Abstract:
Transportation research is often open ended and difficult to measure in that its beneficiaries may not know how they have been served by research activities and results. This research project sought to (a) obtain feedback from Ohio Department of Transportation (Ohio DOT) constituents; (b) develop a strategic communication plan that supports Ohio DOT's overall mission and goals, keeping in mind research office resources; and (c) develop a communication template that other departments of transportation could model or use. To accomplish those objectives, existing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors concerning Ohio DOT's research office were obtained through a number of surveys. Those surveyed included the Ohio general public, internal DOT constituents (technical liaisons, administrators and directors, district deputy directors, district research contacts, and FHWA regional center directors), and external DOT constituents (consultants, contractors, transportation committee legislators, and college civil engineering department heads). In addition, a nationwide survey of department of transportation research office directors was conducted to determine the constituents with whom these offices communicate and the means by which they do so. Common areas of interest among constituents were identified; from those, key research-office message points were proposed, as were constituents' preferred methods of receiving research office information. The study also found that most research office directors believed that they communicated well internally but did not communicate effectively to external audiences. Part of this problem could lie in their failing to utilize communication office personnel, who have the expertise and contacts to spread the word about transportation research.
