Interchange March 2015, Vol. 43, Issue 3
Driver Services
More than just driver licenses
Letters
Another satisfied traveler Highway Patrol office, I was pulled over for speeding Dec. 16 outside of Hudson by officer P. Cross #78. He was very professional and courteous – although he still gave me a ticket. I’m glad to see Wyoming’s troopers doing a great job!
Ray Adams
Fan mail from the Lone Star State Just finished a trip across your state Feb. 3-4. I want to thank you for the digital signs on I-80 reminding folks to shut off their cruise control – a favorite topic of mine since so many people skid and crash because of not doing so on wet or slick highways. I wish all states were this smart and cared about travelers. And thanks to the folks working through the night to keep those slick roads safe for those of us who were traveling in the weather through the mountains that night. I would like to thank each one but hope you send out my thanks.
Thomas Caldwell Henrietta, Texas
511 Travel Info feedback Please thank the Wyoming DOT. They do a fantastic job of working on the roads and trying to keep them up and running as much as possible. Thank you for your service and also thank the Wyoming Highway Patrol as well for their service. Thank you. Have a great day.
Gary Snyder Fortune Transportation
Operating authority questions answered with a smile Hi Debbie (Lopez), I have recently started a new position as a controller for a transportation company in Wyoming. The company recently purchased an existing transportation company and it quickly became my job to find out how to transfer operating authority. I wanted to drop you a note to tell you Jennifer Naatz was extremely professional, patient and helpful. I think between myself, the former owner, the insurance broker and the insurance underwriters we must have kept Jennifer on the phone for hours over the last couple of days! She was always helpful and never once seemed troubled. Even though we were all calling and asking the same questions. With her help, our authority has been transferred. I am pleased to know Jennifer is available to answer my future questions as well. Thank you for your time. Have a great week.
Interchange Interchange is published for employees of the Wyoming Department of Transportation by its Public Affairs Office and a number of field correspondents. Interchange invites submissions from all employees. Please send them to either your district correspondents or to: Carlie Van Winkle, Interchange editor, 5300 Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne, WY, 82009-3340. The Public Affairs Office may also be contacted by phoning (307) 777-4165, faxing (307) 777-4289, or sending email to carlie.vanwinkle@wyo.gov
Staff
Tanya Luken, controller Alltrans, LLC
WYDOT Director: John F. Cox
I-80 maintenance and reporting are top notch
Public Affairs Manager: Doug McGee
You do a great job on I-80! I run across it every week. And of all the road report sites I use, yours is the easiest.
Laurie Pimlott via Facebook Feb. 17
Editor/Art Director: Carlie Van Winkle Contributors: Bruce Burrows Public Affairs Dave Kingham Public Affairs Carlie Van Winkle Public Affairs Ross Doman District 1 Jeff Goetz District 2 Stephanie Harsha District 3 Ronda Holwell District 4 Cody Beers District 5 Sgt. David Wagener Patrol Photography: Rick Carpenter Public Affairs
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DOT publication
Also in this issue:
Contents 0%
Letters.....................................2
0%
1%
2% 4%
District briefs.........................4
6 5%
28%
By the Numbers...................5
9%
8
Training at a Glance............7 Noteworthy..........................12
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District news.......................18
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Awards..................................21
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Passings............................... 22 Very Knowledgeable
Extra Mile Awards............. 22
Not Knowledgeable
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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
WTDEA................................. 23 Rides..................................... 24 Break Time.......................... 27
6 TechNotes
IT Program survey successful; gains insight for future
8 Logo signing program changing
Annual fees raised to maintain self-supporting status
10 Driver Services Program Be sure to check out the online version of Interchange at http://issuu.com/wydot.pao, or click on the link found on the employee’s internal website home page.
More than driver license issuing
16 Skillsoft making WYDOT debut
Log-in to learning with this simple step-by-step guide On the cover:
Driver Services Supervisor Laura Whalen-Steege at an exam station in Cheyenne. Photo: Rick Carpenter
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Wyoming Transportation Commission awards $29.5 million in contracts
Cheyenne – Contracts totaling $29.5 million for eight projects around the state, including two to be funded through increased fuel tax revenue and one for improvements to airport runways, were awarded by the Wyoming Transportation Commission during its February meeting in Cheyenne. Nearly 7 miles of I-25 from the Bull Creek bridge south of Buffalo to the I-90 Interchange north of Buffalo will be improved under a contract won by Riverside Contracting of Missoula, Mont., with the low bid of $16.3 million. The work will include cracking and compacting the deteriorating concrete pavement, which dates back to the late 1960s, and using that material as a base for a new layer of asphalt. Also included will be rehabilitation work on the decks of 14 bridges and culverts. Work will begin on the northbound lanes, and the contract completion date is Oct. 31, 2016. LeGrand Johnson Construction of Logan, Utah, submitted the low bid of $4.9 million for improvements to nearly 5 miles of US 287 about 15 miles southeast of Lander. The work will include a new layer of pavement over the entire section and areas of full reconstruction at the south end of the project, where bentonite under the road is causing frost heaves that damage the pavement. Trenches lined with waterproof fabric will be used under the reconstructed road sections to prevent future heaves. The project will be funded with revenue from the 10-cent fuel tax increase, and is scheduled to be done by June 30, 2016. Bituminous Paving Inc. of Ortonville, Minn., submitted the low bid of $3.4 million for chip sealing to extend the life of the pavement on highway sections in Campbell, Crook, Johnson, Sheridan and Weston counties by Aug. 31. About $1.9 million of the funding for the project will come from the 10-cent fuel tax increase.
HQ
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Casper’s Knife River won a $2.1 million contract for chip sealing and microsurfacing work on sections of US 30 in Albany County, and US 85, WYO 211, WYO 212, WYO 213, WYO 219 and WYO 222 in Laramie County. The chip sealing will improve a total of 44 miles of highway and the work is expected to be done by Sept. 30. Simon Contractors and Subsidiaries of Cheyenne was the low bidder for a $1.8 million contract to replace damaged concrete slabs at the Thayer Interchange and Sage Creek Road overpass on I-80 in Rawlins, and on Spruce Street at various locations between Third and 16th streets in Rawlins. The contract completion date is Aug. 31, 2016. Lewis & Lewis Inc. of Rock Springs won a $782,000 contract to install cable median barrier and modify bridge railings to improve safety on nearly 3 miles of I-80 through Green River. The contract completion date is June 30. Maxwell Asphalt of Salt Lake City won a $136,000 contract for crack sealing on airport runways in Big Horn, Fremont, Park, Sublette, Uinta and Washakie counties by June. 30. Torrington’s Caylor and Genz Earthmovers submitted the low bid of $48,000 to place rocks on the banks of an irrigation canal that runs under the south end of the WYO 156 bridge over the North Platte River about 2 miles south of Lingle. The work will protect the bridge abutment from erosion, and it is expected to be done by May 31.
