU DIRECT OTHERS IN YOUR OFFICE WHO MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ATTEND THIS CONFERENCE TO ACCESS THE RECORDING. THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS USED DURING THE RECORDING WILL BE AVAILABLE SHORTLY. ATTENDEES WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE VIBLT OF THE POWERPOINTS, THE RECORDINGS AND THE TRANSCRIPT OF THIS SEMINAR. BEFORE TURNING THIS PRESENTATION OVER TO JERRY WARNER, I WOULD LIKE TO READ TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT JERRY. JERRY WARNER, THE MODERATOR OF IN TALK TALKS WEBCAST ALSO SERVES AS EDITOR OF THE I.C.D.N. IN TALK NEWS LETTER AND IN INTOX TALK WEB SITE. HE SERVED AS THE EDITORIAL DEVELOPER OF THE PREDECESSOR WEB SITE, THE I.T.F., COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT OR I.C.D.S.. HE CHRONICLED KEY STRA STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENTS AND TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS AILEEN, A. AND INTERVIEWS NUMEROUS I.T.S. AND M & O. LEADERS VISIONARIES POLICY MAKERS AS WELL AS PRACTITIONERS. PRYOR TO STARTING WITH I.C.D.S. HE FOUNDED AND SERVED AS EDITORIAL DIRECTOR FOR THE POPULAR I.T.F. ONLINE WEB SITE. EARLY TO MID1990s, MR. WARNER AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER WITH EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH TECHNOLOGY, AND CORTIA CONSULTED IN THE I.T.S. FEELT FOR SUCH ORGANIZATIONS AS I.T.S. AMERICA AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA'S I.T.S. INSTITUTE. NOW I WILL TURN THINGS OVER TO JERRY WARNER WHO WILL INTRODUCE YOUR FIRST SPEAKER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JOCELYN AND LET'S GET RIGHT TO THE PRESENTATIONS. AGAIN THE TITLE OF OUR WEBCAST IS TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS, THE IMPACT ON STATES, MUNICIPALITIES AND REGIONAL AGENCIES. AND WE HAVE FOUR EXCELLENT PRESENTERS WHO COME FROM DIFFERENT BUT COMPLIMENTARY PERSPECTIVES. OUR FIRST PRESENTER IS MR. JACQUES PARIZEAU, AND HIS TALK IS ENTITLED -- MR. JEFF PANIATI. HE'S ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE FEDERAL HIGH WEA ADMINISTRATION AND ACTING DIRECTOR OF THE JOINT PROGRAM OFFICE MORE CALLED I.T.S.J.P.O.. JEFF HAS RESPONSIBILITY WITHIN FHWA FOR ENTELL GENT TRANSPORTATION DEPLOYMENT, FREIGHT OPERATIONS, OPERATION SECURITY, WORK ZONE OPERATIONS AND THE MAN ON UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES. PRIOR TO ASSUMING HIS PRESENT ROLE IN OCTOBER OF 2002, JEFF SPENT TWO YEARS AS A PROGRAM MANAGER FOR INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS IN THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND BEFORE THAT, THREE YEARS AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE I.T.S.J.P.O. BEFORE COMING TO THE ITSJPO HE HELD THE POSITION OF CHIEF DESIGN, IN OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. ALL TOGETHER, JEFF HAS 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE WITH THE ARE A FEDERAL HIGHWAY AMADISON SQUARE GARDENS, PRIMARILY IN THE AREAS OF SAFETY, TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS, AND I.T.S. HE HAS A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT AND MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN CIVIL ENGINEER FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND. HE HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS PROFESSIONAL WORDS INCLUDING U.S. D.O.T. AWARD FOR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT AND THE SECRETARY FOR GOLD MEDAL AWARD IN 2000 AND THE PRESIDENTIAL RANK APART OF MERITORIOUS EXECUTIVE. JEFF, YOU CAN BEGIN WHEN YOU ARE