By Chris Krueger

Mn/DOT plans to test technology this summer that will demonstrate how motorists would pay a mileage-based user fee—a charge based on the miles they drive, rather than on how much gas their vehicle uses. The department will start recruiting 500 volunteers from Wright and Hennepin counties for the Minnesota Road Fee Test in May; research will begin in July.

“This research will provide important feedback from motorists about the effectiveness of using technology in a car or truck to gather mileage information,” said Cory Johnson, MBUF project manager. “We are researching alternative financing methods today that could be used 10 or 20 years from now when the number of fuel-efficient and hybrid cars increase and no longer produce enough revenue from a gas tax to build and repair roads.”

In 2007, the Minnesota Legislature appropriated $5 million from the trunk highway fund for the demonstration. Mn/DOT has contracted with several companies to conduct the technology research. An adequate evaluation of MBUF technology must include a parallel policy evaluation, according to Johnson, so the department awarded a $395,000 contract to the University of Minnesota Humphrey School to conduct the policy study.

The research will help the department and public policy leaders understand the challenges and opportunities in such a system.

Mn/DOT is seeking volunteers from Wright and Hennepin counties because the area offers a mix of motorists who travel on rural and urban roads. The volunteers will use a Smart Phone with a GPS application that also has been programmed to allow motorists to submit information, which Mn/DOT will use to evaluate whether the device provides timely, reliable travel data from that specific trip. In addition, the test will examine whether other applications, such as real-time traffic alerts that provide information on construction zones, crashes, congestion and road hazards, are effective in communicating safety messages to motorists.

Three different groups of volunteers will test the devices for six months each. The volunteers will be paid a nominal stipend to cover the expenses of this test.

The technical research is designed to record miles and road use while strictly protecting the privacy of participants. The participants’ names and home contact information, as well as the data that identifies their vehicle, financial account information, travel routes, and days and times of trips, are classified as not public by the Minnesota Department of Administration to ensure that the research and results are valid.

The department has established a policy task force to examine implications of implementing a mileage-based user fee. The task force, to be chaired by former state Rep. Bernie Lieder, will hold meetings throughout the state and survey Minnesotans about concerns that should be addressed before such a fee could be implemented.

Other state DOTs are researching alternative financing methods as well to supplement or replace a gas tax. The state of Oregon conducted a similar study, completed in November 2007, and Iowa, Nevada and Texas are among several states currently researching mileage-based user fees.

Minnesota’s highway revenues are derived from three sources: the gas tax, vehicle registration fee or tabs, and the motor vehicle sales tax. These funding sources support construction and maintenance of a highway system. Based on its last state transportation plan, the department anticipates as much as a $50 billion transportation funding shortfall during the next 20 years.

The research is scheduled to end by December 2012 and results will be made available to the public at www.mndot.gov.

Employees are invited to attend one of three Workers Memorial Day events Thursday, April 28:

• Central Office, Metro District—9 a.m. at the Workers Memorial Garden on the State Capitol lawn in St. Paul
• District 6/Rochester—9 a.m. at the District 6/Rochester Headquarters
• District 7/Mankato—Noon at the District 7/Mankato Headquarters

Gov. Mark Dayton, U.S. Rep. Tim Walz and Commissioner Tom Sorel will speak at the Mankato event. Representatives from the Minnesota State Patrol and local unions also will participate in the commemorations.

Representatives from the Minnesota State Patrol and local unions also will participate in the commemorations.

“The ceremonies come at a time when we are still mourning the loss of Mike Struck, one of 46 brave workers who paid the ultimate price in pursuit of keeping Minnesota’s roads clear and safe for the driving public,” Sorel said.

Struck, a nine-year employee at Mn/DOT District 7/Mankato, died March 22, 2011, when the backhoe he was using to clear debris along Hwy 169 between Mankato and St. Peter was pulled into flood waters.

“The passing of Mike Struck is a tragic reminder of the dangers our men and women deal with,” Sorel said.

The agency’s statewide observance to commemorate the day will be highlighted by 10 seconds of silence to honor those Mn/DOT employees and contract workers who have been injured or killed on the job.

For more information on Workers Memorial Day, visit www.dot.state.mn.us/const/tools/workermemorial.html. 

Frank "Duff" Bement, District 6/Rochester Construction, is now eligible for the state vacation donation program, which allows employees to donate up to 40 hours of vacation per fiscal year for approved recipients who have exhausted their sick and vacation leave due to illness.

