VDOT Omnibus Study

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Southeastern Institute of Research
VDOT Omnibus Study Wave I December 2004
January 6, 2005

Pulsar Advertising
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Objectives Methodology
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Objectives

• Understand citizens expectations and perceptions
  of VDOT on critical issues across all Divisions.
• Provide guidance for VDOTs outreach
  communications program across all Divisions.
• Establish a benchmark for monitoring perceptions
  of VDOT across all Divisions.

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Methodology

• Telephone survey using SIRs Virginia Pulse
  Quarterly study
• Interview included 5 questions written
  specifically for VDOT and 7 standard demographic
  questions
• 1,200 random households in 4 geographic regions
• Northern Virginia (Virginia portion of Metro DC
  market)
• Central (Richmond/Petersburg)
• Eastern (Norfolk/Virginia Beach/Hampton/Newport
  News)
• Western (Roanoke/Lynchburg/Danville/Martinsville)
• 300 interviews conducted in each region
• Interviews conducted Dec. 13-30 (no holiday
  interviewing)

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Questions Customized for VDOT

• Questions asked in all four regions
• In the past year, have you come in contact with
  the Virginia Department of Transportation, or
  VDOT, in any of the following ways?
• How would you rate your satisfaction with your
  contact with VDOT in the past year?
• Which one of the following tasks do you most
  associate with VDOT?
• Which of the tasks I just mentioned do you think
  should be VDOTs biggest priority?
• How well does VDOT perform on (BIGGEST TASK)?
• Two additional questions asked in Western
  Virginia
• Are you aware that motorists stopped and ticketed
  for speeding on a section of Interstate 81 near
  Roanoke, known as the Highway Safety Corridor,
  may have to pay significantly increased fines?
• If you have driven that part of I-81, how has
  your driving behavior been affected?

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Key Findings Implications
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VDOT Is Ubiquitous More than 9 of 10
Virginians Have Had Contact with VDOT in the
Past Year
Question In the past year, have you come in
contact with the Virginia Department of
Transportation, or VDOT, in any of the following
ways?
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This High Level Of Contact With VDOT Is
Consistent Across All Regions
Question In the past year, have you come in
contact with the Virginia Department of
Transportation, or VDOT, in any of the following
ways?
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Residents Interact with VDOT in a Variety of
Ways, But Tend Not To Initiate That Contact
This pattern is fairly consistent across all
regions of the state, with one exception. In
Northern Virginia, 16 have searched the VDOT
website and 18 have received mail from VDOT.
Question In the past year, have you come in
contact with the Virginia Department of
Transportation, or VDOT, in any of the following
ways?
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Conclusion Implication

• Conclusion VDOT touches almost all resident
  constituents frequently and in a variety of ways.
  This contact takes numerous forms. Contact that
  is not typically defined as communications or
  at least not typically controlled by VDOT
  (media, road crews, rest areas) are dramatically
  more visible and pervasive than VDOTs own
  controlled communication channels (direct mail,
  website, etc.).
• Implication Recognize these non-traditional
  communications as opportunities to communicate
  with state residents. Take advantage of all
  touch points to communicate in ways that build
  and enhance the image and reputation of VDOT.
• All VDOT employees who have contact with
  residents are contributors to VDOTs imagery and
  reputation. Even those for whom contact is
  indirect such as those who develop messages for
  electronic message boards and transport those
  boards or road crews have potential to
  influence the perceptions of residents.

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6 Out of 10 Residents Are Satisfied With Their
Contact With VDOT
But, there is opportunity for VDOT to improve.
38 of residents cannot be classified as
satisfied.
Question How would you rate your satisfaction
with your contact with VDOT in the past year?
Would you say you were (Read answers)?
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Greatest Opportunity to Improve VDOTs Contact
Satisfaction Rating Is in Eastern Virginia
71
63
53
59
Question How would you rate your satisfaction
with your contact with VDOT in the past year?
Would you say you were (Read answers)?
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Conclusion Implication

• Conclusion State residents rate VDOT only
  moderately well in terms of their contact with
  VDOT. Residents of Eastern Virginia Norfolk,
  Virginia Beach, Hampton and Newport News are
  least satisfied.
• Implication Continue to work to improve
  communications and interaction with Virginia
  residents, focusing specifically on Eastern
  Virginia where the need to improve is greatest.

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VDOT Is Associated with Road Maintenance Most
Frequently
Question Which one of the following tasks do
you most associate with VDOT?
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Residents of Eastern Virginia Have Different
Expectations of VDOT Than The Residents In
Other Regions of The State
Residents of Eastern Virginia are more likely to
associate VDOT with new road construction than
residents in the other regions. They are less
likely to associate VDOT with road maintenance.
Only most frequent mentions are shown.
Question In the past year, have you come in
contact with the Virginia Department of
Transportation, or VDOT, in any of the following
ways?
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Overall, Residents Believe VDOTs First Priority
Should Be Road Maintenance
Half of residents believe road maintenance should
be VDOTs biggest priority.
Question Which of the tasks I just mentioned do
you think should be VDOTs biggest priority?
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New Road Construction Is A Greater Priority For
Residents in Eastern Virginia
Priorities in Eastern and Northern Virginia
differ from the Central and Western regions.
These areas place less emphasis on road
maintenance and more on construction. Northern
Virginia also places more emphasis on planning
and traffic management.
Question Which of the tasks I just mentioned do
you think should be VDOTs biggest priority?
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Overall, 5 Out of 10 Rate VDOT Favorably On Its
Performance On Its Biggest Priority
VDOTs performance rating on biggest priority
among residents who say any of the tasks are the
biggest priority.
Half rate VDOT favorably
Question How well does VDOT perform on biggest
priority? Would you say they are (Read
answers)?
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Over One-half Rate VDOT Favorably for Road
Maintenance
VDOTs performance rating on biggest priority
among residents who say road maintenance is the
biggest priority.
Question How well does VDOT perform on biggest
priority? Would you say they are (Read
answers)?
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About 4 of 10 Rate VDOT Favorably on New Road
Construction
VDOTs performance rating on biggest priority
among residents who say new road construction
is the biggest priority.
Question How well does VDOT perform on biggest
priority? Would you say they are (Read
answers)?
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4 of 10 Rate VDOT as Excellent or Good in
Terms of Traffic Management
VDOTs performance rating on biggest priority
among residents who say traffic management is
the biggest priority.
Question How well does VDOT perform on biggest
priority? Would you say they are (Read
answers)?
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VDOT Receives Its Poorest Rating for Planning for
the Future
VDOTs performance rating on biggest priority
among residents who say planning for future
needs is the biggest priority.
Question How well does VDOT perform on biggest
priority? Would you say they are (Read
answers)?
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Satisfaction with VDOT Contact Does Not Vary by
What Residents Believe VDOTs Biggest Priority
Should Be
Question How would you rate your satisfaction
with your contact with VDOT in the past year?
Would you say you were (Read answers)?
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Conclusion Implication