READY. THANKS VERY MUCH, JERRY AND I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME ALL THE PARTICIPANTS TO THE INAUGURAL TALKING OPERATIONS WEBCAST. WHAT I WILL TRY TO DO IN MY PRESENTATION TODAY IS TO SET THE STAGE FOR THE REMAINDER OF TODAY'S PRESENTATIONS AND REALLY SET THE STAGE FOR THE WHOLE TALKING OPERATIONS SERIES, BY INTRODUCING THE CONCEPT OF THE 21st CENTURY TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS CULTURE, AND HOW FHWA AND THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS COALITION ARE WORKING TO ADVANCE THAT IDEA AND CONCEPT. BEFORE I GOT INTO KIND OF THE BACKGROUND AND THE CULTURE AND THE APPROACH WE'RE TAKING I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WORTH TAKING A MINUTE OR TWO TO INTRODUCE THE TALKING OPERATIONS SEMINARS. AS HAS BEEN SAID AT THE START THESE ARE SPONSORED BY BOTH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS COALITION, WHICH I WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT LATER IN MY PRESENTATION AND BY THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION AND REALLY THEY REFLECT A NEED TO RESPOND TO THE PROVISION OF JUST IN TIME INFORMATION TO LOTS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN A VARIETY OF LOCATIONS AT LOW COSTS. AND IT REALLY SEEMS TO MAKE SENSE TO USE THE WEBCAST APPROACH TO DO THAT. WHILE TODAY WE'LL FOCUS ON A RELATIVELY BROAD DISCUSSION ON OPERATIONS WE EXPECT WE'LL FOCUS ON MORE SPECIFIC ISSUES OR OPPORTUNITIES THAT REALLY LOOK AT PRACTICE AT THE STATE, LOCAL OR REGIONAL LEVEL AND LOOK AT ISSUES SUCH AS INCIDENT MANAGEMENT OR PERFORMANCE MEASURES OR OPERATIONS IN WORK ZONES. SO YOU WILL BE SEEING A SEMINAR A MONTH UNDER THE TALKING OPERATIONS SERIES AND WE CERTAINLY ARE LOOKING FOR YOUR IDEAS IDEAS ON TOPICS FOR FUTURE SESSIONS, IDEAS ON SPEAKERS, AND FEEDBACK BOTH ON THE QUALITY OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED TO YOU, AND HOW WE CAN MAKE THIS INFORMATION MORE USEFUL. I WILL GIVE YOU SOME ADDRESSES AT THE END, ON HOW YOU CAN PROVIDE THAT FEEDBACK. I ALSO WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK JERRY WARNER FOR SEVENING AS THE MODERATOR AND SPECIFICALLY FOR GLORIA, JEFF AND RANDY FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF THEIR BUSY SCHEDULES TO PARTICIPATE AND BE SPEAKERED ON TODAY'S SEMINAR. NOW, LET ME START AND TURN TO THE OPERATIONS STORY. AND IT'S A FAIRLY SIMPLE STORY THAT REALLY IS LOOKING -- IT STARTS BY LOOKING AT THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE AS THE TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY. IF HE WE START BY LOOKING AT ISSUES IN THE URBAN AREA. WE CLEARLY HAVE A GROWING URBAN CONGENTION PROBLEM. IF YOU LOOK AT THE LATEST INFORMATION FROM THE T.T.I. STUDY YOU SEE THIS IS NOT ONLY CONFINED TO OUR LARGEST METROPOLITAN AREAS, BUT WE'RE SEEING SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN OUR MEDIUM AND SMALLER METROPOLITAN AREAS AS WELL. AND THE IMPACTS OF THIS GROWTH NOT ONLY ARE ON THE DELAYS BUT REALLY, AN IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE METROPOLITAN AREAS, AND THEIR LONG-TERM ECONOMIC VITALITY. BUT OPERATIONS AND OPERATIONS ISSUES ARE NOT CONFINED TO METROPOLITAN AREAS ALONE. IF WE LOOK AND TAKE A MORE RURAL PERSPECTIVE ON IT, SAFETY BECOMES A DOMINANT PART OF THE DISCUSSION. RURAL CRASHES ARE A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM. THEY CONTRIBUTE TO A LARGE PORTION OF THE 40,000 FATALITIES THAT OCCUR ACROSS THE SYSTEM EVERY YEAR. OF THE 3 MILLION INJURIES AND THE 230 BILLION DOLLARS OF ECONOMIC LOSS THAT WE SUFFER. WE ALSO SEE