Bement is suffering from complications resulting from abdominal surgery. He spent nearly four weeks in intensive care at St. Mary’s Hospital and continues to have complications that have led to additional hospitalization.

To donate vacation hours, go to the Employee Self Service Web site and click “Other Payroll” and then “Leave Donations.” The site also allows employees to view a list of all state employees eligible for the program and enroll as a recipient.

Related information:

Road to recovery: Vacation donation program eases the pain (Newsline, Nov. 10, 2010)—Read a viewpoint from one Mn/DOT recipient.

Employees interested in attending the latest Commissioner’s Reading Corner discussion can still sign up at ihub/readingcorner/index.html. Kevin Gutknecht, Communications director, will lead a discussion of “Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Teal Book of Trust: How to Earn it, Grow it, and Keep it to Become a Trusted Advisor in Sales, Business, & Life.”

The discussion will take place Wednesday, May 4, at 1:30 p.m., in the Mn/DOT Library at Central Office. Employees also can participate virtually via Adobe Connect and should log in as a guest no earlier than 1:15 p.m. All employees are encouraged to attend, even if they have not yet read the book, according to Qin Tang, Mn/DOT librarian.

This will be the third book discussion of the 2011 season.

Employees can prepare for the fourth reading corner discussion by checking out a copy of “Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game,” by Michael Lewis. Nick Thompson, Policy, Safety & Strategic Initiatives Division director, will lead a discussion of that book June 1.

For more information on the Commissioner’s Reading Corner, visit ihub/readingcorner. Website updates, including the addition of interviews with future discussion leaders, will occur in the coming weeks.

By Jessica Wiens

The Diversity Council is offering a one-time course for all employees May 23 that explores the similarities and unique features of three Western religions—Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Dr. Steven Derfler from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls will present “Rediscovering our Religious Roots: The Children of Abraham” at the event, which will take place from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Arden Hills Training Center. Employees unable to attend in person can participate virtually via Adobe Connect. A link to log in as a guest will be available in the coming weeks.

Participants will gain a new understanding about how people express their religious beliefs and how these three religions connect at their beginnings.

“Religion is one aspect of culture that influences our interactions here at Mn/DOT,” said Mike Barnes, Diversity Council chair. “Judaism, Christianity and Islam all have rituals, literature and symbols that are often quite different, but their origins are connected.” 

Interested employees should talk to their supervisor and coordinate with their employee development specialist to register through the Mn/DOT Learning Center by Friday, May 20.

Course codes:

• Classroom session: #0000208352
• Adobe Connect session: #0000208354

For more information about the Diversity Council, visit ihub.dot.state.mn.us/diversity/.

By Becky Dahlberg

Employees interested in sustainability and how to implement it at their workplace are invited to an agencywide video conference April 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Video conference rooms have been reserved at A and B facilities in all districts, as well as the ground floor at Central Office.

Teresa Chapman, sustainability team manager, and Cindy Carlsson, sustainability project manager, will be on hand to discuss the Sustainability Flagship Initiative, how it started, where it’s at now and how employees can translate sustainable ideas into actions.

“The meeting will increase employee awareness and understanding of sustainability and provide a forum for understanding the unique needs of Mn/DOT workplaces around the state,” Chapman said.

In particular, Chapman and Carlsson said they are looking for employees who care about sustainability and greener living and want to join a sustainability team.

“A sustainability team is a group of interested employees who will work together to increase sustainability at their work site,” Chapman said.

District- or office-based teams will identify strategies during the next three months to help reduce paper use, conserve and recycle materials, and otherwise increase sustainability where they work. Team leads will be identified for each location, according to Chapman, who will coordinate with other volunteers to measure progress.

For more information and tips for living and working sustainably, visit ihub/emaginationjam/greenteam.

“The website will be updated throughout the summer as we follow the results of each sustainability team’s efforts,” Chapman said.

By Qin Tang

The March 2011 edition of New Library Materials is now available at www.dot.state.mn.us/library/newlibmat.html.

Check out the latest New Library Materials to read more about the new Kindle eBook Readers available at the Mn/DOT Library. Archived editions of New Library Materials are available at www.dot.state.mn.us/library/recacq-archive.html.

New Library Materials is a compilation of new titles and other resources added to the library collection during the previous month. If you would like to be added to the distribution list, please contact Pam Gonzalez at 651-366-3749.