Utilize clearance time incentives when contracting with towing service providers to reduce incident clearance times.

Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise experience with innovative contracting for incident management services.

Date Posted
09/16/2005
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Identifier
2005-L00051

Florida's Turnpike Enterprise Takes Proactive RISC in Incident Management, The SunGuide Disseminator

Summary Information

Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) has contracted with four towing organizations to respond to major incidents involving large vehicles on the facility. The new initiative is referred to as the Roadway Incident Scene Clearance (RISC) program. The towing organizations cover 75 percent of the FTE statewide roadway system. Contractors can earn a $2,500 bonus if they a) respond to the incident within 60 minutes; and b) if they reopen the roadway to traffic within 90 minutes of the Florida Highway Patrol's (FHP) notice to proceed for clearance work. If the roadway is not cleared within 3 hours of the incident, a penalty of $10 per minute is enforced.

Lessons Learned

Utilize clearance time incentives when contracting with towing service providers to reduce incident clearance times.



The use of this incentive driven contracting mechanism and implementation of the RISC program has reduced incident clearance times. The RISC program is improving mobility and safety by ensuring that normal operating conditions are returned as quickly and safely as possible.



The program was activated 15 times in the first 9 months of deployment. The success of the program was demonstrated through the ability of the towing contractors to clear each of these incidents within 90 minutes of the notice to proceed issued by the FHP.



The average time to respond to an incident was 41 minutes, well under the required response time of 60 minutes; and the average clearance time was 55 minutes, well under the required 90 minutes to receive bonus incentives.



Key characteristics of the incidents include the involvement of large Class 8 trucks, with some of the 15 incidents including spilled debris or cargo.

Goal Areas

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