Marijuana seized during two vehicle crash investigation Wheatland – A two vehicle crash investigation on Feb. 4 north of Wheatland resulted in a felony drug arrest. Troopers were dispatched to a two vehicle crash at mile post 92 on northbound I-25. The 57year old driver from Apple Valley, Minn. had lost control of his vehicle on the snow-
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Photo: WHP
District Briefs
and ice-covered road and crashed into the rear end of a full-size pickup truck. During the crash investigation, troopers followed foot tracks in the snow and discovered multiple large trash bags in the ditch. A subsequent search of the trash bags and another bag in the vehicle revealed vacuum sealed plastic packages of marijuana weighing approximately 41 pounds. With the assistance of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the driver of the car was arrested and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. The marijuana was destined for Minnesota from a yet to be determined location. The case has been turned over to DCI for further investigation.
Vacuum-packed marijuana found in garbage bags weighed in at 41 pounds.
Fish Creek Bridge work to take place in February Wilson – WYDOT will be conducting work on the Fish Creek Bridge the first week of February, near Wilson on Wyoming Highway 22. JM Concrete of Idaho Falls has been contracted to repair timber components under the bridge. The bridge is an eight-span timber girder structure that was built in 1949. Timber decay was discovered during a routine inspection in 2013 and then again during a more in-depth inspection that took place this past year. According to bridge engineers at WYDOT, the decay has resulted in severe deflection, splitting and crushing on a couple caps. The work is expected to take about three to four weeks to complete. Two-lane traffic will be maintained during commuting hours of 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily. During all other working hours, twolane traffic will be maintained as much as
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Crack sealing project under way on District 5 highways Basin – A $2.3 million highway crack sealing project started near the end of January in Big Horn County. Sealing work also will be done in Park, Hot Springs, Washakie and Fremont counties, and a small piece of western Natrona County between Shoshoni and Casper. Crews with prime contractor Highway Improvement Inc., of Sioux Falls, S.D., are scheduled for three weeks of work in Big Horn County, 2.5 weeks in Park County, and 1.5 weeks each in Hot Springs and Washakie counties. Work in Fremont and Natrona counties is scheduled to take about six weeks to complete. “These work time estimates are based on one crew working, but the contractor expects to have two crews working by mid-February,” said Ben Steed, WYDOT resident engineer in Basin. “Workers will return to Park County later in the spring to complete work between Cody and Yellowstone National Park on U.S. 14-16-20.” Steed said commuters should expect stop delays of up to 20 minutes with single-lane traffic. Traffic will be led through the work zones by pilot vehicles.
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Cody – Construction activities resumed the second week of February on the $8.8 million highway improvement project on U.S. 14-16-20 west of Cody between Wapiti and near the east boundary of the Shoshone National Forest, according to WYDOT Resident Engineer Todd Frost in Cody. The project begins at the Wapiti bridge (milepost 31.98) over the north fork of the Shoshone River and extends west 4.26 miles to just east of the Shoshone National Forest boundary (milepost 27.72). Prime contractor Riverside Contracting Inc., of Missoula, Mont., is scheduled to begin work on the Whit Creek crossing just west of Wapiti School, and the contractor will also be hauling dirt to the area. “Motorists will encounter singlelane driving conditions, a gravel detour, reduced speed limits, possible night flagging, and delays of up to 20 minutes while the Whit Creek crossing is being installed,” Frost said. “There may be short detours and one-way traffic for this work. Traffic will be controlled by flaggers.” Frost said other work includes miscellaneous pipe and cattle guard installations. The Wyoming Transportation Commission awarded the contract to Riverside last June. All work, except the chip seal, fencing and reclamation, is required by contract to be complete by June 15. The final contract completion date is Sept. 30. The project’s scope of work includes widening and overlaying U.S. 14-16-20 with isolated reconstruction, replacement of all existing pipe culverts and box culverts, new fence and new cattle-guards. “The highway is being widened from the existing 12-foot lanes and six-foot shoulders to 12-foot lanes and eight-foot shoulders, and shoulders will be flattened to improve safety,” Frost said. “Existing pipes and box culverts are in poor condition and are being replaced, and drainage will be improved.” Frost said asphalt paving will consist of a one-inch leveling layer, a four-inch overlay, and a chip seal finish. n
Photo: Ross Doman
U.S. 14-16-20 road work resumes on Wapiti-area project west of Cody
WYDOT Bridge Inspector Tom Hammer (left) and Assistant State Bridge Engineer Paul Cortez traveled to Laramie Feb. 13 to inspect a portion of the town viaduct. The structure is slated for a 2016 project that, upon completion, will include a new, modern bridge with improved road connections on each end.
Photo courtesy Jeff Goetz
possible. “Motorists can expect delays up to 20 minutes in the event of a lane closure. Speeds will also be reduced to 10 mph over the structure during some aspects of the repair operations,” said WYDOT Engineer David Kaufman. The work will include using jacks to lift the bridge deck slightly while it is still carrying traffic, and replacing two rotting timber pile caps under the deck. The work must be done during the winter months when the water level in Fish Creek is low, and the contract completion date is April 30. WYDOT would like to remind motorists traveling through Wilson on WYO 22 during this time to plan accordingly for delays, slow down and be aware of roadside workers.
Annual rotary snow plow training at Shirley Rim in February. Dan Jaskowak gets the unpleasant job of clearing out clogged snow in the Snowblast rotary snow plow. The training was led by Tim DeVoss. Richard Steffens also attended the training.
Total number of employees: as of February 2, 2015
1,962
One month ago
1,968
One year ago
2,009
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TechNotes
availability of the systems used in everyday jobs. Among the concerns returned with the survey is that IT needs more people. The assertion here is that IT might be able to do a better job if it had more people. There are currently about 40 personnel assigned to support WYDOT. While that may not be enough, there is no expectation of being able to increase the head-count. However, IT is continuously looking at how service can be improved. For example, we are currently updating user machines after hours. Another comment mentioned often is that there is a need for faster connections. IT is working with ETS (Enterprise Technology Services) to improve the connections 0% across the state.
IT Program 2015 survey proves successful; gains insight for future by Rusty England, IT IT had a great response to their emailed 2015 IT survey. While the overall scores were good, feedback uncovered areas where improvement needs to be made. 1% The information and charts on this page represent the scored questions that IT was most interested in gaining insight on.