THAT THESE CRASHES CAN AFFECT THE MOVEMENT OF TRAFFIC AS WELL. THEY RESULT IN UNEXPECTED DELAYS THAT CAN HAVE LARGE IMPACT, AND OFTEN THESE DELAYS ARE AS A RESULT OF WEATHER SITUATIONS ARE THEY CAN BE PLANNED EVENTS SUCH AS WORK ZONES. FINALLY WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE MOVEMENT OF DPS. WITH WE LOOK AT FREIGHT MOVEMENT, PARTICULARLY AT OUR PORTS AND BORDERS, WE CAN SEE SIGNIFICANT DELAYS THAT ARE REDUCING THE GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS OF OUR NATION. AND SO THESE ARE REALLY CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE ACROSS THE TRANSPORTATION ARENA AND ONES IN WHICH OPERATIONS, I THINK, CAN PLAY A KEY ROLE. IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES THAT FACE US, THAT WE MUST TAKE A MULTI FACETED APPROACH TO THEIR SOLUTION. AND THAT APPROACH CERTAINLY MUST INCLUDE BUILDING, ADDING CAPACITY, WHETHER IT BE TO THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM, OR TO THE TRANSIT SYSTEM AND CERTAIN AREAS IS PART OF THE SOLUTION SET. AND OBVIOUSLY WE MUST MAINTAIN WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE INVESTED AND BUILT AND KEEP IT OPERATING. BUT ALSO CLEARLY OPERATIONS, THE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS OF THE SYSTEM HAS TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION. IT IS NOT THE ENTIRE SOLUTION, BUT IT MUST BE PART OF THE SOLUTION SET IF WE ARE TRUINGLY GOING TO OPERATE A TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT'S SAFE, RELIABLE AND SECURE. AND I THINK THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE IS CREATING A TRANSPORTATION CULTURE THAT, IN FACT, VALUES A COMMON SENSE APPROACH OF GETTING AS MUCH OUT OF THE EXISTING SYSTEM AS POSSIBLE. OUR TRANSPORTATION CULTURE IS VERY MUCH ROOTED IN A BUILD PEN TALLITY. SORT OF THE SEVERAL ENGINEERING MENTALITY THAT MOST OF US GREW UP WITH AND I THINK THAT'S A CHALLENGE THAT FACES US IN TRYING TOE A VANCE TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS. WITH VERY TO CREATE A CULTURE THAT EQUALLY VALUES OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE SYSTEM. BUT I ALSO THINK WE NEED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM IN A 21st CENTURY CONCEPT. THE EASIEST WAY TO REFLECT THAT IS THE LIST OF OUT AND IN CHARACTERISTICS THAT ARE SHOWN ON YOUR SCREEN NOW. IF WE LOOK AT 21st CENTURY OPERATIONS WE ARE REALLY TALKING ABOUT MONTHING FROM AN APPROACH THAT'S REACTIVE, ONE THAT'S WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN, TO ONE THAT'S PREACTIVE IN ANTICIPATING PROBLEMS AND SITUATIONS ON THE SYSTEM AND ARE PREPARED TO REACT TO THOSE SITUATIONS. IT MEANS MOVING FROM A CULTURED AND ENVIRONMENT THAT'S FOCUSED ON PROJECTS, BUILDING STUFF TO ONE THAT'S FOCUSED ON THE CUSTOMER, AND MEETING THE CUSTOMER'S NEEDS FOR TRANSPORTATION IN THE SYSTEM. IT MEANS MOVING AWAY FROM SOLELY A JURISDICTION FOCUS PERSPECTIVE TO ONE THAT LOOKS AT A SYSTEM PERSPECTIVE, THE SAME WAY THAT THE TRAVELER LOOKS AT IT. THEY WANT TO MOVE ACROSS THE SYSTEM WITHOUT RESPECT TO WHO OWNS THE VARIOUS PIECES OF THE SYSTEM. WE NEED TO MOVE FROM THE MENTALITY THAT'S FOCUSED ON 8 TO 5 ENVIRONMENT, TO ONE OF A SYSTEM THAT OPERATES 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR. WE IMMEDIATE TO THINK IN TERMS OF PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND THE PERFORMANCE OF SYSTEM NOT JUST WHAT WE CREATE ON THE SYSTEM, NOT JUST THE BRIDGES WE ADD, OR THE LANE MILES WE ADD TO THE SYSTEM BUT HOW DOES THAT SYSTEM PERFORM? AND TO DO ALL OF THIS, WE MUST RELY INCREASINGLY ON REALTIME INFORMATION AND USE