How Can Smart Technology Drive Performance?

National Journal’s expert blog this week posed the question, How Can Smart Technology Drive Performance? The more detailed question is this: “There is a growing consensus among experts that our transportation system must put far greater emphasis on performance and results (and far less on funding equity and earmarks) to regain the public's trust and willingness to pay for it. What role can technology play in measuring and improving the system's performance, and how can the federal government best encourage the adoption of effective technological solutions to the country's transportation problems? What role should the private sector play?”

I began my response by suggesting that if we think of “technology” in the broadest sense to include not simply devices and electronic systems that can be manufactured, but also processes and human behaviors that will be encouraged through better policies, then a very powerful technology we should implement is road pricing and tolling.

You can read my response and those of other experts here.

-- Pat Jones