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The Oregon Traveler Information Council (TIC) completed a first phase study to determine whether the sponsorship of ITS Traveler Information pages could be modeled after the current method used for road sign sponsorship around Oregon. The results were positive, and as a result, the Oregon TIC moved forward with a cooperative project with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to leverage funding for a joint traveler information web page.
One thing that made Oregon’s approach to sponsorship unique was that the Oregon TIC was a public agency that sold the sponsorship for the gas/food/lodging signs. In most other states, this sponsorship function is outsourced. The agency performing the advertising sales typically either performs it without any payment from the DOT; or in the case of some states, actually pays the DOT for the authority to sell advertising on the road signs.
The results of the Oregon Study were a starting point for this project. The research conducted in the Oregon study included a series of focus groups with businesses around the state, as well as, an examination of the legislation associated with such sponsorship. Although the sponsorship legislation is specific to each state, it served as a good starting point for this project.
Since many ENTERPRISE states have, traveler information systems that utilize one or more of 511, Low-Power FM (LPFM), or traveler information web pages, each of these were potential candidates to have sponsorship help recover costs of operation.
This project built upon the results of the Oregon sponsorship project and took the sponsorship concept to the next step by reviewing the potential for modeling sponsorship of traveler information systems (i.e. 511, LPFM, and web pages) off of the current model of gas/food/lodging signs.
The project included close interaction with the agency that performed the sponsorship sales and maintenance in many of the states. These agencies had a proven and successful model for businesses in both rural and urban areas of the state supporting traveler information signs in the DOT right-of-way.
Project Activities
The work completed as a part of this project included the following:
Task 1: Sponsorship Analysis
This task included conducting an analysis of how sponsorship for gas/food/lodging signs work in different ENTERPRISE states. In many states, this was an initial discussion between the ITS group and the road sign group. A synopsis will be prepared which identifies the sponsorship models identified.
Task 2: Business Planning Meeting
This task included conducting a local Business Planning Meeting in each ENTERPRISE state that were interested in pursuing the sponsorship option (budgeted as four states). The purpose of the meeting was to facilitate a discussion between the ITS group, the road sign group, and the agency or firm currently responsible for selling the sponsorship slots. This meeting attempted to determine if it was possible for the same sponsorship model to be used for 511, LPFM, or traveler web pages, and how this process can move forward.
Task 3: Development of Preliminary Sponsorship Agreements
This task included developing preliminary Sponsorship Agreements in the states that agreed to move forward with the sponsorship model. The agreements served as a launching point for DOTs recovering operational costs through sponsorship of traveler information systems.
Task 4: Final Report and Presentation
Based on Tasks 1-3, a Final Report was prepared documenting the feasibility of the sponsorship approach that may be shared with all states. The report was presented both electronically and in hard copy formats. The consultant developed a PowerPoint presentation of the project findings for public presentation.
Deliverables
The following products were delivered from this project:
- A synopsis of how sponsorship of gas/food/lodging sign sponsorships work in each ENTERPRISE state.
- Facilitated workshops in each state to determine the feasibility for cooperation.
- Business plans for each state interested in moving forward.
- Final report documenting the feasibility of this approach that may be shared with all states.
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