Meeting the mission
The first chart (figure 1) represents answers received for the question, “Please rate WYDOT IT on how well it is doing on helping WYDOT meet its mission.” The greatest percentage of respondents selected numbers 8-10, 10 being the highest, as their level of satisfaction with how well IT is doing on helping WYDOT to meet its mission. The IT Program is a WYDOT internal service program, so it is important for them to hear how they are doing from employees. WYDOT IT is here to help WYDOT meet its mission. Based on responses, many employees are of the opinion that WYDOT IT is doing just that. Some feedback indicated employees do not know what IT does. In simple terms, WYDOT IT is responsible for supporting WYDOT’s business units by providing information technology services. IT develops and maintains business applications, provides technical support through the help desk, and maintains WYDOT’s technology infrastructure. The remainder of feedback for the first question wanted to know how to get more computers. Requests for additional computers are reviewed by individual program managers.
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Knowlegeable personnel
3%
20%
9% 8%
19%
13%
24%
Helpful
Not Helpful
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Figure 1: IT is doing well helping WYDOT meet its mission, according to respondents answering the first question. The highest scoring numbers from question 1 were 8-10, representing a high amount of satisfaction with WYDOT’s IT Program. 1%
2%
3% 4% 19%
8%
6%
12%
21%
Systems up and running
The third question on the survey related to whether or not systems needed to function in the workplace were up and running when needed. (See figure 2.) WYDOT IT recognizes that many people at WYDOT rely on their systems being up and running in order for them to do their jobs. As with the first question, many employees are happy with the
2%
24%
Strongly Agree
Strongly Disagree
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Figure 2: When employees were asked whether or not their systems were up and running when they needed them, the majority of respondents were on the “strongly agree” side of the 1-10 scale.
Another important question for the IT Program related to IT employees. The question, “Rate WYDOT IT personnel on their knowledge of information technology,” wanted to know if WYDOT saw IT as very knowledgeable, or not knowledgeable. (See figure 3.) Thank you for rating IT so high on this question. As you can imagine, we’re constantly working on learning new technologies, while continuously supporting older technologies. Even though our scores were high, there remained concerns. At the forefront was the issue of having more than one person knowing how systems work. Agreed. This is an ongoing struggle. IT is constantly looking at depth of support and trying to make sure more than one person can provide support. A secondary concern was that IT people need more knowledge about application systems being used by employees. Unfortunately, it isn’t possible for the IT personnel to have an in-depth knowledge of all of the various applications being used across the department.
Overall satisfaction
“What is your overall satisfaction with the services provided by WYDOT IT?” (See figure 4.) As with the previous question, we really appreciate the high rating. IT’s vision is to provide “Business Driven IT.” We recognize that IT exists to help the various WYDOT programs accomplish their vision and goals and, there are areas where we can improve. Confusion has arisen regarding IT versus ETS. When do I need to call WYDOT IT, and when do I need to call ETS? In response, WYDOT IT and ETS are both committed to helping WYDOT
be successful. If you have any questions you simply need to call the Help Desk at 777-3995. Feedback shows, “The help ticket is difficult to use, and sometimes IT doesn’t follow up on the tickets.” Acknowledged. IT is looking at current processes and making improvements. The IT Program is also 0% 0% 1% looking at other ticketing systems. 2% As you’d expect, it wasn’t all bad news. A 4% few of the positive com5% ments are listed below: 28% “Great support from a very knowledgeable group that is very willing to help.”
“I believe IT is doing a great job meeting the WYDOT mission. Our IT district tech always answers when called upon and that speed and quality helps me do my job.” “You already do a great job. Friendly personnel. Fast service. Keep it up.” n 1%
0%
0%
2% 5% 7% 24%
9%
10%
25%
25%
26%
Very Knowledgeable
Not Knowledgeable
26%
Very Satisfied
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Not Satisfied
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Figure 3: Question 5 asked WYDOT to rate IT employees’ knowledge. Respondents answered favorably, noting IT employees are on the ‘very knowledgeable’ end of the 1-10 scale.
Figure 4: WYDOT employees responded they are satisfied with the way IT is meeting the WYDOT mission.
Training ata Glance
Here are upcoming training opportunities from WYDOT-U and the Transportation Learning Network (TLN)
Coming in April: Date Class Apr. 1-2 Have a Nice Conflict Apr. 8 Conflict, Confrontation and Defusing Anger Apr. 8 Access Management Apr. 14 7 Mindsets for Success and Team Building Apr. 15 Conflict Management: The Not So Merry-Go-Round of Conflict Apr. 16 Presentation for Power, Persuasion & Purpose Apr. 14-17 New Supervisors Orientation Apr. 22-23 Crucial Conversations Apr. 27-29 New Employee Orientation Apr. 28 Delivering Leading Edge Customer Service
PMI Competency Addressed Developing Others Customer Service Vocational Team Player Leadership Communication Leadership Communication Communication Customer Service
Location WYDOT-U WYDOT-U TLN TLN TLN TLN WYDOT-U WYDOT-U WYDOT-U TLN
Coming in Date May 7 May 14 NEW! May 19 May 28
PMI Competency Addressed Vocational Leadership Judgment & Decision Making Customer Service
Location TLN WYDOT-U WYDOT-U WYDOT-U
May: Class Basic Sign Design and Maintenance Conflict Management: Working Toward a Win/Win Culture Good Judgment (NEW) Customer Sales & Service (Level 4)
To register, or to find out more details, call the Training Program and talk to Jim Boyd (777-4791) or Kurt Borgaard (777-4792).
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Logo signage for food, gas and lodging will be changing to better maintain the signage that directs travelers to the correct exit.
Logo signing program changing to improve service
WYDOT’s Specific Service Signs Program has raised its annual fees to maintain its self-supporting status, and it is experimenting with contracting for sign installation.
