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New director's Transporter column
to discuss transportation vision,
direction and priorities

To the ITD community
It is my pleasure to address you through this new forum that will appear regularly in the Transporter. My purpose is to provide regular reports about ITD directions, transportation-related topics and issues that will have an impact on you in your work life.

Since arriving in Idaho 14 months ago, my family and I have fallen in love with the state and its people. During my frequent travels, I have visited every district and many of the maintenance facilities in those districts. And most important, I have met many of you. I knew before coming to Idaho that ITD was widely recognized for its outstanding employees and its commitment to serving the people of Idaho. Everything I have experienced as director confirms those perceptions. Idaho is fortunate to have such a responsive and responsible team operating its complex transportation system.

As can be expected, the past year has produced a change in the look and feel of ITD.

This summer Moe Detmar retired after a long and distinguished career as administrator of the Division of Motor Vehicles. This week, John Tomkinson retired as manager of General Services. And, it is with sincere regret, that I accepted Deputy Director/Chief Engineer Jimmy Ross’s retirement notice last week.

They, and others who have left our ranks recently, represent a loss of tremendous talent, experience and commitment. We wish them well, but will miss them. Each retirement, however, affords us an opportunity to make our organization even stronger.

We will do that by building on the legacy they created and choosing the highest caliber people to fill the retirement void. Our recent selections ensure the department will maintain its momentum: Julie Pipal, manager of Budget, Policy and Intergovernmental Relations; Pam Lowe, administrator of the Division of Motor Vehicles; and Eric Shannon, District 3 Engineer.

In the past year, we also have made remarkable progress in analyzing our internal structure and beginning the process of adapting to the changing role of transportation in society. That evolution will continue as we discover new and better ways to meet the needs of our clients – Idaho’s traveling public.

I look forward to sharing with you the collective visions of the Idaho Transportation Board and ITD’s Executive Team, and engaging in discussions on issues that are important to you. It’s going to be an exciting ride.