Florida Department of Transportation

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is a decentralized agency charged with the establishment, maintenance, and regulation of public transportation in the state of Florida.^[1] The department was formed in 1969. It absorbed the powers of the Florida State Road Department (SRD). The current Secretary of Transportation is Ananth Prasad.^[2]

Structure

The Florida Transportation Commission, made up of nine commissioners chosen by Florida's Governor and Legislature, provides oversight for FDOT.^[3]

Each of FDOT's eight semi-autonomous districts is managed by a District Secretary. Following the 2002 legislation, the Turnpike District (now known as Florida's Turnpike Enterprise, or FTE) secretary became known as an executive director.

There are seven geographic districts plus the FTE.^[4] The FTE owns and maintains 460-miles of toll roads. The Department owns four other toll roads and bridges: the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Alligator Alley, the Beachline East Expressway and the Pinellas Bayway System. Tolls on all Department-owned facilities are collected by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise.

In addition, the FDOT operates and manages several park and ride lots and Commuter Assistance Programs throughout the state. Most of the 7 geographic distircts have a Districtwide Commuter Assistance Program.

On March 5, 2003, Governor Jeb Bush appointed José Abreu, P.E., as Secretary of Transportation.^[5]

On June 27, 2005, Governor Jeb Bush appointed Denver Stutler, Jr., as Secretary of Transportation.^[5] Previously, Stutler was Bush's chief of staff.

On January 2, 2007, Governor Charlie Crist appointed Stephanie Kopelousos as Interim Secretary of Transportation, she was confirmed as Secretary on April 2, 2007.^[6] Previously, Kopelousos served as FDOT's Federal Programs Coordinator.

On April 18, 2011, Governor Rick Scott appointed Anath Prasad as Secretary of Transportation.^[7]

Districts

Florida has seven transportation districts^[4]:

Office of Motor Carrier Compliance

Otherwise known as Florida’s commercial vehicle enforcement agency, headed by its director, Colonel David Dees, the Office of Motor Carrier Compliance (MCCO) mainly comprises sworn law enforcement officers and civilian weight inspectors. Similar to state troopers, MCCO officers are certified (e.g. police academy trained), armed and have full statewide law enforcement authority including powers of arrest. Primary duties include but are not limited to:

• Issuing traffic citations pursuant to state motor vehicle laws
• Reviewing operator logbooks and inspecting their vehicles to ensure they are in compliance with FDOT and US DOT regulations
• Verifying operator possesses valid CDL and hazardous materials permit (if applicable)
• Providing supplemental support to local law enforcement agencies during emergency situations

Although their primary focus is on commercial vehicles, MCCO officers can (and will) stop non-commercial drivers when serious infractions are observed.

The Office of Motor Carrier Compliance officially transitioned from the Florida Department of Transportation to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Division of the Florida Highway Patrol on July 1, 2011.^[15] The consolidation is a result of Senate Bill 2160, passed by lawmakers during the 2011 Legislative Session, and places the commercial vehicle licensing, registrations, fuel permits, and enforcement all under the purview of DHSMV.

Motor Carrier Compliance officers will be “troopers”. Motor Carrier Compliance troopers’ uniforms will include the FHP patch beginning July 1. MCC troopers also will wear a Florida Highway Patrol badge. They will continue to perform commercial vehicle safety inspections and to weigh commercial vehicles with portable scales at various locations around the state, in addition to FDOT weigh stations on Florida’s highways. Motor Carrier Compliance vehicles will replace the FDOT seal with the FHP seal on door panels. The vehicles will bear the FHP license plates, too. Through attrition, motorists will eventually see more FHP black and tan vehicles patrolling Florida roadways.

Ranks

• Colonel - Director of the Office of Motor Carrier Compliance (symbol of rank: gold eagle)
• Lieutenant Colonel (symbol of rank: silver oak leaf)
• Major/Chief (symbol of rank: gold oak leaf)
• Captain (symbol of rank: 2 gold bars)
• Lieutenant (symbol of rank: 1 gold bar)
• Sergeant (symbol of rank: 3 chevrons)
• Field Training Officer (FTO) (symbol of rank: 1 chevron)
• Officer

Communications

MCCO Officers communicate using the M/A-Com State Law Enforcement Radio System. This allows them to communicate with communication centers and other state officers on the same channel. In order to distinguish themselves from other state agencies, MCCO Officers use the unit designator DELTA and then their assigned ID number.

History

In 1954, the State Road Department completed the original Sunshine Skyway Bridge, the first fixed span to connect Saint Petersburg directly to Bradenton. This shortened the travel time between the two cities greatly, as before cars would have to either use a ferry or drive about 100 miles around Tampa Bay. A parallel span was completed in 1971 to make the bridge Interstate standard, and it became part of I-275. After the southbound (newer) span was destroyed in 1980 when the SS Summit Venture collided with it, a replacement bridge was finished in 1987.