REALTIME INFORMATION TO INFORM OUR CUSTOMERS AND TO INFORM THE DECISIONS WE MAKE IN OPERATING THE SYSTEM. FROM A FEDERAL HIGHWAY PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE VERY MUCH TRYING TO EMBRACE AND SUPPORT THIS 21st CENTURY MIND SETH THROUGH THE ACT TIFTS THAT WE CARRY OUT. WITH HE HAVE IDENTIFIED SEVEN STRATEGIES THAT WE ARE PURSUING IN THE OPERATIONS AREA AND YOU WILL SEE THOSE STRATEGIES RANGE FROM A FOCUS ON REDUCING CONGESTION, BOTH NON-RECURRING CONGESTION FOR THINGS LIKE INCIDENTS AND WEATHER DELAYS AND WORK ZONES AND SYSTEMIC RECURRING CONGESTION AS WELL. BUT WE GO BEYOND CONGESTION ISSUE. WE ARE LOOKING AT IMPROVING DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS THROUGH ALL THE LITTLE THINGS THAT WE DO TO OPERATE THE SYSTEM MORE EFFICIENTLY, MORE EFFECTIVELY. WE ARE INCLUDING EMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS, WHICH INVOLVES RESPONDING TO INCIDENTS, WHETHER THEY BE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INCIDENT, A MAJOR WEATHER EVENT, SUCH AS THE HURRICANES WE HAVE EXPERIENCED IN FLORIDA, OR A SECURITY EVENT. IN ANY OF THOSE SITUATIONS WE NEED TO KEEP THE SYSTEM OPERATING AND BE ABLE TO MOVE PEOPLE AND GOODS ACROSS THAT SYSTEM. FREIGHT IS AN INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE TRANSPORTATION AGENDA, AND WE NEED TO ENHANCE FREIGHT OPERATIONS IF WE ARE TO MAINTAIN OUR ECONOMIC VITALITY. WHILE THESE FIRST FIVE WILL FOCUS A LOT ON ISSUES RELATED TO TECHNOLOGY, AND TECHNICAL ACT FIFTHS WE MUST REMEMBER THAT THE INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT. AND SO WE HAVE A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON BUILDING REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS, COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION. THIS COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION IS ESSENTIALLY IF WE ARE GOING TO GET TO THE SYSTEM MIND SETH THAT IED ABOUT EARLIER. AND FINALLY WE MUST REMEMBER THAT I.T.S. THE ENABLER FOR DOING MANY OF THESE THINGS. IT IS THE TOOL BY WHICH WE CAN IMPROVE SAFETY, BY WHICH WE CAN REDUCE ROADWAY CONGESTION AND TRANSPORTATION CONGESTION AND BY WHICH WE CAN IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY. SO WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE DEPLOYMENT OF I.T.S. ACROSS THE SYSTEM. ANOTHER PIECE OF SUPPORT FOR THIS CULTURAL CHANGE AND THIS ENVIRONMENT WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE, WE BELIEVE, WILL COME FROM REAUTHORIZATION WHENEVER IT HAPPENS. IN SAFETY THE ADMINISTRATION PROPOSED A NUMBER OF OPERATIONS PROVISIONS WHOSE REAL PURPOSE WAS TO ELEVATE AND STRENGTHEN THE FOCUS ON MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS. THEY INCLUDED A LEGISLATIVE ESTABLISHMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS, PROMOTING OF REGIONAL OPERATIONS COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION, ESTABLISHMENT OF REALTIME SYSTEM MANAGEMENT INFORMATION PROGRAMS, FOCUSING OF RESOURCES ON IMPROVING SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AND FOCUSING ON SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AS N END GOAL, CREATING AN INSTITUTIONAL FOCUS THAT EMBRACES AND INCLUDES STRAIGHT MANAGEMENT AND CONTINUING TO ADVANCE RESOURCES FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, NOT ONLY IN THE I.T.S. AREA, BUST ALSO IN THE OPERATIONS AREA. VIRTUALLY ALL OF THESE PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN HOUSE AND SENATE BILLS AND SO I'M CONFIDENT WHENEVER REAUTHORIZATION HAPPENS, IT WILL, IN FACT, THE BOOST THE ATTENTION OF SYSTEM OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT AND GIVE US THE ADDITIONAL ABILITY TO MOVE THIS AGENDA AND CULTURAL CHANGE FORWARD. A THIRD KEY COMPONENT IN ADDITION TO THE ACTIVITIES THAT FHWA IS IS CARRYING OUT AND THE REAUTHORIZATION IS THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS COALITION OR N.T.O.C. IT REPRESENTS BOTH THE TRANSPORTATION PROFESSIONALS BUT ALSO NON-TRADITIONAL STAKEHOLDERS SUCH AS ELECTED AND APPOINTED STAKEHOLDERS IS CRITICAL TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF OPERATIONS. IT INVOLVING THE WIDE VARIETY OF FOLKS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN DECISION MAKING AT THE STATE, LOCAL AND REGIONAL LEVELS. THIS GROUP WHICH HAS BEEN TOGETHER LOOSELY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS BUT REALLY SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE LAST YEAR HAS BEGUN TO MEET ON A BIANNUAL BASISTO IDENTIFY STRATEGIES AND RESOURCES THAT CAN HELP TO ADVANCE TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS. THEY HAVE ORGANIZED THEMSELVES INTO FIVE SPECIFIC ACTION TEAMS WHICH ARE MEETING MONTHLY TO WORK ON ACTIVITIES THAT ARE TIED TO CURRENT ISSUES. AND I THINK IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS WORKING TOGETHER AND WORKING WITH FHWA PROVIDE A STRONG VOICE FOR MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS, AND THAT THEY HELP TO FOSTER THE KINDS OF DISCUSSIONS AND LEARNING NECESSARY TO CREATE THE CULTURAL SHIFT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. IN ADDITION TO THIS TALKING OPERATIONS SEMINAR, THERE ARE A NUMBER OTHER INITIATIVES UNDERWAY. THE NTOC IS WORKING ON A TRAFFIC SIGNAL SELF-ASSESSMENT AND NATIONAL REPORT CARD TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE IMPORTANT ROLL THAT TRAFFIC SIGNAL TIMING AND THE GOOD OPERATIONS OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS PLAY IN KEEPING THE SYSTEM OPERATING SMOOTHLY AND EFFECTIVELY. THEY ARE DISCUSSING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PHI GOOD PERFORMANCE MEASURES, TO REALLY SET OUT THOSE BENCHMARKS THAT WE CAN TEST OURSELF STHZ AND EVALUATE OURSELVES IN THE TRANSPORTATIONS AREA. A VERY SIGNIFICANT EVENT WILL OCCUR NEXT FEBRUARY, EARLY MARCH WHICH IS A TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS CONFERENCE, BEING HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH I.T.E. AND THE CONFERENCE IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. THIS WILL BE AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE STOCK OF WHERE WE ARE, TO SHARE BEST PRACTICES AND TO SET THE COURSE FOR THE FUTURE IN THE TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS AREA. YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NTOC AT THE NTOC WEB SITE THAT'S SHOWN ON YOUR SCREEN. SO IN CLOSING, I THINK AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE, AND THE FUTURE FOR OPERATIONS CLEARLY WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO IF WE ARE GOING TO CREATE THE CULTURAL SHIFT THAT I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, BUT I BELIEVE VERY STRONGLY THAT THE FUTURE FOR OPERATIONS IS A BRIGHT ONE. I THINK IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT DELIVERING THE SAFE AND RELIABLE AND SECURE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM WILL REQUIRE OPERATIONS AND IT REALLY WILL REQUIRE 24/7 OPERATIONS USING 21st CENTURY TECHNOLOGIES. I BELIEVE SAFETY OR WHATEVER THE REAUTHORIZATION IS CALLED WILL PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIGNIFICANTLY ADVANCE THE CONSIDERATION OF OPERATIONS AND I AM COMMITTED FROM AN FHWA