Talking Operations—a national forum on management and operations

Public Roads, Nov-Dec, 2004 by Joanne Sedor

To increase awareness and promote a dialogue on transportation management and operations among State, local, and regional stakeholders, FHWA collaborated with a number of national associations to create the National Transportation Operations Coalition (NTOC). The coalition is a formal partnership of associations that represent both traditional transportation professionals and nontraditional stakeholders, convened to identify, promote, and implement activities that advance management and operations strategies and improve the overall performance of the Nation's transportation system.

To encourage and support an ongoing dialogue on transportation management and operations, the NTOC created the Talking Operations Webcast series and discussion forum. The Webcasts provide monthly 90-minute information sessions on topics related to transportation operations. Conducted via Internet and a telephone connection, they enable participants to hear and view real-time presentations from experts in a number of operations-related areas. For each session, speakers present information on a particular subject (such as traffic incident management), followed by a question-and-answer period in which participants engage in an open dialogue with the speakers and each other. In addition, after the session, participants may continue the dialogue on the Talking Operations forum located at the "NTOC Talks" Web site, www.ntoctalks.com/index.php.

The Webcast series and forum offer practitioners and decisionmakers the opportunity to learn more about the current state of practice in transportation operations, ask questions that are specific to their needs, and share information with their peers about innovative projects taking place in their jurisdictions--all without leaving their offices.

Participation is free. To view the Webcast schedule or register for a session, visit http://talkingoperations.webex.com. To join the Talking Operations forum, visit www.ntoctalks.com/talkingops/index.cgi.