• Conclusion Overall, state residents believe
  road maintenance should be VDOTs biggest
  priority. However, views vary by region.
  Eastern Virginia, in particular, and Northern
  Virginia, secondarily, express different
  expectations than other areas in the state. In
  Eastern Virginia, new road construction is
  relatively more important to residents than in
  other areas. In Northern Virginia, new road
  construction and planning are relatively more
  important.
• Implication Develop messages that reflect the
  needs and expectations of residents. Overall,
  messages about road maintenance are important.
  To be most effective, however, messages should be
  tailored to individual markets. Messages to
  Eastern Virginia where satisfaction with
  contact is lowest should highlight new road
  construction rather than simply road maintenance.
  In Northern Virginia, talk about planning and
  new road construction.

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Conclusion Implication

• Conclusion Satisfaction with contact with VDOT
  does not vary by what residents believe VDOTs
  top priority should be. However, VDOTs
  performance is rated least favorably for planning
  for future transportation needs.
• Implication Take advantage of the opportunity
  communications provide by emphasizing VDOTs
  planning successes and its expertise in this
  area. This opportunity is greatest in Northern
  Virginia where residents place greater emphasis
  on planning than residents in other regions in
  Virginia.

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About Half in the Western Region Are Aware of the
Highway Safety Corridor
Question asked only of respondents in western
region.
Question Are you aware that motorists stopped
and ticketed for speeding on a section of
Interstate 81 near Roanoke, known as the Highway
Safety Corridor, may have to pay significantly
increased fines?
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Over One-third of Those Aware of the Increased
Fine Are Driving More Safely
Question asked only of respondents in western
region who were aware of increased fine.
Question If you have driven that part of I-81,
how has your driving behavior been affected?
Would you say (Read answers)?
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Two-thirds of Those Whose Driving Could Be
Affected by the Program Report that Their Driving
Has Improved
Proportions shown are based to audience members
who potentially could change behavior for safer
driving. Those who do not drive in Highway
Safety Corridor or have always driven within
the speed limits are excluded.
Question asked only of respondents in western
region who were aware of increased fine.
Question If you have driven that part of I-81,
how has your driving behavior been affected?
Would you say (Read answers)?
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Conclusion Implication

• Conclusion About one-half of residents in
  Western Virginia are aware of the Highway Safety
  Corridor, and one-third of these have improved
  their driving behavior. Among those who are aware
  of it, the Highway Safety Corridor program works!
• Implication VDOT can double the impact of this
  program by continuing to build awareness as 49
  are still unaware. Continue the outreach
  communications campaign. Tell area residents
  about the Highway Safety Corridor to continue
  to improve driving habits and to tell the good
  news about safety improvements and VDOTs role in
  bringing about these improvements.

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Additional Details
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Type of Contact Western Virginia
Question In the past year, have you come in
contact with the Virginia Department of
Transportation, or VDOT, in any of the following
ways?
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Type of Contact Central Virginia
Question In the past year, have you come in
contact with the Virginia Department of
Transportation, or VDOT, in any of the following
ways?
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Type of Contact Eastern Virginia
Question In the past year, have you come in
contact with the Virginia Department of
Transportation, or VDOT, in any of the following
ways?
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Type of Contact Northern Virginia
Question In the past year, have you come in
contact with the Virginia Department of
Transportation, or VDOT, in any of the following
ways?
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Satisfaction with VDOT Contact Western Virginia
Question How would you rate your satisfaction
with your contact with VDOT in the past year?
Would you say you were (Read answers)?
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Satisfaction with VDOT Contact Central Virginia
Question How would you rate your satisfaction
with your contact with VDOT in the past year?
Would you say you were (Read answers)?
37
Satisfaction with VDOT Contact Eastern Virginia
Question How would you rate your satisfaction
with your contact with VDOT in the past year?
Would you say you were (Read answers)?
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Satisfaction with VDOT Contact Northern Virginia

Question How would you rate your satisfaction
with your contact with VDOT in the past year?
Would you say you were (Read answers)?
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Tasks Associated with VDOT Western Virginia
Question Which one of the following tasks do
you most associate with VDOT?
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Tasks Associated with VDOT Central Virginia
Question Which one of the following tasks do
you most associate with VDOT?
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Tasks Associated with VDOT Eastern Virginia
Question Which one of the following tasks do
you most associate with VDOT?
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Tasks Associated with VDOT Northern Virginia
Question Which one of the following tasks do
you most associate with VDOT?