511 Sponsorship: The Georgia Perspective Hugh Colton, on, TMC C Ope perati rations ons Manager er Georgia Department tment of Transpor sportati ation on
Background •511 was not Georgia’s first traveler information venture • GDOT established *DOT in 1996 to coincide with Olympics in Atlanta • *DOT provided live operators 24/7 • Generated thousands of calls, produced die-hard fans
About Meridian • Meridian Environmental Technology chosen • Meridian developed #SAFE, the model for 511 national guidelines • Deployed #SAFE, and later, 511 across eight states • Contract signed with GDOT July 2006 • GA 511 launched August 2007
Data Sources • NaviGAtor : Georgia’s ITS • Large amount of real-time traffic data • Current: 240 miles full coverage • Traffic.com coverage: Current and future • Inrix coverage: Current and future
Increase in Calls to 511 Avg Daily Call Volume 6000 5374 5000 4706 4000 3908 3000 2861 2000 FY 2008 CY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 CY 2011 FY 2011 CY 2009 CY 2010
Alternate Funding Sources • Record budget shortfalls, gas tax collections down • GDOT no stranger to sponsorship (HERO) • 2009: GDOT issues RFQ to develop sponsorship model for GA 511 • Model provides 511 service at no cost to GA taxpayers with potential GDOT revenue share
Best Practices • Do not own and operate your own 511 system • Use a contractor with offsite solutions to eliminate maintenance cost to DOT • Hand over to contractor day-to-day operations, website, and highway signs • Establish a Governance Board • Avoid contentious sponsors like alcohol, attorneys, gambling
Sponsorship Model “Messaging in Motion” 511 Audio Messages Website Signs Mobile App
Mobile App • By the end of 2012 GDOT will have new iPhone and Droid Apps, that will include MyNaviGAtor personalized facilities.
Digital Couponing
Georgia-NaviGAtor.com, 511GA.org • 200,000 visitors per month •#1 Google search for “Georgia Traffic” • Ads on every page • Sourced directly by sponsors and Google, revenue based on ad click-throughs • New website will be launched in late 2012
511 Signs • 1,000 locations statewide • Must adhere to MUTCD Section 2H.08 • DOTs are urged to develop their own acknowledgement policies • Acknowledge the sponsor; don’t advertise • Make policies open-ended, not specific to 511
511 Signs
Overall Experience • Challenging • Lots of meetings and phone calls to ensure FHWA compliance • Sponsorship was new to FHWA; various interpretations of rules and guidelines • Other states can learn from GA’s model • GDOT and taxpayers have received 511 services at no cost since November 2009 • 33 months in: Moving well overall
What Others Can Learn • What is the value of your asset? • How to value one asset without devaluing another • Naming rights to 511 service and website • Bundle 511 sponsorship with a more traditional outlet • This is not a static environment, technology is moving very quickly • Waze
Questions? Hug ugh Colton on hco colton@ on@do dot.ga.go t.ga.gov
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