The signs let travelers know the location of gas, food, lodging, camping and 24-hour pharmacy services available along the route, along with some attractions, and they carry the logos of the businesses providing the services. In January the Wyoming Transportation Commission approved a $182,000 contract with S&L Industrial of Cowley for
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by Dave Kingham upgrading or replacing 112 of the signs along I-80 by Oct. 31. Work will begin this spring, and a similar project on I-25 and I-90 is scheduled to begin next year. User fees paid by the businesses whose logos appear on the signs are supposed to cover the cost of making, installing and maintaining the signs. However, an analysis completed by WYDOT’s Internal Review Services in 2013 indicated the fees being collected weren’t enough to cover the cost of the program. “The report showed us what we suspected: The program was running behind,” said Chris Martinez, who has been supervising the program for WYDOT for two years. “It wasn’t paying for
Photos: Rick Carpenter
itself and the signs were deteriorating. There was no money available to keep those signs in good condition.” Last year the Transportation Commission approved increasing the annual fee for the signs from $100 per interchange to $400 per interchange direction for each business signed. Despite the increase, 94 percent of the participating businesses continued in the program, with 453 still on board at the end of 2014. Martinez said, despite the higher annual fee, he is optimistic the number of participating businesses will grow this year because of changes made in the program. “Where spacing allows, we can now offer signing a service twice in areas that have an abundance of interested businesses to direct motorists to the various services,” he said. New cost-sharing regulations also should make participation more affordable for businesses to get into the program. “In the past, if you were to jump aboard the program and want a vacancy or need a new sign, a customer may have to pay for the entire sign, even if they were the single business advertised on a six-panel sign,” Martinez said. “Now, the signs are cost-shared right from the beginning, so customers would pay one-third or one-sixth of the cost of that sign right from the start.” New regulations also make it possible to sign the same service twice, which could increase participation in the program at interchanges where there are a many businesses. A sign can carry logos for up to three different kinds of services. For example, one sign could list businesses providing food, gas and lodging. Martinez said it’s first come, first served when determining which competing businesses get their logos on a sign, but to be eligible to participate, the businesses must meet criteria for proximity to the interchange, hours and days of operation and services provided. Attractions advertised should derive a major portion of their income or visitors from motorists not residing in the immediate area. WYDOT makes the signs, but the businesses provide the logo panels to attach to them. The logo panels are screwed onto the sign, so they can be removed if a business closes or chooses to drop out. The program’s goal is to replace all the deteriorated logo signs in the state over the next three years. An assessment of the conditions of the signs on I-25 and I-90 is scheduled to begin this spring. The new signs are expected to last about 14 years. Some of the signs that will be replaced along I-80 are nearly twice that old, and badly deteriorated, Martinez said. Previously all work to fabricate, install and maintain the signs was done by WYDOT crews, but because safety-related and guidance signs are their top priority, the logo sign work lagged behind. “One of our theories is, if we can get contractors to install and maintain the logo signs, it’s going to be a quicker turnaround for the businesses and it will hopefully be more customer friendly for them,” Martinez said. n
The new cost-sharing regulations make it more affordable for buisnesses to advertise their services.
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Driver Services’ responsibilities extend beyond issuing licenses
by Dave Kingham
There are more than 473,000 driver licenses issued in Wyoming, making WYDOT’s Driver Services program one of the department’s primary points of contact with the public.
Forty-five examiners operate 29 offices around the state to test applicants, verify their identities and issue licenses. The program also operates a Help Desk to answers driver license and records questions, a Citations Desk to enter violations into driving records and issue suspension and revocation notices, a Commercial Driver License Section to handle the special requirements for issuing those licens- Trojovsky es, a Quality Section that completes license renewals by mail, the ignition interlock program for people convicted of drunken driving and a vehicle insurance verification program. Four regional supervisors and a trainer help manage the program. Overseeing it all is Driver Services Manager Debbie Trojovsky, who was promoted to the position in January following the retirement of Don Edington. Trojovsky has been with the department for 25 years, starting as an examiner in Cheyenne in 1990. She spent nine years as an examiner before moving to the Citations Desk and then the Help Desk. She became the Help Desk supervisor and then was promoted to senior supervisor. She became the program’s deputy manager in 2011. “I loved being an examiner,” Trojovsky recalled. “I liked working with the kids. It was a piece of cake back then, but it’s changed. They have a hard job.” Examiners inspect the identity documents applicants bring in to make sure they’re legitimate, and the applicants are who they say they are. They conduct eye exams and review the applications
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for any medical issues. “Sometimes people are not forthcoming with those medical issues, so, if they see something, they have to question them about it,” Trojovsky said. If a written test is required, the examiners set the applicants up for automated testing. If a driving skills test is needed, they conduct that test, whether for a first-time license applicant or someone with a medical issue that law enforcement or a physician determines requires a special road test. Some of the examiner positions are time-sharing jobs, and those can be hard to keep filled in areas of the state where an energy boom provides high-paying, full-time jobs. Even when all 45 examiner positions are filled, it’s barely enough to operate the 29 examiner stations around the state. Trojovsky said Driver Services could use 15 more people around the state to handle all of its responsibilities and keep the 29 offices staffed. “We need personnel in every office, I think,” she said. “It seems that the job keeps growing but our personnel doesn’t. If you have a small staff and you have someone take vacation time, you’re down to one person while that person is off for a week.” It usually takes at least a year for new examiners to get comfortable with all the demands and requirements of the job, Trojovsky said, and often in July new laws go into effect that the entire staff has learn. At least once a year Driver Services tries to provide training for the staff on how to deal with difficult customers, and it also has begun providing active shooter training. The examiners are still dealing with some negative reactions to the identify verification requirements that went into effect in 2011. “I think it is improving, but (customers) still argue if they don’t have the required documents,” Trojovsky said. “A lot of people don’t understand Real ID and how this is really supposed to be a safety measure. I understand their privacy concerns, but we go to great lengths to keep that information secure and limit access to it.”
