APPLICATION OF TELECONFERENCING WITHIN THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS & TRANSPORTATION

The report presents the findings of a study of the feasibility of audio teleconferencing in administrative and technical functions of the Virginia Department of Highways and Transportation. The study was, for the most part, an evaluation of 26 audio teleconferences conducted over a one-year period. These teleconferences employed newly purchased teleconferencing equipment located in 11 Department offices throughout the state and involved 329 people. The largest teleconference had 55 participants and the smallest had 3. The most common uses of the teleconferences were for meetings between district and resident engineers and for the dissemination of information to the district offices. The gross cost savings in travel and nonproductive salary realized from the 26 teleconferences for meetings was estimated using a computer program and found to be $18,000. Futher, it was estimated that if more of the numerous meetings between field and Central Office personnel were held by teleconference, savings in excess of $100,000 per year from the reduction in travel would not be uncommon. Department staff overwhelmingly accepted teleconferencing as a communications tool. A questionnaire sent to the teleconference participants revealed that two-thirds of them believed their teleconferences had been as successful as face-to-face meetings, and 90% said teleconferencing would enhance communication within the Department, especially that between the Central Office and the field. It appears that meetings involving information exchange, policy formation, announcements, and statewide and districtwide briefings can and should be conducted by teleconference. Meetings at which considerable debate or argumentation is likely to take place are probably best held face to face. Finally, it was concluded thaa teleconferences are generally significantly shorter than face-to-face meetings, result in participation from persons who might not normally attend due to travel and time constraints, and facilitate quick decision making since the needed information exchange is immediate. On the negative side, open discussion and brainstorming are sometimes suppressed due to lack of visual contact, and deliberations tend to be more formal and less personal. Also, since some people may view travel as a fringe benefit, they may view a reduction in travel opportunities to be a disadvantage. (Author)

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• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/19132
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/19063
• Corporate Authors:

  Virginia Highway and Transportation Research Council

  Charlottesville, VA  United States 

  Virginia Department of Highways

  Traffic and Planning Division, 1221 East Broad Street
  Richmond, VA  United States  23219

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Perfater, M A
• Publication Date: 1985-6

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 39 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Savings; State highway departments; Telecommunications; Teleconferencing
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00396669
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/VA-85/36, VHTRC 85-R36
• Contract Numbers: 2061
• Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Aug 25 2004 1:28AM