National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy cast a vision of zero fatalities as the standard metric by which transportation safety is measured during her keynote speech at this year’s Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting
“Plenty of people think that zero deaths is an unrealistic goal,” Ms. Homendy noted. But she pointed out that any transportation fatality is a tragedy. “We must care about the safety of strangers…because it’s the right thing to do.”
Steps Toward Zero Fatalities
Ms. Homendy’s stirring speech inspired transportation industry professionals to consider the ways in which they could work toward the goal of zero fatalities within their area of responsibility. While advances in technology and equipment have created great leaps in highway safety, it’s often the routine maintenance tasks that make the difference. These tasks can include:
- Ensuring assets are in a state of good repair.
- Installing guardrails properly and inspecting them regularly.
- Installing wrong way detection devices.
- Maintaining markings for all lanes (vehicle and bike/pedestrian) keeping them bright and vibrant.
- Replacing faded or illegible signs and ensuring they are retroreflective.
- Repairing damaged pavement and staying ahead of potholes.
- Keeping drains open to prevent back up and reduce the possibility of flooding.
The tasks are straightforward, but they are rarely simple. Transportation asset management is a complex job with an ever-changing set of demands. Creating and executing a regular maintenance schedule is more difficult than it sounds. And that’s where Pillar can help.
How Pillar Can Help You Keep Roads Safe
PILLAR is an asset management firm comprised of multidisciplined professionals with decades of tactical, strategic, and operational experts who are ethically committed to the well-being and safety of the public.
We deploy our proven CAPE method for every client to help them avoid pitfalls and overextended budgets. Through collection, assessment, planning, and execution, they have powerful data to create a systematic planning and management program, be intentional about their asset management, and reduce fatalities on the road. Here’s how it works:
Collection: PILLAR’s collection process combines cutting-edge technology with time-proven approaches. We will collect all existing and new data and normalize it with the tools you’re already using.
Assessment: Using a combination of modern technology and hands-on field experience, we can accurately evaluate the condition of your assets.
Planning: We can help with asset management planning. Our data-driven strategies clearly address your assets’ maintenance needs to help you secure necessary funding and close the skill gap for your company.
Execution: PILLAR’s execution process uses the best-equipped Operations and Maintenance managers to help reduce skill gaps, address public concerns, handle financial adversity, manage and monitor contractors, inspect jobs, and adjust existing plans.
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Ms. Homendy emphasized, “Safety, especially when it comes to new policies new transportation policies and new technologies whether it’s on our roads in the air or anywhere throughout our transportation system, cannot be overlooked ever.”
We couldn’t agree more. Contact us today to see how we can help you work toward the goal of zero fatalities in your transportation infrastructure.