The Missouri Way Impact series: MoDOT team members' innovations have life-saving impact

Colleagues,

This month, The Missouri Way Impact series brings you two stories from the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). They showcase how colleagues tackle the toughest challenges. How to prevent injury or even death?

Two separate teams in MoDOT’s Kansas City district wanted to honor MoDOT team members who died in the line of duty. They developed the TMA Flagger and JAWS (Julie’s Automated Waste Removal System). They then showcased their ideas at MoDOT's Innovations Challenge. They gained leadership support. Their innovations are now used on Missouri’s roadways.

Since 2007, MoDOT team members have pitched ideas to the Innovations Challenge. The goal is to improve the department’s best practices. The Challenge has generated more than 1,500 innovations. More than 250 of those are now MoDOT best practices, like the TMA Flagger and JAWS.

Check out the videos below to learn more about each innovation:

TMA Flagger

The TMA Flagger helps take MoDOT team members off the roads. That helps them stay safe. The TMA Flagger allows MoDOT team members driving trucks to operate remotely a stop-slow paddle, a digital message board, and a panic air horn all from the safety of the truck’s cab.

Watch the video with closed captioning

JAWS

JAWS (Julie’s Automated Waste Removal System) was created in honor of Julie Love. Julie was a MoDOT team member who was struck in 2004 while removing debris from the road. JAWS removes roadway debris without the driver having to exit the truck.

Watch the video with closed captioning

Thanks to the MoDOT team members who stepped up to develop the TMA Flagger, JAWS, and all the innovations featured at the MoDOT Innovations Challenge.

They show what we can do to make things better. We hope they encourage you to pitch your own ideas of how to make things better. Don’t forget you can pitch your ideas to make things better through the Show Me Challenge competition. Initial pitches for the third cycle are due October 11. Learn more: showmechallenge.mo.gov.

Best regards,

Drew Erdmann

Chief Operating Officer

State of Missouri