1. Home
2. Ideas
3. Methods and Tools to Monitor, Report, an...

Methods and Tools to Monitor, Report, and Assess Performance of TMS Operators

• Jun 19, 2025

Research Description

Research Problem Statement: The purpose of traffic management systems (TMSs) is to improve safety and mobility on the surface transportation system. TMSs active management, operation, and use of functions, actions, and services are critical to managing traffic and sharing information. TMSs with operations centers (TMCs) rely on operators to carry out many of these functions, actions, or services in response to planned and unplanned events which may adversely impact traffic. These actions may involve sharing information with other systems, dispatchers for emergency responders or service providers, and sharing information with travelers (e.g., website, messages displayed on changeable messages signs).

To ascertain whether TMCs are performing as expected and delivering on expected goals/objectives, there is a need for performance measures, evaluation using appropriate data, and comparison to performance indicators or targets. The role TMS operators have with actively managing traffic and carrying out the applicable functions, actions, or services are critical to the performance of the system and travel on the surface transportation system. Collecting, compiling, assessing, and reporting on the performance of operators is a critical to being able to assess and report on the performance of the TMS. Many agencies also contract for services to operate their TMSs. Where these contracts involve managing and reporting on the performance of the TMS and operators.

The TMC Pooled Fund Study has identified a number of different measures, data being collected, indicators of performance (e.g., thresholds), and techniques to report on the performance of operators. Where the reporting on performance of different agencies identified different measures, thresholds, tools, and methods being used to collect, compile, analyze, report, and use information on the performance of TMS operators.

Purpose: To identify the range of methods, tools, data, measures, and thresholds used to assess, report, and incorporate the performance of operators into the management and operation of the TMSs. This proposal also looks to explore how the performance of operators is being used by agencies to enhance the performance of their TMS, scheduling of staff, management and use of staff based on their experience and demands on the TMS, and an input into the capacity building and career development of TMS operators.

Needs and gaps in practice: Many agencies have only recently initiated efforts associated with monitoring, tracking, and reporting on the performance of TMS operators. Agencies have developed and are using different methods, tools, and techniques to collect, process, store, analyze, report, and use information on the performance of TMS operators. Many of these methods and tools are agency developed and able to be shared or provided to other agencies. Agencies who have advanced work in these areas have gained valuable insights into what has been beneficial or what may not have been productive.

These methods, tools, and experiences are valuable for other agencies to use as they continue to explore opportunities to enhance the performance of their TMS, enhance the capabilities and performance of TMS operators, support efforts to enhance the job satisfaction of TMS operators, and strive to address the continued increase in demands (e.g., increase in crashes, expanded service areas, added functions and services, increase in temporal and special spread of congestion) on TMS operators with limited increase in staff and support resources. Information on the current and changing trends in the performance of TMS operators is important to support agencies assessing the need for any changes to staffing plans, need for any additional or different classifications of operators, or contemplate changes in TMS operations based on projected changes in demand and agency resources.

Objectives: A review of literature, scan of practices, and synthesis findings to develop a technical report to assist agencies with:

· Identifying methods, tools, and data to support identifying and reporting on TMS operator performance.

· Exploring the range of performance measures, data which may need to be collect, process and issues to consider with identifying and reporting on performance thresholds for TMS operators.

· Reviewing and identifying the range of tools, techniques, and resources agencies are using which could be transferred or used by other agencies to enhance their ability to monitor, track, and report on TMS operator performance.

· Linking TMS operator performance measures and thresholds to the performance and goals of the TMS and roadways being managed and operated.

· Presenting the context on the approach, opportunities, and options for agencies to begin working or pursuing efforts to improve how they monitor, evaluate, and report on TMS operators performance.

· Exploring how the performance of TMS operators may be incorporated into the contracts, management, oversight, and evaluation of the performance of contractors retained by agencies to manage and operate TMSs.

Additional Supporting Information

SUBMITTED ON BEHALF OF JON OBENBERGER from TRB ITS COMMITTEE

Proposed products to be developed: · Technical report. · Outreach material (e.g., 2-page fact sheet, power point presentation).

Intended audience: Managers and supervisors, transportation engineers and planners, maintenance, IT, research community, or consulting firms others having a role in planning, designing, managing, and maintaining TMCs.

---

Submitted By

Adam Hopps

National Operations Center of Excellence

202-680-0091

Attachments