COMMUNICATION - ADMINISTRATOR'S MESSAGE It's Always Customer Service Week at MDOT SHA Delivering an outstanding customer experience is a cornerstone of our organization. From October 7 – 11, we celebrated this effort by recognizing Customer Service Week and the MDOT SHA team, who work tirelessly all year long serving Maryland residents and travelers. Commemorated internationally, Customer Service Week is now a venerated institution – President George HW Bush designated the first week of October in 1992. From the start, the focus included not only reaching out to the public, but also highlighting and thanking employees who work with customers. While things do change throughout the years, one thing has remained true. MDOT SHA team members have taken pride in providing Maryland's citizens and visitors with an excellent customer experience. Whether on the front lines or behind the scenes, Team MDOT SHA is marching forward and moving fast with innovative and transformative solutions across the system and delivering for Maryland. We touch every single Marylander in some way or another every day, we connect them to life's opportunities, and we are MAKING A DIFFERENCE in this state. This year during Customer Service Week, we chose from many examples of good work to express our thanks to you through social media and to remind others of the significant difference you make in our customers' lives. We featured two FMTs from Gaithersburg, who quickly cleared a road after a fast-moving storm, earning the thanks of county police. We shared a father's harrowing, but redemptive, experience when he was quickly assisted by CHART Emergency Traffic Patrols after experiencing a tire failure during a family trip. And we thanked the Motor Carrier Division for taking on the unusual and complex task of coordinating the relocation of a historic house from its original spot in Easton to its new home in Queenstown. Every day is customer service day at MDOT SHA. Thank you for your dedication and for driving change for Maryland motorists. You make us all proud.

Greg Slater

Pierre Patterson (left) and Sean Maddox earned customer service kudos from Maryland State Police Officer Scott West for their swift cleanup of a roadway after a storm.

MODERNIZATION
Competing for the Best

HR Recruiter Yvonda Price helps MDOT SHA compete for top new talent.

In today's tight job market, with unemployment below 4%, special effort is needed to find the best talent for MDOT SHA, says HR Manager Mekia Gaskins, the Chief of Recruitment.

"We have unique, difficult-to-fill positions and other openings that we're constantly recruiting for," she explains. These include openings in civil engineering, finance, administration, and maintenance.

To enhance outreach to qualified candidates, MDOT SHA has launched a new recruitment program. Recruiter Yvonda Price, who joined the agency in July, is leading the charge. And she's all business, down to the Maryland flag scarf she wears at the MDOT SHA booth during job fairs.

"Our goal is improving the quality of our candidates, reducing our vacancies and increasing retention," she says.

Yvonda is expanding MDOT SHA's recruitment efforts by attending job fairs in communities and on college campuses. Recently, she participated in a Recruit Military fair for veterans at M&T Bank Stadium. She posts jobs regularly to the MDOT SHA LinkedIn page and to the activity section of her LinkedIn page. Yvonda also is visiting MDOT SHA facilities throughout the State.

Surprisingly, the key to retaining good workers isn't primarily salary, she says.

"Job satisfaction is the biggest thing," Yvonda conveyed. She reinforces this point during her visits with MDOT SHA staff, explaining that workers want a higher mission and to know they are contributing to something important. Teleworking and workplace flexibility also play important roles in keeping today's workers content.

"Having a great work environment is essential to retention," she says. "Everyone can contribute to that."

Tell your friends and family to join our workforce! They can visit the MDOT SHA Employment page for job listings and information.

MDOT SHA LinkedIn page

Yvonda Price LinkedIn page - Go to 'Activity' to learn about SHA employment events

SHA Employment page

INNOVATION
Illuminating our Night Sky

Halo lights work effectively indoors and out, as demonstrated by (left to right) Joshua Stonesifer, Darrin Johnson, and Carey Mowatt, and a nighttime crew.

One night Heavy Equipment Maintenance Supervisor Albert Creek was driving on a Virginia highway when he passed a road crew using a new piece of equipment. The workers were wearing bright halo lights that surrounded their helmets, making them impossible to miss.

Creek shared his discovery of the new safety device with Darrin Johnson, who is now the RME in Gaithersburg. Working with ARME Joshua Stonesifer and Facility Management Supervisor Carey Mowatt, Johnson introduced the lights to his shop. They instantly became popular with those in his shop who perform nightwork and now are used routinely.

"The crews love them," says Johnson.

The lights fit right onto MDOT SHA helmets and are visible from one-quarter mile. They can be operated in different modes to light up work areas — functioning as hands-free flashlights, strobe, regular strength and dim. In addition, they are powered by rechargeable lithium batteries.

So visible, in fact, that the light glows all the way from their helmet to their boots, says Johnson.

The halo lights are currently being piloted at MDOT SHA.

Recently, a crew went out at night to US 270 South at MD 355 for emergency pavement repairs. Having the halo lights reassured the crew.

"The crews feel safe," says Mowatt. "They're just more visible."

CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE
Joining Forces to Keep Maryland Beautiful

MDOT SHA and partners on Keep Maryland Beautiful visited a dumping ground near US 40 and Moravia Road (left) and cleared it of debris (right).

If you have strong feelings about keeping Maryland's roads clean, you would probably do a double take if you revisited the Baltimore City ramps at US 40 and Moravia Road. Thanks to our Golden Ring Shop team members and State partners, the area is now clear of litter and debris.

"This is a terrific example of multiple agencies coming together to achieve a common goal for the citizens of Maryland," said ARME Justin Schmidt.

The Keep Maryland Beautiful Initiative is a partnership between lead partner the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)¸ MDOT, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS), the City of Baltimore, and others. Because DHCD joins many community partnerships around Baltimore, it emphasizes cleaning litter around the metropolis and surrounding areas.

DHCD officials zeroed in on the blighted Baltimore area at US 40, and RME Alan Price and ARME Schmidt led MDOT SHA in clearing brush, trees, weeds, vines, and garbage that was dumped illegally.

Price and Schmidt coordinated clean-up efforts with partner agencies, activating MDOT SHA and contractors from Golden Ring, Hereford, Owings Mills, and Churchville Maintenance shops, and coordinating equipment and labor from the Baltimore City Public Works and Transportation departments. MDOT SHA contributed litter crews as well as tree contractors and mowers.

Thanks to the commitment of MDOT SHA and its partners, travelers now can pass previously challenged roads and ramps and feel hopeful that they can rebound. Congratulations on a job well done!

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Operations Manager Patty Murawski (left) completed an awesome 48+ years of service at CHART & ITS Development this month. CHART Director Joey Sagal recognized her nearly half century with MDOT SHA.