Photo: WYDOT file Photo: Rick Carpenter
Photos: Rick Carpenter
Another difficult requirement of the job is telling customers by the Citations Desk, which also sends the drivers the disqualifithey can no longer drive, especially when it’s an elderly person cation notices that result from those citations. who has lost the physical or mental skills needed to continue drivThe five-member Citations Desk team gets information from ing. courts all over Wyoming and the nation. Once a violation is “It’s really hard when you have to take that last piece of indeentered into a driver’s record, the computer generates any notices pendence away from an elderly person, but our mission is safe required and they are printed and mailed. highways, so, even though it’s hard to do, we do it,” Trojovsky said. Records are kept for anyone holding a Wyoming driver license “Sometimes you can just see the defeat in their face when you tell and a copy of that record can be obtained directly from an examthem.” iner, or by mail through the Help Desk. Insurance companies can The four people who operate the Driver Services Help Desk get the records electronically. don’t deal with the public face to face, but they must be knowlAnytime a violation leads to a license suspension or revocaedgeable about all aspects of the program to answer questions by tion, or if an applicant is denied a license, the driver has 20 days in telephone and email. They respond to about 3,500 phone calls and which to contest the action and request a hearing. Driver Services 400 emails a month. processes the request and puts together a file to send to the state’s The Quality Section’s team of six handles mail-in license renewOffice of Administrative Hearings. Examiners from that office als at a rate of more than 100 a week. conduct the hearings and notify Driver Services of the results. Marianne Haka Bixler and Dani Galluzzo administer the Last year, 894 of the hearings were conducted, and WYDOT’s ignition interlock program, along with their action was upheld in 815 of those cases. If other responsibilities, and ignition interlock WYDOT disagrees with a hearing outcome, is an area in which Trojovsky said additional it can request reconsideration, but in most personnel is needed. cases the outcome is accepted and Driver Drivers convicted of driving under the Services sends a notification to the driver. influence with a blood alcohol content of .15 Haka Bixler manages Driver Services’ or greater, or of a second DUI in a 10-year vehicle insurance verification system, which period, are required to have an ignition interwas mandated by the Legislature in 2006. “She helped implement that program in lock device installed in their vehicle. Driver 2009, and she runs it very well,” Trojovsky Services must scan the paperwork from the said. device’s installation and determine what Law enforcement agencies can access restrictions need to be added. The ignition interlock program is administered They also monitor reports from the four through Driver Services. The program monitors the insurance verification database when investigating a crash. If the officer doesn’t get vendors who install the devices in Wyoming. the feedback from the installed devices. a response verifying the driver has insurThe reports provide information about every time an interlock device is used, including ance, Driver Services runs it own check. If whether the breath test was done properly, there is still no verification, a letter is sent whether any alcohol was detected and if any to the driver spelling out what needs to be attempt was made to tamper with the device. done to verify they are insured. Usually what Drivers who do not use the devices propis required is a letter from their insurance erly or try to circumvent them can have their company confirming the coverage and the restricted licenses revoked. date it took effect. CDL Supervisor Dale Cazier and his six Driver Services’ Medical Section reviews examiners are in charge of skills testing for medical and vision evaluations. The process drivers seeking a commercial driver license. starts with a review that determines an evaluThe examiners conduct driving skills tests in ation is needed. A letter is sent to the driver Afton, Casper, Cheyenne, Cody, Evanston, instructing them to contact the nearest exam Gillette, Kemmerer, Rawlins, Riverton, Rock station for the evaluation. Springs, Sheridan, Torrington and Worland. All the Driver Services sections combine The full CDL skills test takes about two to provide highly rated customer service to A team of CDL examiners are in charge of hours to complete, and includes sections on skills testing for drivers seeking a commercial Wyoming drivers, while helping maintain a the pre-trip inspection, use of basic controls driver license. safe transportation system by managing who and driving. is licensed to drive in the state. Currently there is about a two-week wait to get an appointment In the 2014 customer satisfaction survey completed for to take the tests, and additional personnel would be needed to WYDOT by the University of Wyoming’s Survey and Analysis shorten that wait time. Center, 90 percent of respondents who had conducted business “For drivers, that two-week wait is two weeks they’re not at a driver license office during the past two years said they were working, so it would be nice if we could schedule those sooner,” satisfied with the courtesy of the staff, and 78 percent said they Trojovsky said. were satisfied with the promptness of the service. CDL applicants must bring in their federal DOT medical cer“The examiners are the ones who everyone sees, but everyone tificates, which are scanned and entered into the CDL database by in this building and out there in the field does a remarkable job the Quality Section, usually the next day. and I’m very proud of them,” Trojovsky said. n Any citations a CDL holder gets are entered into the database March 2015
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District 3 Patrol under new leadership
The WHP in Rock Springs experienced a changing of the guard this past year, with the hiring of two new troopers and the retirement of longtime Capt. Tom Thomas Cunningham. The reins of District 3, made up of four divisions out of Jackson, Pinedale, Evanston and Rock Springs, have been passed to Capt. James Thomas. Although he is new to the captain’s chair, he is no stranger to the Wyoming Highway Patrol or law enforcement. Thomas, who hails from Indiana, is the son of a longtime police sergeant in Indianapolis. “My dad was a big proponent in getting me involved with law enforcement,”
WHP graduates five dispatchers Five dispatchers completed their classroom training and celebrated with a graduation ceremony today in Cheyenne at the communications center. Wyoming Highway Patrol Dispatch trainees go through five weeks of classroom training where they learn about a variety of topics. Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), geography, emergency and non-emergency call taking, telephone procedures, National Crime Information Center, basic law and high risk traffic stops are just a few of the many topics the dispatchers studied.
Thomas recalls. Thomas started early on the path of law enforcement by entering the Navy out of high school. After serving in the military, he returned to Indiana to begin his career with the Indianapolis Police Department. Soon after, Thomas had his eyes on moving west. After marrying his wife, Courtney, in Cody, both of them knew Wyoming was the place they wanted to be. So in 2001, Thomas began working with the Wyoming Highway Patrol in Jackson. Thomas then continued to work his way around the state, working with the Wyoming Highway Patrol in Laramie, Basin, Evanston and Worland, where he remained until his promotion to District 3 commander. As the new commander, Thomas hopes to be more actively involved in the day-to-day activities of troopers and port-of-entry employees. Thomas isn’t the only new face in management. Lt. Ben Schlosser replaced Lt. Scott Keane this past year as well. Now that the dispatchers have completed the classroom portion of training, they will move to phone room training for approximately four weeks, where they will sit side by side with a communications training officer and learn how to take actual calls and enter them into the CAD system. After successfully completing the phone room training, the new dispatchers will begin radio training where they work each radio in the dispatch center for one week at a time. The Wyoming Highway Patrol Dispatch Center dispatches statewide with six patrol radios and the SALECS radio that dispatches for Wyoming Game and Fish, State Parks, BLM, Livestock Board, Forest Service, and outfitters. n
Get smart!
Photo courtesy Dave Wagener/WHP
Noteworthy
Schlosser, who earned degrees from Hocking College, Ohio University and Tiffin University, served as an officer with the New Lexington and Toledo City Police Departments in Ohio before joining the Wyoming Highway Patrol in 2007. Two graduates of the academy joined the Rock Springs division this year; Trooper John Williams, from Missouri, stationed in Patrick Draw, and Trooper Joshua Carris, from Iowa, stationed in Rock Springs. However, even short-staffed, troopers in southwest Wyoming are doing amazing work. Trooper Kent Hutchinson was working I-80 back in July, when he responded to a 911 emergency on the side of the interstate. A motorist was struggling for his life after being struck by a heart attack. Hutchinson’s heroic actions were recognized when he received the Colonel’s Commendation Award and the Wyoming Peace Officer Association Award for Valor. District 3 Highway Patrol was the top district in the state in 2013, which was awarded in 2014. Trooper Chancey Duncan was a runner up for Top Trooper in 2013 as well. n
From left: Gwen Trujillo, Capt. Troy McLees, Whit Wilson, Bonnie Trefren, Joyce Knapp, Todd Nalder and Communications Trainer Heather O’Connor.
