Best Management Practices to Exchange Information between the TOC and District Offices

The objective of this study was to develop best management practices for exchange of information between the Transportation Operations Center (TOC) and the district offices and regional traffic management centers. Data collected for this study included: meetings with the Study Advisory Committee and key personnel within the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet at the central office and highway district offices; a literature review; a state website review; and telephone interviews with representatives from a few states. Recommendations were made in the following general areas: use of CARS/511; communication between the TOC and district offices; SAFE patrol; ITS equipment; public information; incident management; detours; weather/snow & ice; coordination with regional traffic management centers; documenting complaints; and website design

Cost Estimating and Forecasting for Highway Work in Kentucky [1996]

There is a need for better cost estimating and forecasting for highway work in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. KRS45.245 grants the Interim Joint Committee on Transportation oversight of the biennial highway plan, including a review of all authorized highway project phases that exceed their estimates by 15%. In recent years, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has suffered the loss of many resources necessary to produce good cost estimates. Estimates developed using current methods are not sufficiently accurate to preclude cost overruns in excess of 15%. Over the 1992 and 1994 bienniums, 362 overruns totaling $162,487,511 have been submitted to the Committee. All have been approved for additional funding. KYEstimate, a cost-per-mile model, has been developed to improve estimates made in the district offices. This program uses preconstruction and construction data to calculate a unit cost for projects. New projects may then be estimated on past cost of similar projects

Online Driver’s License Renewal

The Kentucky Department of Vehicle Regulation is exploring the possibility of developing and implementing online driver’s license renewal. The objective of this project was to: 1) evaluate online driver’s license and REAL ID renewal programs in other states to identify best practices; 2) examine two options to institute online renewal; and 3) identify what legislative changes would be required in Kentucky to authorize an online renewal program. KTC surveyed 25 states with online license renewal programs in place, and received responses from 14 states. Survey respondents indicated that online renewal is more efficient, improves customer service, cuts down on foot traffic in branch offices, and promotes cost savings. Respondents reported that development, workflows, and organization structures associated with online renewal have not been particularly disruptive or expensive. KTC researchers examined two options for implementing online renewal: a print farm operated in Frankfort, Kentucky or centralized production and distribution by a third party vendor. Two vendors submitted cost estimates to KTC. Implementation of an online renewal option in the Commonwealth will take 6 to 12 months. To implement either solution, KYTC will require legislative approval from the Kentucky General Assembly to increase fees for each license class. It would have to amend state law as well to authorize the production and distribution of licenses by a third party

Redefining Commercial Vehicle Permitting and Credentialing Violations

The objective of this study was to analyze enforcement and adjudication of common commercial vehicle tax, credentialing, and safety offenses. This study examined violations of the International Fuel Tax Agreement and the Kentucky Intrastate Tax, Kentucky’s weight distance tax, Unified Carrier Registration, Kentucky size and weight laws, and federal safety regulations from 2004 to 2013. Statistical analysis showed declining conviction rates, increasing dismissal rates, and a drop in collections of court costs and fines associated with these offenses. In addition, adjudication varied significantly from district court to district court, which is creating an equity issue for motor carriers and the drivers who operate in Kentucky. Surveys of other states and conversations with Kentucky officials were used to develop two policy alternatives to the current system. The first policy is a piecemeal reform of current practices, and the second policy establishes a civil penalties system where a review board adjudicates commercial vehicle offenses in lieu of district courts. An implementation analysis shows the latter would be a more equitable, efficient, and fiscally responsible alternative to current practices

Investigation of Kentucky For-Hire Requirements

This study analyzes the costs and benefits of the Kentucky For-Hire operating authority, which is issued to all carriers who pick up and drop off freight in Kentucky on a for-hire basis. It reviews current statutory and regulatory requirements, calculates the costs and benefits of administering Kentucky For-Hire, reviews the legal history of trucking regulation and deregulation, reports on a survey of other states about their practices with intrastate operating authority, and proposes three alternatives to current policies. The primary benefit of Kentucky For-Hire is that it enables the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to verify carriers have commercial liability insurance. Several major challenges confront Kentucky For-Hire — the costs of administering the program exceed the revenue it generates, the requirement is loosely enforced, and violations potentially punish the commercial vehicle operator instead of the motor carrier owner or management. Each solution attempts to address one or more of these challenges. The study analyzes the benefits and challenges of the proposed policy alternatives. The report concludes with a supplementary chapter pertaining to the regulation of transportation network companies and parcel delivery service subcontractors

Best Practices for the Implementation of the REAL ID Act

The REAL ID Act specifies the minimum standards that must be used to produce and issue driver’s license and identification cards that are REAL ID compliant. Beginning in 2020, if a person does not possess a form of identification that meets REAL ID standards they will not be able to board an aircraft that is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration. Currently, of the 56 states and jurisdictions required to implement the REAL ID Act, only 23 are in compliance. Although the Commonwealth of Kentucky has not yet implemented the REAL ID Act, an extension allowing Federal agencies to accept state driver’s licenses is currently in effect. This report summarizes the eight REAL ID requirements, discusses the results of a survey that asked compliant states about their implementation experiences, identifies different strategies for implementation, and proposes recommendations. This should begin with development of a state security plan and execution of a public information campaign about REAL ID. It is recommended that Kentucky require Division of Driver Licensing (DLL) field offices to handle REAL ID applications, offer an online renewal system, and create a centralized distribution of driver’s licenses and identification cards. Several KY Statutes will have to be amended to allow for changes in license renewal cycles, third party vendor distribution, and the resulting changes in license fees

