OUR VISION...
To be recognized by our customers as offering a premiere transportation value and to be the preferred highway in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Convenient and safe travel has always been the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission's highest priority. The complex process of continually achieving that goal as we move towards a new millenium has recently been spelled out in a far-reaching Strategic Plan.

Turnpike Executive Director John T. Durbin said, "A great deal of time and thought have gone into this Strategic Plan. Although I am sure we will modify the original document as situations dictate, we have specific steps that will help us reach our goals. This Plan benefits Turnpike customers as well as Turnpike employees."

Included in the overall Strategic Plan are three major goals, all supported by a number of proposed actions.

Goal number one is to achieve a state-of-the-art highway transportation system, with emphasis on customer satisfaction. Because achieving this goal involves the interaction of many departments, a variety of steps must be taken.

First, the most effective and innovative technologies must be chosen -- ones that provide the greatest safety and value for Turnpike customers. This includes focusing on producing an improved, more durable roadway that meets customer expectations. All rehabilitation and construction operations are to be carried out with minimum disruption to the motoring public.

In the area of enhanced communications, the Commission supports the use of fiber optics and digital microwave systems, as well as local and wide area networks. Implementing Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technology in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is yet another avenue leading to improved customer communication.

Goal one also includes replacing the Turnpike's aging Fare Collection system with more efficient technology, beginning with the Mon Fayette Expressway and the Philadelphia region. There is also a plan to relieve traffic congestion in the busy Philadelphia area by implementing Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) by the year 2000 and constructing several slip ramps or access ramps that will provide ETC customers traveling the Turnpike the ability to get on or off the highway at various points located in between regular Turnpike Interchanges.

Turnpike teams will continue to investigate the latest safety technology, looking for new and faster ways to respond to emergencies, while identifying and implementing opportunities for improving the incident management process.

Lastly, the Turnpike will implement Intelligent Highway System technologies to more efficiently manage traffic and to provide Turnpike motorists with real time traffic information.

Goal two is to provide responsible business management achieving performance efficiency and customer satisfaction through the best business practices and the optimal use of all resources.

Teams of Turnpike employees have been selected to participate in a methodical process called "process re-engineering" to identify improvements in all Turnpike operations. In order to strengthen Turnpike operations and make improvements, the re-engineering project will make periodic recommendations for executives to implement. The actual implementation of these recommendations is a key strategy for reaching this goal.

The Commission has taken an in-depth look at how the Turnpike functions and communicates internally. In accordance with its 10-year-plan, new desktop computer equipment has been installed in the Turnpike’s Central Administrative building, the Days Inn annex, and the Eastern and Western Regional offices. As a result, all locations are now linked electronically.

The Commission is identifying and pursuing non-toll revenue opportunities that will significantly increase the share of total revenue that is derived from these sources that include right-of-way and property utilization, concession operations, and advertising.

Capital costs (planning, design, right-of-way, construction, etc.) for legislatively mandated expansion projects must be funded by income sources provided by state or federal legislation and will not be funded by mainline operating earnings. Earnings generated by mainline operations and assets are only to be used for maintaining and improving the mainline such as roadway services plazas and rights-of-way.

Goal three is to invest in Turnpike employees. The Commission will enhance its practice of providing human resource informational and motivational programs and training for employees to help them excel.

By providing employees with training and skill development programs, the Turnpike will maximize employee productivity and open more career development opportunities. Additionally, the Turnpike will focus even more on fostering work environments that are safe and secure from internal and external hazards. This not only results in improved employee morale and productivity, but is also a financial savings to the Commission.

"We have worked hard to produce a comprehensive basis for operating the nation's first super highway," remarked Durbin. "I think we have created an outstanding Strategic Plan that will enable us to enter the next century as innovative transportation leaders."