Download and use the free Drive Sober Wyoming smartphone app. drivesoberwy.com 12
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AVOID THE
DUI LIFE
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Only establish and maintain connections with people you know and trust. Review your connections often. Assume that ANYONE can see any information about your activities, personal life, or professional life that you post and share. Ensure that your family takes similar precautions with their accounts; their privacy and sharing settings can expose your per sonal data. Avoid posting or tagging images of you or your family that clearly show your face. Select pictures taken at a distance, at an angle, or otherwise concealed. Never post Smartphone photos and don’t use your face as a profile photo, instead, use cartoons or avatars. Use secure browser settings when possible and monitor your browsing history to ensure that you recognize all access points.
Managing Your LinkedIn Profile LinkedIn is a professional networking site whose users establish connections with co-workers, customers, business contacts, and potential employees and employers. Users post and share information about current and previous employment, education, military activities, specialties, and interests. To limit exposure of Use Settings to manage visibility your personal information, you can manage who can view your profile and activities. Profile Settings Apply the Profile settings shown with arrows below to ensure that your information is visible only to people of your choosing.
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Useful Links www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/parent-guide www.wiredkids.org/ www.microsoft.com/security/online-privacy/social-networking.aspx www.onguardonline.gov/topics/social-networking-sites.aspx
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District 1 maintenance vehicle struck on I-80
The attenuator trailer sustained damage.
Bruce McCormack is leaving the Enterprise Transportation Commission Chairmain and longtime Cody Enterprise Publisher Bruce McCormack plans to step down this spring, ending 30 years at the helm of the newspaper. Sage Publishing, which has owned the Enterprise since 1971, is conducting an extensive search McCormack for his successor. “I’ve been working at journalism and
Photo: Luke Eigenberger
Photo: Luke Eigenberger
Clear weather on I-80 isn’t a promise of a crash-free day, as a District 1 maintenance crew can attest. Crew 1035 was on I-80 washing delineator buttons (reflectors) on the shoulder near the eastbound Harriman exit when the 8-yard maintenance truck with an attenuator trailer was struck by a commercial truck. The eastbound commercial truck hauling boxes of frozen hashbrown potatoes came dangerously close to rear ending the WYDOT vehicle, but sideswiped it instead. The trailer was peeled open on the side, tossing the cargo all over the highway. The WYDOT vehicle was on the shoulder over the white line prior to being struck. The crash pinned the 8-yard vehicle against the guardrail of the overpass.
Photo: Luke Eigenberger
Steve Cisco and Joe Brigham were in the truck when it was hit and are lucky to not have any serious injuries. Luke Eigenberger was also on scene in the second 8-yard vehicle on the east side of the overpass. “I saw the commercial truck coming in my rear-view mirror,” said Eigenberger. “I ra- The bed of the 8-yard took the majority of force from the commercial dioed back to the other vehicle. truck to warn them. in the bed and in the cab, through the It was almost too late. All I remember open window. seeing was a snow shower of what I later A second commercial vehicle stopped realized was hashbrown potatoes.” to help with traffic control until WHP The attenuator trailer is totalled, but was on scene. n the bed of the 8-yard took the full force of the impact. While it was being ‘peeled’ open, the semi-trailer left shards of the side material in the WYDOT vehicle both
Photo: Luke Eigenberger
Noteworthy
The commercial truck’s trailer is a loss, having been ‘peeled’ open by hitting the side of the 8-yard dump-bed.
Boxes of hashbrown potatoes litter the driving lanes and shoulder after the crash.
newspapering for a long time,” McCormack said. “It’s 40 years since I graduated with a journalism degree and 35 years since I joined Sage.” Of his reasons for leaving the Enterprise, he said, “It’s pretty simple – I just don’t wish to continue working fulltime. I’m 62 at the end of the month and, after 40 years on this path, it’s time for a change.” He says he “hasn’t spent a real 10 minutes” thinking about what he might do next. “But if it’s work, it’ll be part time.” McCormack plans to remain in Cody. “For a St. Louis guy who went to high school in New York, California and Texas, and then college in Michigan, it’s special to me to have lived in Wyoming much longer
than anywhere else,” he said. “I didn’t plan it this way, but I’m sure glad half my life has been spent in Cody.” He has two years remaining on a sixyear term on the Transportation Commission and that service will continue “unchanged.” He says he sees bright times ahead for Cody and its newspaper. “I love this community and the Enterprise and am proud of both and always will support them,” he said. “It can’t be said about many small communities, but Cody’s future is rock solid.” Quoting the phrase made famous locally by two Cody Country legends – Kid Nichols and Bud Webster – McCormack added, “I ain’t mad at nobody.” n March 2015
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Training
Skillsoft making WYDOT debut by Kurt Borgaard, Training Services Skillsoft e-learning is now a new learning choice at WYDOT. This article is provided with the intent of giving a few quick tips for getting on and making the most of the Skillsoft learning environment.
Home Page and Getting to Know Skillsoft
After you’ve completed those initial tasks, you will be brought to the “What’s New” Home Page. (Figure 3) This is the main page that you will use to navigate your way through Skillsoft.
How to use Skillsoft at WYDOT.
In your internet browser type: https://wydot-training. skillport.com
Figure 3
Figure 1
Initial Sign in
Your “Username” is your state gmail address, for instance: first.last@wyo.gov. You will receive an email with your Skillsoft username and password. Use the password provided in the email. (Figure 1) Once you sign on for the first time you will be asked to change your password and to select a security question. (Figure 2)
Take just a little time to learn more about the way this powerful Skillsoft learning site works and how it can best work for you. Here’s how: Notice the “Quick Links” drop down menu. Select “Take a Virtual Tour” and you can choose from how-to videos that will give you a brief tutorial on each of these subjects: “What’s New Page,” “Navigation Overview,” “Searching for & Finding Content,” “Browse the Library,” “Adding Items to the Learning Plan,” “View Learner Transcript,” and “Configure User Profile.” Take advantage of these learning tools to make your learning experience on Skillsoft even better.
Figure 4
Also on the “Quick Links” drop down menu, you can select “Support.” There you will find these useful options to assist you as you need them to support your online learning experience: “Help,” “Live Help,” and “Technical Support.”
