If you'd like more information about Scout and how it affects the local commute contact Gina. In fact, she's your best bet if the information you need is for a mass audience, involves a deadline, an interview, or requires a presentation or quick turn around.

It's up to Gina to invite you in to Kansas City's world of traffic management. That means behind the scene tours of the high-tech operations center and periodic updates on how well Scout is performing. Gina will also handle media interviews, public requests, and provide a flow of information during major incidents on any of Scout's roadways.

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Don is Kansas City Scout’s Information Technology Manager. That means he manages various technology that Scout uses to operate its traffic management system – technology such as video cameras, electronic message boards, microwave radar detectors and other sensors that provide information via a fiber-optic network to Scout’s Traffic Operations Center. That information is converted into digital data and uses technologies such as Ethernet, ATM and SONET to make its way to the operators in the TOC. Once the information reaches the TOC, it goes into an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) software program. Scout operators use the information from the ATMS software to help them manage traffic along Scout’s 75+-mile system from their location in Lee’s Summit. If a message board needs to warn drivers about a closed lane, the operators can light up a message board on the affected route. Or, if operators need to verify the location of a highway accident, they can maneuver Scout’s cameras to find it. The ATMS will also prompt operators how to react and who to alert during specifically identified incidents.

It’s obvious that keeping Scout’s technology glitch-proof is goal number one, and that, by itself, keeps Don’s hands full.

Don also stays busy overseeing various IT-related contracts, testing, and product deliveries. He’s the guy to talk to if you’re a local traffic agency curious about whether Scout could integrate – or work in conjunction - with your traffic system, or if you’re just curious about the details of Scout’s operation.

Since Don’s long list of tasks has him on the go, you may find it easier to E-mail him than to reach him by phone.

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Jason is responsible for leading and providing vision for the Kansas City Scout project. He has traffic and operations engineering background, which is coupled with a charismatic personality. In general, Jason leads Scout's efforts in creating and sustaining valuable partnerships, developing policy and procedures with other traffic and law enforcement-oriented organizations and emergency service agencies that are, most often, first responders to freeway incidents. Those partnerships, policies, and operating procedures are integral to determining how Scout operators will respond to an array of incidents affecting you on the Scout freeway system. He is also responsible for the Motorist Assist Program in Kansas City.

Jason also participates and represents Scout on many regional and nationwide committees and transportation boards, such as: Destination Safe, Operation Impact, ITSA and ITS Heartland, MOVITE, KCITE, and many others.

Jason has been with the Scout project from the beginning of operations and was instrumental in hiring and training the entire operations team. His input was essential in creating all Scouts current policies and procedures. Overall, Jason is a leader in his field and has an energetic passionate approach to insisting that Scout be a world class Intelligent Transportation System.

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Mark rejoins the Scout staff as a project manager for intelligent transportation systems (ITS). Previously, from September 2001 to December 2003, he managed the construction/implementation of the initial 75+-mile Scout project while working on numerous other construction jobs as a Resident Engineer for the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Now, as Scout’s ITS Project Manager, Mark manages work projects that improve and/or expand the Scout system. Among other things, that means he has to make sure field elements -- such as closed-circuit television cameras, electronic message boards, and traffic sensors -- are included in future, mainstream construction projects during their design phase. By doing that Mark not only helps ensure expansion of the Scout system, he also ensures that subsequent ITS designs follow Scout's lead.

Mark is also responsible for overseeing the majority of Scout’s contracts – typically from beginning to end. Mark not only helps write the contracts he sees that they meet necessary guidelines and requirements. Mark’s also the guy who makes sure the contracts are followed and enforced after they’ve been implemented.

Mark's work requires him to work with MoDOT and KDOT authorities , the Federal Highway Administration, and a number of contractors and consulting firms hired under contract.

Mark is also responsible for identifying ways for Scout to share its traffic information with other entities -- interested parties such as commercial vehicle operators and public transit services, for example.

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