Aviation, seat belts, transportation planning The annual aviation report, a new seat belt campaign targeting rural areas, and an update on efforts to improve the delivery of the statewide transportation plan were highlights of the Idaho Transportation Board’s January 22 meeting in Boise. Annual Report on Aviation The five-member AAB consults with and advises the department on aviation issues. Some highlights from the AAB report include that Idaho’s aviation industry saw some growth last year, fire-related activity was down, and the use of drones is continuing to escalate and will presumably impact revenue. It was mentioned that this was AAB Chairman Rodger Sorensen’s last meeting. His term on the AAB is up and he will not be re-appointed to another five-year term. Sorensen, from Soda Springs, was recognized for his 20 years of service. The division’s activities from the last year included hosting the annual Aviation Career Academy to promote careers in the aviation industry, continuing oversight on the use of drones in the state, and updating the 10-year old Airport System Plan/Airport Economic Impact Analysis. Aero also maintained the 31 state-owned airstrips, conducted the annual aviation Safety Stand Down, and participatied in 45 search-and-rescue events. Statewide Rural Seat Belt Campaign The breakdown by district is: To encourage Idahoans to buckle up, the Office of Highway Safety is rolling out a new program focusing on seat belt use, targeting rural Idaho and drivers between the ages of 18 and 34. The campaign will feature a local sports star. It is an expansion of the Shift program: Drive Well Idaho! More details will follow in future issues of the Transporter. Program Management Office (PMO) Update Some of the expected outcomes are more stability in the ITIP, more consistent bids, statewide standard operating procedures, statewide balancing of available funds, and improved statewide bid and award timing. Some ways to measure success will be: if the project managers are trained, experienced, and capable of making key project decisions; if the project owners empower the project managers to make those decisions; if the ITIP projects are delivered on time and within the original estimate and budget year after year; and if resources are being shared statewide. Policy Update The policy applies to all employees except pilots, as they must follow Aeronautics Flight Operations Manual and Federal Aviation Administration requirements. The board concurred to the revisions to Administrative Policy 5552 Employee Shift Duration and Fatigue Management. All policies can be found on Share Point under Policy Finder: http://itdportal/sites/Admin/BSM3/PolicyFinder/default.aspx Published 01-31-20 |