Figure 2
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Exploring and Choosing Learning Opportunities
“The Library” drop down menu is where you discover the learning opportunities that are best suited for you and/ or your employees. (Figure 5)
There is also a powerful search option (figure 6) that is located in the upper right of the Skillsoft webpage. Click on the “Select” menu next to the search input box and filter results by specific “Subject,” “Type” and/or “Detail.” With this quick overview of how to get up and operate on the new WYDOT Skillsoft website, we hope that you will take full advantage of the learning opportunities available to you to develop and find great satisfaction in the work that you do at WYDOT. n
Figure 5
The main categories are “Business Skills” and “Desktop Skills.” “Business Skills” includes people skills as well as general professional, business, supervisory and leadership skills. “Desktop Skills” is generally divided into two sections: “Microsoft Office 2007” and “Operating Systems.” Under “Microsoft Office 2007” there are learning options for standard Microsoft programs including: Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Project, Publisher, SharePoint, Visio, and Word. Based upon the subject matter you choose, the following format categories will be listed: “Books,” “Courses,” “Resources,” “Videos” and “Learning Portals.” As you discover the learning opportunities that are suited to you, there are a few options. “Details” gives you more information, “Launch” opens it. Under “More actions” you can choose “Save” so that it will appear in your “Learning Plan.” If at some point later you decide you would like to delete it from your learning plan, you will have that option. The “Learning Plan” can be thought of as a holding center for those learning opportunities that are of interest to you so that you don’t need to search for them again later.
A few examples of what an employee may see when selecting items from the Browse the Library tab. Figure 6
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District News Headquarters
Welcome Molly Johnson, Office ServicesMailroom; Todd Nalder, Patrol Dispatch Manager; Bonnie Trefren, Patrol Dispatch Manager; Mark Trimble, Cheyenne I-80 Port Of Entry; Gwendolynn Trujillo, Patrol Dispatch Manager; Whitney Wilson, Patrol Dispatch Manager; and Ty Zwonitzer, Right Of Way-Appraisals.
Promotions and Transfers
years; and Liane Terrill,GIS/ITS – 5 years.
Retirements Ronald Koehn, Equipment Administration; and Gregory Goodman recently retired from the Materials Lab. Capron Goodman started his career with the state at the Wyoming Liquor Commission in 1980. In 1988, he became a mobile lab technician.
This position is key as Starkey will be the initial influence over new recruits during their initial 28 weeks of training.
Condolences Lacey Byers, wife of Jay Byers, Right Of Way, passed away Feb. 6. She was 38. Services were held in Cheyenne Feb. 13. Our sincerest condolences go out to him and his family. A chili cookoff and bake sale will be held to benefit the Byers family on Mar. 4 in the headquarters car barn.
Congratulations
Mellor
Messer
Charles Cisco, Materials-Bituminous; Douglas Crabtree, Geology; Jeffery Mellor, Traffic; Bruce Messer, Fuel Tax-Uniformity; Jon Peterson, Fuel Tax-Administration; Randy Starkey, Patrol-Safety and Training; Deborah Trojovsky, Driver Services-Administration; and Bryan Wenger, Equipment-Administration.
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le Afte yc
ading! Re
James Thompson, Planning-System Planning – 40 years; Lorraine Lucero, Highway Safety – 35 years; Barbara MacKenzie, Financial Services-Revenue – 15 years; Pamela Allsop, Driver Services-Policy and Records – 10 years; Barak Capron, Highway Development-Photogrammetry/Survey – 10 years; Mitzi Krois, Civil Rights Office – 10
Col. John Butler appointed Tpr. Randy Starkey, a seven year Patrol veteran stationed in Lusk, as the new academy coordinator sergeant. Starkey Starkey takes over the position for recently promoted Lt. Chris Schell who now supervises the Casper area road division. Starkey will be responsible for coordinating, facilitating and supervising the Patrol’s recruit training program at the Wyoming Highway Patrol Basic Academy and serve as the agency liaison with the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy.
Greg Brown (top) and Vance Lucero from the Cheyenne rigging shop receiving their Fundamentals of Service certificates for General Shop from Bryan Wenger, assistant equipment manager.
r
Service Awards
Patrol coordinator newly appointed
Photos: WYDOT
Crabtree
ease Re c Pl
Cisco
Bryan Wenger has been chosen as the new assistant state equipment manager. Wenger replaces Ron Koehn who retired at the end of 2014. Wenger started with WYDOT in March 1993 in the Cheyenne mechanWenger ics shop and worked his way up to lead mechanic. He subsequently moved to Equipment in 2012.
District 1
Welcome
Promotions and Transfers
Robert Bolen, Rawlins Maintenance; Barbara Giffin, Highway DevelopmentProject Development-Laramie Design Squad; Thomas Kukla, Rawlins Maintenance; Eric Redland, Highway Development-Project Development-Laramie Design Squad; Thomas Styles, Rawlins Maintenance; and Leslie Thronburg, Highway Development-Project Development-Laramie Design Squad.
Jon Briggs, Cheyenne Patrol; Kevin Diethrich, Cheyenne Construction; and Jeramy Pittsley, Cheyenne Patrol.
trains and engines; and Clint Williams (Cheyenne), power trains, engines, electrical and hydraulics.
Service Awards Darwin Sandoval, Cheyenne TrafficStriping – 15 years.
Sandoval
From left: Mayfield and Malone
Congratulations
Briggs
Pittsley
Several District 1 shop technicians have received Fundamentals Of Service certifications. Congratulations to Austin Christopherson (Rawlins), electrical; Carl Malone (Laramie), general shop and hydraulics; Matt Mayfield (Laramie), power
Christopherson
Williams
District 2
Welcome
Service Awards
Eric Avila, Torrington Port Of Entry; and Chelsea Longshore, Lusk Port Of Entry.
Tammy Salazar, Torrington/Lusk Driver Services – 5 years.
Promotions and Transfers Paul Lovett, Wheatland Maintenance. Lovett
Congratulations Jeff Erdahl was recently named area maintenance supervisor for the District 2 areas of Casper north, Kaycee and Midwest. Erdahl has worked for WYDOT since August
Erdahl
District 3
Service Awards
Congratulations
Kevin Weston, Cokeville Maintenance – 15 years.
WHP is pleased to announce that Lanae Wynn has been named the new Evanston Port of Entry supervisor. Wynn brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this position. She was the lead officer in Evanston and Wynn has been instrumental in providing leadership and training to the ports of entry in District 3. Wynn has worked for the state of Wyoming for 27 years and at the port of entry for 19 years. Capt. Jim Thomas,
Promotions and Transfers Daniel McGillivray, Pinedale Construction.
