Customers and Their Customers and Their ExpectationsExpectations

The Mn/DOT Maintenance PerspectiveThe Mn/DOT Maintenance Perspective

By Mark WikeliusBy Mark Wikelius

MQA Peer Exchange, October 12MQA Peer Exchange, October 12thth, 2004, 2004

OverviewOverview•Maintenance management modelMaintenance management model

•Market researchMarket research

•Targets/performance measuresTargets/performance measures

Maintenance Business Maintenance Business PlanningPlanning

Measuring quality from the Measuring quality from the

customers viewpointcustomers viewpoint

Decisions supported by dataDecisions supported by data

Business View of theBusiness View of theMaintenance FunctionMaintenance Function

Customers

Maintenance Function

Mission

Products&

Services

OperationsResource Allocation

Expense

Funding

NetValue

Specific ProductOr

Service

Result

&Consumption

Measurement:

How well have customerneeds been met?

Measurement:

How much funding (expense)was consumed to provide

the product or service?

Measurement:

How well areproducts or servicesbeing delivered?

Measurement:

Has the product or service been developed and produced in the best possible way?

Measurement:

What are customer'sexpectations?

Maintenance Maintenance Products and ServiceProducts and Service

• Clear roadways• Smooth pavements• Available bridges• Attractive roadsides• Safety features• Highway permit/regulations• Motorist services

Market Research - 1994Market Research - 1994

• Qualitative researchQualitative research• Test our hypothesis of customer based Test our hypothesis of customer based

productsproducts• Quantitative researchQuantitative research• Rank products and services by importanceRank products and services by importance• Rate current level of performanceRate current level of performance• Determine trade-offs between products andDetermine trade-offs between products and

servicesservices

Market Research - 1996Market Research - 1996

• Re-check with the customerRe-check with the customer– importance, performance, importance, performance,

trade-offstrade-offs• Seasonal impact - Seasonal impact -

summer/wintersummer/winter• Customer opinions of roadside Customer opinions of roadside

maintenance changesmaintenance changes

Market Research - 2000Market Research - 2000

• Current customer expectationsCurrent customer expectations– ImportanceImportance– PerformancePerformance

• Compare expectations & Compare expectations & perceptions with 1994, 1996 resultsperceptions with 1994, 1996 results

 

8.2 8.1 8.27.3 7.0 7.1

-0.9 -1.1 -1.1-2

0

2

4

6

8

10

1994 1996 2000

Importance

Performance

Gap

Importance and PerformanceImportance and Performance

 

9.5 9.3 9.2 9.1 9.1 8.7 8.6 8.4 8.2 8.2 8.0 7.9 7.9 7.9

5.9 5.6

0

2

4

6

8

10

Sto

p li

ghts

vis

ible

Roads c

lear

of ic

e/s

now

Hig

hw

ay s

igns r

ead

able

Roads c

lear

of debris

Road s

trip

es

vis

ible

Road s

urf

aces

sm

ooth

Guard

rails

work

ing

Lig

htin

g w

ork

s

Roads in

sim

ilar

conditi

on

Shoul

ders

good

Bridge

lanes o

pen

Rest are

as c

lean

Curr

ent i

nfo

. -

hig

hways

Litt

er

rem

oved

Pla

nts

look

good

Wee

ds e

limin

ate

d

2000 Importance Ratings Safety Issues Driving/Roadway Conditions Roadside Environment

8.4 8.1 8.0 7.8 7.38.1 8.1

7.5 7.46.7 6.5

7.7 7.2 7.2 6.8 6.8

0

2

4

6

8

10

Sto

p lig

hts

visi

ble

Hig

hway

sig

ns r

eada

ble

Roa

ds c

lear

of i

ce/s

now

Roa

ds c

lear

of d

ebris

Roa

d st

ripes

vis

ible

Gua

rdra

ils w

orki

ng

Ligh

ting

wor

ks

Brid

ge la

nes

open

Sho

ulde

rs g

ood

Roa

ds in

sim

ilar

cond

ition

Roa

d su

rfac

es s

moo

th

Res

t are

as c

lean

Cur

rent

info

. - h

ighw

ays

Litte

r re

mov

ed

Pla

nts

look

goo

d

Wee

ds e

limin

ated

2000 Performance Ratings Safety Issues Driving/Roadway Conditions Roadside Environment

OmnibusOmnibus• Since mid-80’s

– Economical, – Fairly quick– Multi-topic

• 800 statewide, representative and random phone interviews

• Balanced to Metro and GM

Maintenance Variables Measured Since ‘94

• Road maintenance• Clearing roads of snow and ice• Keeping road surfaces smooth and comfortable • Eliminating weeds  • Making highway signs clearly readable  • Making road stripes and markings clearly visible• Removing litter and trash• Keeping the plants, grasses and flowers looking

good

Maintenance Trending Data (Statewide)