PERSPECTIVE, AND I BELIEVE THE NTOC COALITION IS COMMITTED TO WORKING TOGETHER AS CHAMPIONS FOR 21st CENTURY OPERATIONS AND I CERTAINLY INVITE ALL OF YOU OUT THERE TO JOIN US IN ADVANCING OPERATIONS, AND TO MEET THE CHALLENGE OF CREATING A 21st CENTURY TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS CULTURE. ON THE LAST SLIDE, YOU WILL SEE A FEW WEB SITES WHERE YOU CAN GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE UNDERWAY AT FHWA, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER THE ACTIVITIES UNDER NTOC AND ZIA BURLY ON MY STAFF IS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WE HAVE VOTED TO FOSTERING AND DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE OPERATIONS COMMUNITY, BOTH WITH THE ASSOCIATIONS AND WITH FOLKS OUT AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL, AND I INVITE YOU TO SEND HER YOUR FEEDBACK, YOUR IDEAS ON HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE TALKING OPERATIONS SERIES OR OTHER IDEAS ON HOW WE CAN ADVANCE AND CHAMPION OPERATIONS. AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO JERRY WARNER. THANKS VERY MUCH, JEFF FOR SETTING THE STAGE FOR OUR NEXT THREE PRESENTERS. AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE OUR AUDIENCE TO TYPE IN THEIR QUESTIONS IN THE CHAT AREA IN THE LOWER RIGHT PART OF THEIR SCREEN, AND AFTER WE'RE DONE WITH OUR FOUR PRESENTERS WE'LL GET INTO A Q&A SESSION AND BE SURE TO TYPE YOUR QUESTIONS IN, AS THEY OCCUR TO YOU. OUR NEXT PRESENTER IS MS. GLORIA JEFT WHO IS DIRECTOR OF THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND HER PRESENTATION IS ENTITLED "INTEGRATED TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS, WHAT IT MEANS TO THE STATE OF MICHIGAN". GLORIA IS A FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN FEMALE TO HOLD THE POSITION OF DIRECTOR OF MICHIGAN D.O.T. PRIOR TO THAT APPOINTMENT IN JANUARY OF 2 IT 003, SHE SERVED AS VICE PRESIDENT OF PARSONS BRINKERHOFF ONE OF THE LARGEST ENGINEERING CONSULTING FIRMS IN THE COUNTRY. AN ENGINEER AND URBAN PLANNER SHE SERVED AS DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR OF THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION UNDER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON WHERE HER DUTYS INCLUDED POLICY DEVELOPMENT, PROMOTION OF U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMERCE AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES AND ANALYSIS AND DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHWAY-RELATED LEGISLATION. GLORIA EARNED AN UNDERGRADUATE AND MASTER'S DEGREES IN CIVIL ENGINEER FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AS WELL AS A MASTER'S AGREE FROM THE U OF M. SHE'S AN ADJUNCT FROE FELSOR IN THE COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING AT U OF M AND A MEMBER OF THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING ADVISORY COUNCIL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DANFORTH IS. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2004 THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION HONORED GLORIA WITH THE HIGH EFL CIVIL RIGHTS THE A.D. GAITER LEADERSHIP AWARD AT THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION CIVIL RIGHTS CONFERENCE IN SAN DIEGO. GLORIA, YOU CAN BEGIN WHEN YOU ARE READY. GOOD AFTERNOON AND GOOD MORNING. IT IS FUN TO BE TALKING ABOUT OPERATIONS AND MICHIGAN WE JUST SPENT A PRETTY EXCITING COUPLE OF WEEKS FOCUSING ON HOW DO WE TRANSLATE OURSELVES FROM A HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT AND HOW WE FUNCTION BUILDING ON COMMENTS THAT JEFF HAS ALREADY