Management And Selection Systems For Highway Maintenance Equipment

This synthesis report will be of interest to Department of Transportation (DOT) administrators, supervisors, equipment, and Management Information System (MIS)/Information Technology (IT) managers and staff, as well as to the engineering and MIS/IT consultants that work for them. It reviews that state of the practice, updating an earlier effort, NCHRP Synthesis 52: Maintenance and Selection Systems for Highway Maintenance Equipment. The synthesis addresses highway fleet maintenance issues in management, equipment, staffing, and technology. It describes the trend toward more sophisticated and complex MISs and reports on DOT efforts to develop more systematic approaches to measure equipment effectiveness and to incorporate this quantitative technology, successfully, into daily operations. This TRB report profiles specific state agency experience in hiring and retaining mechanics, staffing levels, management system complexity, and technologies. Sample shop work load and productivity reports from the Montana DOT are included.

"This synthesis will be of special and usefulness to maintenance engineers, highway administrators, and others seeking information on selection and use of highway maintenance equipment. Detailed information presented on equipment management and how it relates to maintenance management needs."--Avant-propos.

The purpose of this manual is to provide clear and helpful information for maintaining gravel roads. Very little technical help is available to small agencies that are responsible for managing these roads. Gravel road maintenance has traditionally been "more of an art than a science" and very few formal standards exist. This manual contains guidelines to help answer the questions that arise concerning gravel road maintenance such as: What is enough surface crown? What is too much? What causes corrugation? The information is as nontechnical as possible without sacrificing clear guidelines and instructions on how to do the job right.

"This synthesis report will be of interest to highway administrators, maintenance engineers, and others seeking information on the application of management principles to highway maintenance. Detailed information is presented on benefits, problems, solutions, and special features of maintenance management systems used by highway agencies."--Avant-propos.