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Overview the Florida
TMA Evaluation Criteria

BACKGROUND

The support of transportation management associations (TMA), also commonly referred to as transportation management organizations (TMO), by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is part of the Florida strategic plan to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, and protect the environment. State funding from FDOT may be provided to the TMAs organized as private non-profit corporations, in cooperation with local government[s] or regional commuter assistance programs, that are established according to local comprehensive plans or regional commuter assistance program goals. State start-up funds may be granted to TMAs in the following ratio: 50% - first year, 40% - second year, and 30% - third year. After the third year, "TMAs will be eligible for continued funding at the lesser of $20,000 or 25% of their total budget, provided they are meeting the performance criteria outlined in their existing JPA [joint participation agreement]. Board member in-kind contributions may count toward local match requirements. Variations from these levels is permitted with prior consultation with the Central Office." To be eligible for state funding, a TMA must provide the Department with a detailed Agency Annual Work Plan, articles of incorporation and bylaws, geographic boundaries, trip management goals, a financing plan, an institutional structure, and potential membership estimates. In addition to providing this information and as part of the condition for funding, the TMA "shall utilize the Department's TMA Self Evaluation program on an annual basis. Results of the evaluation will be reported to the District office annually." The following represents the TMA Self Evaluation Program. Please refer to the FDOT Commuter Assistance Program Description Topic No.: 725-030-008C for more detailed information about TMA funding support and requirements.

 

CRITERIA PURPOSES

The TMA Performance Criteria are the basis for assessing TMA performance and for giving feedback to the TMA and FDOT. In addition, the Criteria have many important roles in strengthening TDM effectiveness in Florida:

  1. Designing the TDM evaluation requires the TMA to examine the clarity of its objectives, the ease with which they can be measured, and the possibility of their being achieved.
  2. Redirecting efforts when it is determined elements of the program have or do not have desired results.
  3. Showing evidence to other agencies and the public of the diligence and sincerity of the TMA.
  4. Supplying powerful factual information for public relations campaigns.
  5. Helping other TMAs to anticipate problems in implementing similar programs and provide yardsticks against which others may measure their success.

 

TMA PERFORMANCE GOALS

The Criteria are designed to help TMAs enhance their performance through focus on dual, results-oriented goals:

  1. delivery of ever-improving value to customers, resulting in greater use of alternatives to the single occupant vehicle by commuters; and
  2. improvement of overall TMA operational performance (e.g., lower cost per person served).

 

OVERVIEW OF CRITERIA

It is helpful to review, as a whole, the complete set of 7 Criteria responses. An eighth category, "Other", is provided to allow the TMA to provide any additional basis for evaluation. These Criteria are:

  1. Corporate Leadership and Involvement
  2. Suitability of Goals and Objectives
  3. Development and Deployment of Strategic Plan
  4. Financial Management Systems
  5. Degree of External Visibility
  6. Effectiveness of Programs
  7. Measure of Commuter and Member Satisfaction

There are three main considerations in this review: (1) emphasis on the TMA's mission, goals, and objectives throughout the set of responses; (2) criteria that address factors particularly important to the TMA's operations should receive relatively more emphasis; and, (3) responses should be checked to ensure that responses to related Criteria are consistent, and that there is appropriate cross-referencing to minimize duplication.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CRITERIA

  1. The Criteria are directed toward results. The Criteria focus principally on six key areas of TMA performance, given below. Results are a composite of:
    • corporate leadership and involvement
    • strategic planning
    • customer satisfaction/retention
    • cost effectiveness
    • financial stability
    • communications

    Improvements in these six results areas contribute significantly to TMA performance. The results indicators also recognize the importance of contributions to improving other transportation operators or suppliers.

  2. The Criteria are non-prescriptive. The Criteria's focus is on requirements that produce results, not on dictating procedures or imposing organizational structures. Through this approach, TMAs are encouraged to develop and demonstrate creative, adaptive and flexible approaches to meeting basic requirements. The non-prescriptive nature of the requirements thus fosters incremental and major ("breakthrough") improvement.
  3. The Criteria are flexible. The selection of techniques, systems and organizational structure usually depends upon many factors such as TMA size, service area, the TMA's stage of development, and employee capabilities. The TMA, in cooperation with their FDOT District office and/or regional commuter assistance program, selects which data items, processes, and performance measures best describe its mission and accomplishments.
  4. The Criteria are comprehensive. The Criteria address all internal and external requirements of the TMA, including those related to fulfilling its public responsibilities. New or changing strategies or directions of the TMA may be readily adapted within the same set of Criteria requirements.
  5. The Criteria are part of a feedback system. The Criteria are a set of 7 basic, interrelated, results-oriented requirements. An assessment thus provides a profile of strengths and areas for improvement relative to the 7 areas. In this way, the assessment directs attention to processes and actions that contribute to the desired results.

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Read the entire booklet before you begin.

The main sections of the booklet provide an overall orientation to the Criteria and how to gather what your TMA is asked to provide.

  • Anticipate assessment and feedback.

A well-written response is one that anticipates reviewer questions. A response should give clear information on how (approach) and on the implementation (deployment) of the approach. Anecdotal information should not be given as it is usually not possible to provide meaningful feedback. Examples are, of course, helpful but they often do not convey a picture of why the TMA is involved in such an activity or how it is carried out. If examples are used, make certain that they illustrate a more complete response than already presented.

  • Make responses concise.

Responses should provide as complete a picture as possible to enable meaningful evaluation and feedback. Responses should outline key process details such as methods, measures, implementation, and evaluation factors. However, the TMA should not use lengthy narratives or inclusion of information not directly responsive to Criteria requirements. For this reason, TMAs are urged to make all responses concise and factual. Statements should be supported with data whenever appropriate.

  • Understand the difference between measures and indicators.

    All Criteria calling for results require data using key measures and/or indicators. Measures and indicators both involve measurement related to performance. When the performance can be measured directly, such as number of persons placed into carpools and carpool formation rate, the term "measure" is used. When the overall performance may not be evaluated in terms of one type of measurement, and two or more measurements are used to provide ("indicate") a more complete picture, the term "indicator" is used.

For example, "creativity" is not easily described in terms of a single measurement. Awards for marketing materials and increased awareness provide two indicators of creativity. However, the effectiveness of this creativity on travel behavior would require measuring changes to market share gain from introduction of these creative products or services to measure success.

  • Select relevant/important information.

    Focus on information that is both directly responsive to the Criteria requirements and to meeting TMA goals and objectives contained in the TMA Overview (described below). Information and data included should be relevant and important to meeting the Criteria and improving the TMA's performance.

     

  • Cross-reference when appropriate.

    Although TMAs should seek to make individual responses self-contained, there may be instances when responses to different Criteria are mutually reinforcing. In such cases it is appropriate to reference responses to other Criteria, rather than to repeat information presented elsewhere.

     

  • Review each response.

    The TMA shall be required to respond to each of the 7 criteria. Each response should be reviewed to make certain that it addresses the Criteria requirements and is consistent with the TMA's mission, goals, and objectives contained in the TMA Overview.

 

Center for Urban Transportation Research · University of South Florida · 4202 E. Fowler Ave., CUT 100
· Tampa, FL 33620-5375
  (813) 974-3120 · (813) 974-5168 (fax) · winters@cutr.usf.edu