Intelligent Transportation Systems - City of Oakland

diagnostic equipment, maintain an adequate spare parts inventory, and pursue an
effective equipment replacement strategy.
A major challenge for transportation agencies of all sizes is adequately funding O&M.
Additional performance measures for O&M activities could be added to the overall
Program performance measures to help provide the needed focus on O&M funding.
Measuring performance of O&M activities will increase the visibility of the importance of
maintaining and operating the investments already made and will help to raise the
funding priority. Specifically measuring the performance of management and operations
activities will also provide quantitative needs when budgets are prepared.
Some specific measures that can be used for O&M performance are:
• Mean-time-to respond;
• Mean-time-to-repair;
• Percent of devices meeting visibility and operational guidelines;
• Percent of devices that have had preventive maintenance tasks performed within
the prescribed time frame;
• Percent of arterials with traffic flows at optimum efficiency;
• Percent of transportation system with appropriate traffic controls installed;
• Percent traffic signals installed within 12 months of funding approval;
• Percentage of signals that are re-timed at appropriate intervals;
• Percent signs and markings installed within 21 days of initial study request; and
• Core service cost to budget ratio.
Another way to help establish and demonstrate the need for O&M funding is by
establishing a life cycle cost model for replacing existing system elements and
components. This model could be part of the integrated maintenance management
system. The results of the model should be used to establish a capital improvement
program budget for system preservation.
The Federal government continues to recognize the need to provide O&M funding for
ITS investments and is continuing to commit to making Federal funds available. They
alone, however, are not likely to offset the full amount of funds required to implement a
comprehensive operations and maintenance plan. Funding opportunities for O&M are
discussed in greater detail in Section 10.
9.6 RECOMMENDATIONS
The following recommendations are for the City of Oakland to consider with respect to
operations and management of their citywide ITS system.
9.6.1 Develop a Staffing, Training and Resources Plan
The City of Oakland should develop and adopt a staffing plan that provides for sufficient,
qualified, and experienced staff for both operating and maintaining systems. This task
includes the following sub tasks:
• Maintenance Staffing – Hire 2 FTEs for the City of Oakland Electrical Services
Division for the near term and then another 6 FTEs as the system expands. This
may involve hiring new City employees or shifting duties among available staff to
ensure more time is dedicated to ITS and traffic signal maintenance.
City of Oakland ITS Strategic Plan
119 September, 2003