MADE ABOUT OUR CIVIL ENGINEERING FOCUS AND TO ONE FOCUSING ON OPERATIONS. MICHIGAN IS UNIQUE IN THAT OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM INCLUDES EVERY CONCEIVABLE MODE, BY VIRTUE OF BEING SURROUNDED BY WATER ON THREE SIDES AND THE TWO PENINSULAS AND BY BEING AN INTERNATIONAL BORDER STATE, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT ONLY AN INTEGRATED TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, BUT EXPANDING THE CONCEPT OF TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS BEYOND SOME OF THE MORE TRADITIONAL DEFINITIONS THAT WE HAVE FOCUSED ON IN THE AREA OF TRAFFIC OPERATIONS. WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS GOAL, WE ARE FOCUSED ON NOT JUST HOW WELL THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM WORKS BUT CANDIDLY HOW IT INTEGRATES WITH OTHER MODES AS WELL. WE ARE ALSO FOCUSING ON PRESERVING OUR EXISTING SYSTEM AND THE INVESTMENT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN MADE AND FOCUSING ON SAFETY. WE HAVE AN INVESTMENT STRATEGY THAT HAS US -- THAT WE CALL PRESERVE FIRST, WHICH HAS US FOCUSING ON PRESERVING THAT EXISTING SYSTEM BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN WE ARE DOING THOSE PRESERVATION ACTIVITIES, NOT SIMPLY REPLACING IN KIND BUT REALLY LOOKING AT THE QUESTION OF HOW DOES IT OPERATE? AND THAT'S SEPARATE FROM THE NEED FOR ADDED CAPACITY OR NEW ROADS. WE ARE ALSO TRYING TO BE VERY RESPONSIVE TO A STATE THAT'S LOOKING TO SIGNIFICANTLY DIVERSIFY ITS ECONOMIC ACTIVITY. SO, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO ACCOMPLISH THAT? WELL, THERE ARE SORT OF FIVE BASIC AREAS THAT I WILL TRY TO KEY IN ON TODAY. THE FIRST IS THE INTEGRATED MULTI MODAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS, THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN I.T.S. STRATEGIC PLAN TO GUIDE OUR FUTURE INVESTMENTS, TO FOCUS ON OUR BORDER CROSSING ISSUES, BECAUSE, AGAIN, AS I SAID MICHIGAN IS AN INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY BORDER STATE. 25% OF ALL OF THE TRADE BETWEEN THE U.S. AND ITS LARGEST TRADING PARTNER WHICH IS CANADA, COMES THROUGH THE GATEWAYS OF THE GREATER DETROIT AREA. AND THAT JUST REPRESENTS FOUR OF OUR MULTIPLE BORDER CROSSINGS IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN. WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT A HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN AND IMPLEMENTING SAFETY CONSCIOUS PLANNING WITH OUR LOCAL UNIONS AND GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS WITH URBAN, REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. ONE OF THE OF THE THINGS WE STRONGLY BELIEVE IN MICHIGAN WITH RESPECT TO OPERATIONS IS FOCUSING ON NOT JUST WHAT WE, AS A SINGSELF STATE AGENCY CAN DO, BUT REALLY HOW WE PARTNER WITH -- SINGLE STATE AGENCY CAN DO, BUT REALLY HOW WE PARTNER WITH THE REST OF THE STATE AGENCYS, WHICH IT'S OUR LOCAL OR CITY PARTNERS, WHETHER IT'S TRANSIT OPERATIONS OR AVIATION, OR THE INNER CITY TRAVELER COMMUNITY OF BOTH PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE, AND INNER CITY BUS SERVICE, AS WELL AS AIR. ALL OF THEM HAVE TO BE A PART OF HOW WE RESPOND TO OPERATIONS. MICHIGAN'S ECONOMY IS HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, FOLLOWED BY AGRICULTURAL, FOLLOWED BY TOURISM. AND WITH THOSE AS OUR THREE SORT OF KEY ECONOMIC SECTORS IT BECOMES CLEAR FROM US FROM THE OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, IT'S NOT JUST HOW DO WE KEEP VEHICLES MOVING ON OUR SYSTEM BUT HOW DO WE EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ENHANCE THE