Cost Estimating and Forecasting for Highway Work in Kentucky [1997]

There is a need for better cost estimating and forecasting for highway work in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. KRS45.245 grants the Interim Joint Committee on Transportation oversight of the biennial highway plan, including a review of all authorized highway project phases that exceed their estimates by 15%. Estimates developed using current methods are not sufficiently accurate to preclude cost overruns in excess of 15%. Estimates are prepared before design is begun so that a project may be included in the six year plan. The estimates are not revised after a more detailed scope of the project is developed during design and after design is completed. Consequently, there have been 455 overruns since 1992. All have been approved for the necessary additional funding. Causes of cost overruns for the 455 overruns during the past five years were studies. The development of a conceptual estimating model, KYEstimate, was continued and reported on. Recommendations and conclusions are presented

Investigation of Driver License Issuance Alternatives

This study develops an alternative model for issuing driver licenses and personal identifications in Kentucky. Under the current model, most licenses are distributed by circuit court clerks at 142 offices across the state while the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) provides central and regional support for specific license types. Given the cumbersome administrative structure and impending REAL ID requirements, both circuit clerks and KYTC administrators would like to explore an alternative distribution model. Researchers at the Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) projected the costs of transitioning from the current issuance model to a centralized DMV model where licenses are distributed at 18 to 24 regional field offices. In FY 2020, the cost for having circuit clerks distribute licenses was roughly $18.5 million. A regional model will have initial costs between$10.4 and $16.4 million depending on the number of offices and employee compensation levels. If switching from a 4-year to 8-year license renewal cycle, the ensuing revenues would more than cover costs, although the License Fund allocation from each license sale should be adjusted so that all costs are covered and do not require additional Road Fund supplements. Optimizing the centralized issuance model will depend on transitioning from 4-year to 8-year license renewal intervals, completely transitioning issuance to KYTC and avoiding a hybrid distribution system and duplication of infrastructure, increasing allocations to the License Fund, implementing an online driver license renewal system in the near future, and transitioning away from the dated mainframe driver licensing database to a newer, more dynamic system

Evaluation of Thermal Imaging Technology for Commercial Vehicle Screening

Brake and tire violations are common problems identified through commercial vehicle inspections. Identifying and correcting these types of problems before a crash occurs can produce significant safety benefits. Thermal imaging technology can be used by commercial vehicle enforcement to screen vehicles as they approach a weigh station to determine if they may have flat tires and inoperable brakes. The vehicles do not have to be stopped at a weigh station to be screened. Kentucky currently has three stations outfitted with thermal imaging technology. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the benefits of using the thermal imaging cameras to identify brake and tire problems and to develop recommendations for how enforcement personnel can receive the most benefits from this technology. The data presented in this report include: 1) a summary of previous research, 2) evaluations of the technology, 3) on-site data collection at a Kentucky weigh station, 4) an interview with one of Kentucky’s primary users of the technology, and 5) an analysis of Kentucky inspection data, specifically, brake and tire violations and vehicle out-of-service (OOS) rates. A Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) evaluation concluded that the OOS rate for vehicles pinpointed via thermal imaging camera systems was 59 percent, whereas the OOS rate for conventional inspection was only 19 percent. Facilities with a thermal imaging system recorded a higher percentage of tire and brake violations per inspection as well as a higher vehicle out-of-service (VOOS) rate than facilities without a thermal imaging camera. However, the effectiveness of thermal imaging technology was significantly influenced by whether law enforcement embraced it as well as by inspectors’ proficiency operating the systems. This study recommends that enforcement staff who can access thermal imaging technology receive periodic training on its operation, then graduate to a practicum that lets them use the technology under expert supervision. Promotional materials that highlight the value of thermal imaging technologies should be distributed to all Kentucky enforcement personnel. In addition, methods and enforcement mechanisms should be identified so that personnel can be held accountable for using the technology

Synthesis of Kentucky’s Traveler Information Systems

After the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a dedicated phone number for real-time travel information services, the abbreviated 511 dialing code was founded in July 2000. The FCC reasoned that 511 services could reduce traffic congestion, air pollution, and the inefficient use of fossil fuels. 511 would, in turn, improve traveler safety. In 2010, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) mandated a set of requirements for systems that deliver real-time traffic information to the public. States DOTs were asked to comply with this mandate by November 2014. Many states, in addition to maintaining websites, also have dedicated mobile apps and a social media presence (e.g., one or multiple Twitter accounts) that communicate data on traffic and road conditions. Analysis of 511 usage data indicated that the number of phone calls received has dropped sharply since the mid-2000s. Conversely, the amount of traffic handled by KYTC’s websites and mobile apps has increased. Like the phone system, websites and mobile apps garner the most traffic during the winter months. Discussions with KYTC 511 stakeholders revealed that phone system will be less relevant — although necessary to maintain, particularly in rural areas. There was significant consensus among KYTC stakeholders about the strengths of the state’s current approach to delivering traffic information, and a number of improvements were put forward to enhance it in the future. A survey of Kentucky drivers revealed that a majority get their traffic information through digital content providers. Services such as Google and Waze are popular for retrieving maps and driving directions, while television and radio play an important role still, especially for the provision of information during hazardous weather. Government-provided services (i.e., 511, TRIMARC) are less popular among drivers, and only garner a fraction of the traffic of online services and traditional media. Discussions with other state DOTs revealed that many other states are currently in the process of rethinking their 511 and traveler information systems. Many plan to retool these over the next 2–3 years. While there was agreement among state DOTs that they will continue to provide authoritative traveler information, how they carry out this mandate is somewhat unclear