Overall 7.3

Clear Roads (I&S)

7.6

Surface Smooth

6.7

Weeds Roadsides

7.1

Signage 8.3

Striping 7.5

Litter Removal

7.6

Plants & Flowers

7.2

6.4

7.4

6.4

6.6

8.1

7.4

6.9

6.7

6.3

7.8

6.3

6.7

8.0

7.2

6.9

6.8

6.3

7.4

6.2

6.7

8.0

7.2

6.9

6.7

7.1

8.0

6.5

6.8

8.1

7.3

7.2

6.8

7.0

7.6

6.6

6.8

8.2

7.7

7.3

6.8

1999 Snow and Ice Market 1999 Snow and Ice Market ResearchResearch

•Focus groupsFocus groups

• Level of serviceLevel of service

• Acceptable/ ExpectedAcceptable/ Expected

Methodology• Licensed drivers 16 years +• Had to drive in the winter in

Minnesota• Saw videotapes of various winter

driving road conditions - 2 Lane - 4 Lane divided - Interstate (Metro only)

2-Lane Road2-Lane RoadGreater MinnesotaGreater Minnesota

VERY / SOMEWHATACCEPTABLE

Leave for work 6 a.m. - 3 hours

after snowfall ended

Leave for work between7 and 9 a.m. - 4 to 6 hours

after snowfall ended

9 hours after snowfall

ended

13-15 hours after snowfall

ended

Snow covered/compacted 32% 26% 19% 15%

One intermittent wheel path 54% 42% 31% 27%

Two intermittent wheel paths 62% 54% 44% 41%

Two lanes (centerline covered,no edge lines showing)

89% 94% 85% 80%

Two lanes (centerline covered,edge lines showing)

69% 74% 58% 49%

Fully bare 96% 99% 97% 96%

2-Lane Road Metro2-Lane Road Metro

4-Lane Divided4-Lane DividedGreater MinnesotaGreater Minnesota

4-Lane Divided Metro4-Lane Divided Metro

Bare Lane DefinitionBare Lane Definition

• All driving lanes are free of snow and All driving lanes are free of snow and ice between the outer edges of the ice between the outer edges of the wheel paths and have less than 1 wheel paths and have less than 1 inch of accumulation on center of the inch of accumulation on center of the roadway. roadway.

• This is the condition at which most This is the condition at which most drivers feel safe and comfortable drivers feel safe and comfortable when driving at posted speeds.when driving at posted speeds.

BARE LANE INDICATOR GUIDELINES

Classification AADT Target Regain Time Bare Lane Description

Super Commuter   Urban Commuter Rural Commuter      Primary   Secondary

Over 30,000   

10,000 – 30,000 

2,000 – 10,000      

800 – 2,000   

Under 800

hrs. 1-3 hrs.   

2-5 hrs. 

4-9 hrs.      

6-12 hrs.   

9-36 hrs

Bare Lanes are defined the same for all classifications as follows: All driving lanes are free of snow and ice between the outer edges of the wheel paths and have less than 1 inch of accumulation on the center of the roadway (See Figure 1, 5-791.310, Bare Lanes – Indicator Value). This is the condition at which most drivers feel safe and comfortable when driving at posted speeds.  The Bare Lane Regained date and time should be logged when this condition is obtained.   

Classification AADT Target Regain Time Bare Lane Description

Super Commuter   Urban Commuter Rural Commuter      Primary   Secondary

Over 30,000   

10,000 – 30,000 

2,000 – 10,000      

800 – 2,000   

Under 800

hrs. 1-3 hrs.   

2-5 hrs. 

4-9 hrs.      

6-12 hrs.   

9-36 hrs

Bare Lanes are defined the same for all classifications as follows: All driving lanes are free of snow and ice between the outer edges of the wheel paths and have less than 1 inch of accumulation on the center of the roadway (See Figure 1, 5-791.310, Bare Lanes – Indicator Value). This is the condition at which most drivers feel safe and comfortable when driving at posted speeds.  The Bare Lane Regained date and time should be logged when this condition is obtained.   

Statewide

Notes: See Executive Summary

Statewide Compare

Notes: See District Summaries

Thank YouThank You