POSITIONS OF OUR TOP THREE ECONOMIC SECTORS BY THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE MAKE AND BY HOW WE OPERATE THE SYSTEM AND HOW HOW WE INFORM PEOPLE. IN A FEW MINUTES I WILL TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION PIECE BUT A WEEK BEFORE LAST, THERE WAS A -- AN INTERRUPTION OF SERVICE ON THE CANADIAN SIDE WHERE THE CANADIAN WORKERS WERE ON STRIKE. FOLKS WOULD SAY THAT'S NOT OUR ISSUE. THE REALITY WAS THAT THOSE -- THAT INTERRUPTION RESULTED IN SIX-HOUR BACKUPS ON TO OUR MAIN LINE INTERSTATE -- ON TWO MAIN LINE INTERSTATES IN THE PROXIMITY OF TWO BRIDGES IN THE DETROIT AND PORT HURON AREA. THAT'S AN OPERATIONAL ISSUE, AND IT'S NOT JUST HOW DO WE KEEP IT SAFE, BUT HOW DO WE BETTER COMMUNICATE WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY TO LET THEM, A KNOW THAT IT'S OCCURRING AND, TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE KIND OF INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT HOW THEY ARE GOING TO MODIFY THEIR LOGISTICS FLOW IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THAT PARTICULAR KIND OF CHANGE. SO, AGAIN, THAT FOCUSES ON THE NERSHIP PIECE AND THAT IS REALLY THE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS. IT'S NOT ONLY BEING CUSTOMER FOCUSED BUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE CUSTOMERS' NEEDS, WANTS AND DESIRES ARE AND HOW WE CAN RESPOND TO THEM AS TRUE PARTNERS WITH THEM BEING ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS AS WELL. ONE EXAMPLE OF THAT IS IN THE METRO DETROIT AREA IS THAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON A PLANNING PROCESS, THAT IS LOOKING AT AN FREIGHT TERMINAL THAT WOULD SERVICE THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, WOULD BE A BINATIONAL IMPACT INVOLVING NOT ONLY MICHIGAN BUT ALSO THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO, AND THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA. IT WOULD INVOLVE RAILROADS, IT WOULD INVOLVE IMPACTING A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY THAT IS JUST BEGINNING TO GROW, AND PROSPER OF HISPANIC AMERICANS, AND IT MAKES FOR A VERY INTERESTING AND COMPLEX EXAMPLE OF HOW OPERATIONS CAN, INDEED BE IMPACTED. IT'S NOT JUST WHETHER OR NOT WE BUILD A TERMINAL AND THE SURROUNDING IF A SELLITIES BUT HOW WILL IT OPERATE? IS IT A 24/7 OPERATION? HOW DO WE HAVE TRUCKS RUMBLING THROUGH A COMMUNITY AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT? HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THE LOADS THAT HAVE TO BE MOVED BY EITHER THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY OR THE AGRI BUSINESS ARE ACCOMMODATES WITH THEIR PEAKING PHENOMENON OF WHEN TRUCKS COME IN, WHEN TRAINS GO OUT. IT IS ONE ARGUMENT THAT HELPS US FOCUS ON THE ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN AND ENSURES THAT SOUTHWEST DETROIT HAS A FACILITY TO MEET THE INTERMODAL NEEDS IN THE FUTURE. IT HAS BEEN INTERESTING AS WELL, BECAUSE THIS INCLUDES A GATEWAY TO THE FATHERS OF ONTARIO THROUGH A RAIL/TUNNEL. THE INTERESTING WORK THAT HAS TO TO BE DONE THROUGH THE OPERATIONS STANDPOINT WITH THE FOLKS AT IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION, AS WELL AS WITH CUSTOMS, AS WE TRY R TRY AND SORT THROUGH THE OPERATIONS. -- AS WE TRY TO SORT THROUGH THE OPERATIONS OF THAT ACTIVITY. WE ALSO HAVE SOMEWHAT TRADITIONAL KINDS OF OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR MICHIGAN INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION CENTER THAT IS LOCATED IN DETROIT. IT WAS OUR VERY FIRST REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER.