The TIM Trend Newsletter: MARCH 2018

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MARCH 2018

Welcome to the new format

Good day TIM champions. We began producing our Oregon TIM Newsletter in the Fall of 2012. Our kick-off article stated, “The aim of our newsletter will be to promote optimization efforts of TIM activities throughout the state...we will seek to foster strategic statewide thinking, regionally tailored planning and effective local implementation of progressive cross-disciplined TIM strategies and activities.”

Looking back five years it seems we’ve been able to hold course, perhaps even broadening our vision to extend our aim beyond merely our state, but also to include the national TIM community as well. Staying the course is largely due to the many talented and dedicated individuals across Oregon and the U.S who continue to be committed to solidifying TIM as a public safety discipline, institutionalizing safe, quick clearance strategies and above all refusing to compromise the safety of our responders and road users. Thank you for your ongoing efforts and your continued support.

With our March 2018 edition we are introducing a new format for the Oregon TIM newsletter and a new delivery method. These changes will increase the reach of our newsletter, enhance the professionalism of our content, allow for further integration with our various communications platforms and allow us to be more nimble in managing and building subscribers.

We are excited at what lies ahead.

We sincerely hope that you enjoy and benefit from our March 2018 edition of the Oregon TIM Trend Newsletter. As always we welcome questions, comments, requests and constructive suggestions.

Take care -

Darin Weaver

Darin A. Weaver, Oregon TIM Program


Oregon TIM Quarterly PM Report

Effective traffic incident management (TIM) saves lives, saves time and saves money. So what tools should we employ in building and shaping effective TIM programs?

 Through the fourth round of Every Day Counts (EDC) initiatives the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is encouraging the use of data to improve traffic incident management stating, “An ideal TIM program must rely on efficient data collection, analysis, and reporting to measure performance and identify where and when it can be improved. Accelerating this data collection and including it in performance management will help TIM programs realize their full potential for keeping motorists and incident responders safer and roads and highways clear.”

Benefits Include:

  • Increased Transparency. Increasing the amount and quality of data collection allows agencies to demonstrate program effectiveness through quantified safety and economic benefits.
  • Improved Operations. Collecting key TIM data at incident sites provides agencies with the information and knowledge needed to address when and where improvements can be made.
  • Better Outcomes. Expanding TIM data collection boosts the measurements needed to improve program performance and resource management, as well as future planning.

Oregon’s TIM Strategic plan contains several specific actions under the category of System Evaluation & Performance Measures; each is aimed at improving our data collection, increasing our analysis and sharing of the compiled data and using these to shape actions that will improve system safety and reliability.

Our TIM Newsletter will continue to act as a conduit for us to share our TIM Performance Measures. Our intent is to continue with the quarterly report format. As the program evolves we encourage everyone to devote some time to looking over the data, ask questions and offer suggestions. It is our program, shaping our activities and enhancing the overall livability of our communities.  

Due to the size of the graphics in the Quarterly Oregon TIM Performance Measures Report we have placed the document on our Oregon TIM internet site, please click on the image below to view the report.

OR Highway Incidents 2017

Responder Spotlight

Travelling across the state for outreach and training activities, Oregon’s TIM program has the privilege to work alongside  many dedicated and hard working individuals from all TIM disciplines. We enjoy these interactions so much that we have been eager to share our experiences with our Newsletter readers.  Please take a moment to get to know the men and women of Oregon’s TIM community.

How long have you worked as an ODOT Incident Responder (Freeway Service Patrol Operator)?  I started out as a Transportation Maintenance Specialist II  on the Sylvan Maintenance crew in February of 2000. I was able to transfer to the Region 1 Incident Response Crew in June of 2006, I have been there ever since.

What do you love about your job?  I love helping people .  Some people, when faced with an accident or mechanical breakdown, are distraught or shaken up and don’t know what to do.  Being there to help them safely through this process is very rewarding.

In your experience, what is critical to clearing an incident safely and quickly? In my opinion, working with other agencies in a state of cooperation and respect at a scene is critical to quick clearance.

How is your agency investing in Traffic Incident Management?  What benefits are you seeing? Our agency is taking a very active role by taking the lead in education and training of the TIM program.   

