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Director Ness takes ITD successes to national audience

Improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) were featured as a national model at the Transportation Research Board meeting in Washington, D.C. Monday, (Jan. 14).

Director Brian Ness spoke along with directors of the Michigan, Rhode Island and Delaware departments of transportation at a session titled “Current Strategies for State Department of Transportation Leadership.” More than 11,000 people from across the world attend the conference to learn about the latest in transportation innovations and progress.

“Other states are looking at how ITD improved as a national model, and we were pleased to share our experiences with them,” Ness said.

In 2011, Ness realigned the department by:

Reducing nine layers of management and supervision to five;
Increasing the number of employees each supervisor oversees from a previous average of three to four to between eight and 10;
Eliminating 62 positions that only supervised one employee
Eliminating 11 assistant or similar type positions and 47 duplicate positions

“The department was using a 1960s civil service model to run a 21st century organization. Our employees were promoted and rewarded based on being a supervisor, not on the results achieved,” Ness said. “Employees who wanted to solve problems or be innovative had to wait as decisions ran the bureaucratic obstacle course. There were too many approval steps required to render quick and effective decisions.”

Through realignment and other efficiencies, the department saved $5.7 million in the first year and another $7 million in the second year. The savings were invested in new maintenance equipment, to offset the impact of high fuel prices, construct new projects and reduce employee turnover. The savings were generated with no employees losing their job or pay.
“The bottom line is that we cut costs, all employees kept their jobs, and we put more people on the front lines serving our customers,” Ness said.