In 1974, FDOT completed Florida's Turnpike, a 309-mile limited access toll highway that connected the panhandle area through Orlando to Miami. The turnpike is part of an initiative to finance transportation with user fees.^[16]

In recent years, FDOT has had much experience in emergency repairs, including a sinkhole that destroyed most of westbound I-4 in Lake Mary in 2001, a tanker truck fire that critically damaged a ramp from SR 528 to I-4 in Orlando in 2002, and a car accident that destroyed an I-75 overpass near Gainesville in 2003. In 2004, FDOT reopened the I-10 Escambia bridge 17 days after Hurricane Ivan ripped it apart.^[17]

In 2011, as a result of Governor Rick Scott's executive order, the department required that all workers be verified as U.S. citizens with e-verify. This applied to contracts and funds otherwise under the jurisdiction of local government.^[18]

See also

• Florida State Roads
• Bridge Software Institute at the University of Florida

References

1. ^ "Florida Statutes 334.044, Department; Powers and Duties, Public Transportation, Transportation Administration.". http://www.flsenate.gov/Statutes/. Retrieved November 2, 2005. 
2. ^ [1]
3. ^ "About the Commission, Florida Transportation Commission.". http://www.ftc.state.fl.us/about_the_commission.htm. Retrieved November 2, 2005. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Florida Department of Transportation - Public Information Office (2011). "Public Information Office - District Information". Florida Department of Transportation. http://www.dot.state.fl.us/publicinformationoffice/moreDOT/districts/district.shtm. Retrieved 2011-10-29. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "Florida Department of Transportation". http://www.dot.state.fl.us/publicinformationoffice/moreDOT/mission.htm. Retrieved November 2, 2005. 
6. ^ "Associated Press story via the Bradenton Herald". http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/16368186.htm. Retrieved February 11, 2007. 
7. ^ Florida Governor's Office (2011-04-18). "Ananth Prasad Named FDOT Secretary" (Press release). Florida Governor's Office. http://www.flgov.com/2011/04/18/ananth-prasad-named-fdot-secretary/. Retrieved 2011-10-29. 
8. ^ Florida Department of Transportation - Public Information Office (2011). "Public Information Office - District 1". Florida Department of Transportation. http://www.dot.state.fl.us/publicinformationoffice/moreDOT/districts/dist1.shtm. Retrieved 2011-10-29. 
9. ^ Florida Department of Transportation - Public Information Office (2011). "Public Information Office - District 2". Florida Department of Transportation. http://www.dot.state.fl.us/publicinformationoffice/moreDOT/districts/dist2.shtm. Retrieved 2011-10-29. 
10. ^ Florida Department of Transportation - Public Information Office (2011). "Public Information Office - District 3". Florida Department of Transportation. http://www.dot.state.fl.us/publicinformationoffice/moreDOT/districts/dist3.shtm. Retrieved 2011-10-29. 
11. ^ Florida Department of Transportation - Public Information Office (2011). "Public Information Office - District 4". Florida Department of Transportation. http://www.dot.state.fl.us/publicinformationoffice/moreDOT/districts/dist4.shtm. Retrieved 2011-10-29. 
12. ^ Florida Department of Transportation - Public Information Office (2011). "Public Information Office - District 5". Florida Department of Transportation. http://www.dot.state.fl.us/publicinformationoffice/moreDOT/districts/dist5.shtm. Retrieved 2011-10-29. 
13. ^ Florida Department of Transportation - Public Information Office (2011). "Public Information Office - District 6". Florida Department of Transportation. http://www.dot.state.fl.us/publicinformationoffice/moreDOT/districts/dist6.shtm. Retrieved 2011-10-29. 
14. ^ Florida Department of Transportation - Public Information Office (2011). "Public Information Office - District 7". Florida Department of Transportation. http://www.dot.state.fl.us/publicinformationoffice/moreDOT/districts/dist7.shtm. Retrieved 2011-10-29. 
15. ^ "Motor Carrier Compliance officers become 'troopers' July 1" (PDF) (Press release). Florida Highway Patrol. June 29, 2011. http://www.flhsmv.gov/news/pdfs/PR062911.pdf. Retrieved December 17, 2011. 
16. ^ "Florida's Turnpike: The Less Stressway". http://www.dot.state.fl.us/turnpikepio/NewWebPages/about.html. Retrieved November 2, 2005. 
17. ^ "Sept./Oct.2004 T-News Viewpoint, Secretary José Abreu." (PDF). http://www.dot.state.fl.us/viewpoint/viewpointseptemberoct04.pdf. Retrieved November 2, 2005. 
18. ^ "City must 'E-verify' workers as legal". Florida Today (Melbourne, Florida): pp. 1A. 6 March 2011. http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/content/rep-william-snyder-hearts-rick-scotts-executive-order-immigration. 

External links

• Official Website