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work?  I love traveling, seeing sights that I have only read about or seen in pictures.

Jim Vandecoevering 2

In 2017 Jim put forth significant effort to assist with  the statewide roll-out of  ODOT’s Push, Pull & Drag training.  In the photo he observes as one of the students prepares to upright a vehicle.

 

Jim Vandecoevering 1

Portland area responder Jim Vandecoevering makes contact with the operator of a disabled vehicle.

 


TIM District 10 HeaderDistrict 10 Map

This month we spotlight one ODOT district that is no stranger to TIM challenges, yet continues to improve key performance measures directly impacting responder and road user safety.

In the face of increasing call volumes and rising crash counts, District 10—which spans portions of seven counties and sits in a major snow zone—continues to make targeted investments in its local TIM program. Strategies include leveraging local knowledge and experience through a central body, encouraging cross-disciplined TIM training in best practices and using TIM data to target dedicated incident responders to key problem areas.

District 10 credits building and strengthening their Central Oregon TIM team and developing working knowledge with local response partners as key to their success. With multiple agencies in the field at any given time—from Oregon State Police, County Sheriff’s Office, local police and fire departments to local tow and public works agencies—ensuring everyone is arriving on-scene with the same mission, expectations and understanding of how to manage and clear a given incident is a must. District 10 leadership and staff actively promote a collaborative environment with local response agencies by:

  • Holding quarterly Central Oregon TIM team meetings.
  • Connecting with local responders for after-action debriefs, phone calls and “coffee meet-ups” to discuss challenges and share lessons learned.
  • Training with or letting response partners borrow ODOT props for training purposes.
  • Shadowing towers to provide protection when working on the roadsides.

Jim Scholtes, Assistant District 10 Manager, explains the benefits of engaging regularly with local responders: “Staying connected and meeting with our local partners through our Central Oregon TIM team has expanded our knowledge and capability with our partners ten-fold. When we arrive on-scene, we’re not meeting each other for the first time and trading business cards. There’s already a foundation of trust and working knowledge that plays in our favor to keep everyone safe. All responders on-scene know what’s expected and understand what everyone is going to do.”  

District 10 also has dedicated incident responders who immediately provide on-scene transportation leadership to help operations run smoothly. Having dedicated responders relieves pressure on maintenance workers who are then allowed to focus on maintenance activities as opposed to having to collapse a work site to respond to an incident. ODOT TIM Program Coordinator Darin Weaver explains, “Dedicated IR staff were developed to complement maintenance forces, with both groups working together to increase the efficiency of incident response and maintenance activities, all successes belong to the entirety of the district team.”

To assist in the geographic focus and workload of their area, District 10 recently added another position to their IR ranks and employed TIM incident data to assist in targeting the entire IR team to key problem areas. 

The return on investment  is impressive. Despite increases in call volumes and crash rates, District 10 has been able to cut their median incident clearance time on crashes down by 17 minutes since 2015. This is especially consequential during the morning and evening rush hours that they are now experiencing.

Moving forward, District 10, with their Central Oregon TIM partners plans to continue to explore ways to apply TIM concepts and best practices, bolster outreach and increase buy-in at all levels while continuing to support the region with training events and materials.

Thanks to the diligent efforts of  their inter-agency TIM team, Safe, quick clearance is alive and prospering  in our Central Oregon communities, we look forward to hearing about and sharing the future successes. 

District 10 Lane Blocking
District 10 Crashes and Commercial Crashes

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Save the Date!

May 1st and 2nd Oregon Train the Trainer events are coming. For more information and to register, click on the appropriate link below.

May 1st: Oregon Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Train the Trainer Event

May 2nd: 2018 Oregon TIM Program Roll-Out Alumni Train the Trainer Event

TIM Training Classroom

Each year we receive many request for Oregon’s TIM program to deliver TIM/Push, Pull & Drag training, or presentations at various conferences and seminars. We love to be there for our partners, advance TIM  strategies and most of all meet wonderful new individuals who share our passion for responder and roadway safety. If you are hosting such an event or would like to schedule training,  please send your requests in early—prime dates fill up fast! TIMtraining@odot.state.or.us