Weston
McGillivray
1985, when he began as a maintenance worker. He’s served as a guardrail foreman and a senior staff technician within District 2 maintenance. “This is a natural step in my career,” Erdahl said. “As an area supervisor, you keep communication up between the crews you’re in charge of. That helps the crews work together as part of a larger team. We’re an intermediate between the district maintenance engineer and the crew leaders, as far as what’s expected of the crews and what their priorities are.” Erdahl, who is originally from Montana, moved to Casper in 1978. District 3 commander, said he is “excited for what Lanae brings to this position. I want to thank the other two candidates that participated in this process. I was impressed with their passion and dedication to the agency and the commercial carrier section. The promotional process highlighted some very positive qualities and great potential.”
Oops! Editor’s note: A small error slipped past us in last month’s edition. Keith Compton’s photo was accidentally tagged with the wrong name. We are sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused Mr. Compton.
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District 4
Welcome Jared Despain, Gillette Construction; Keith Lambert, Sundance Construction; John Roan, Buffalo Maintenance; and Albert Wilson, Sheridan MaintenanceGuardrail.
Promotions and Transfers Rebecca Kobielusz, Sheridan Construction.
Service Awards
Kobielusz
Trent McKinley, Burgess Junction Maintenance – 35 years; and Kari Bergeman, Gillette Construction – 5 years.
McKinley
Transportation commissioners complete terms Milt Coulter of Gillette and Ted Ertman of Newcastle completed their terms of service as Wyoming Transportation Commissioners last month. Ertman was appointed to the commission by former Gov. Dave Freudenthal in March 2009. He served as chairman during 2013-14. Coulter was appointed by Gov. Matt Mead in Coulter February 2012 to replace Jim Hladlky, also of Gillette, who had died in helicopter crash the previous fall. Prior to joining the Transportation Commission, Ertman served 12 years as a Weston County Commissioner. For five of those years, he was chairman. He also was a member of the Wyoming County Commissioners Association’s Road and Bridge Committee.
Ertman, who earned an associates’ degree in applied science from Sheridan College, worked for many years as a crude oil gauger, pipeline operator and oil station operator. Coulter, a civil engineering graduate of the University of Wyoming, had worked for the old Wyoming Highway Department, WYDOT’s predecessor agency, as a surveyor and engineer during the 1960s. He went on to enjoy a long and successful career in real estate development in various locaErtman tions around the state. His previous community service included serving a six-year term on the Wyoming Real Estate Commission. Appointees to replace Ertman and Coulter on the Transportation Commission will be from Niobrara and Johnson counties, respectively.
Bergeman
District 5
Travis Jorgensen, Worland Maintenance.
Dubois’ Wells retiring from WYDOT after 28 years
Jorgensen
Dubois maintenance worker Chad Wells retired Jan. 30 from WYDOT with more than 28 years of service. Wells began his career as a two-year temporary flagger for WYDOT in Dubois in the mid-1980s. “The highway department has been good for me,” Wells said. “I’m looking forward to the next step.”
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Wells recalls working on Togwotee Pass, including plowing snow, and his interactions with people as “having its moments” during his career. “I’ve seen people do a lot of strange things along the highway,” he said. Wells has driven three trucks with a common WYDOT license plate number (H-1138) during his highway maintenance career. “My current 1138 truck was just recently moved to South Pass,” Wells said with a smile. “They got rid of the truck before they got rid of me.” Wells and his wife, Margaret, have two twin adult sons, Chris and Jerry, and a grown daughter, Johanna. They have three grandsons and a granddaughter. In retirement, Wells plans to keep busy with farm and ranch work on his properties near Dubois and Pavillion. “We mainly raise hay and run a few horses,” he said.
Wells and his family celebrated his retirement with friends and co-workers during a Jan. 21 luncheon at the Dubois WYDOT maintenance office.
Photo courtesy Cody Beers
Promotions and Transfers
Dubois maintenance foreman Paul Boedeker (right) presented Dubois maintenance worker Chad Wells with a crystal candy dish and a present from the Dubois crew during his retirement luncheon on Wednesday, Jan. 21.
District 4 3rd Annual Roadway Challenge trophy gets new home District 4 WYDOT maintenance employees attend the District 4 annual maintenance meeting each fall. This year, the Third Annual Roadway Challenge game was played and the traveling trophy was awarded to Rich’s Road Island Roosters. The Roadway Challenge game is similar to Jeopardy for highway maintenance guys. Each year at the maintenance meeting, the crews in District 4 are divided into respective areas with the three area crew supervisors captaining each team. The teams spend the afternoon answering questions pertaining to WYDOT in a Jeopardy-style setting for points. Like any good Jeopardy
game, there is a final Jeopardy played, not by the team, but by the crew leaders. The team with the most points takes home the traveling trophy and the other two teams head back to their areas empty-handed. They work to increase their WYDOT knowledge during the year in hopes of returning to the game and steal the trophy the following year. Rich’s Road Island Roosters, under the leadership of Rich Hall, area crew supervisor from Sheridan and Johnson County, barely edged out Max’s Mule Kickers headed up by Max Morbeto, area crew supervisor for Campbell County and Brad’s Barnyard Bulleys, captained by Brad Marchant, area crew supervisor for Crook and Weston Counties. n
Photo: Rick Carpenter
GIS/ITS Program Manager Vince Garcia and Staff Engineer and Transportation Management Center Manager Kevin Cox were both honored by the ESGR for their part in serving the U.S. Armed Services through the Wyoming National Guard. Max Carre, a volunteer for Wyoming ESGR (Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve), and Col. Nicole Chavez with the Air Force Reserve were present for the awards ceremony. “The military reserve is 75 percent traditional and 25 percent full-time. We rely on our traditional guardsmen to make missions happen,” said Col. Chavez. “We understand that it’s a balancing act between families, employers and the guard and we like to show our appreciation with presentations like these.” Cox had nominated Garcia for being an outstanding supervisor of a national guardsman through the ESGR. Garcia’s
Photo courtesy Ronda Holwell
GIS/ITS staffers honored for service
The pressure was on at this year’s Roadway Challenge game in District 4. The Jeopardy-style game consisting of WYDOT trivia and information is a huge hit at the District 4 annual maintenance meeting.
Photo courtesy Ronda Holwell
Awards
award inscription thanks him for being a patriotic employer and for contributing to national security and protecting liberty and freedom by supporting employee participation in America’s National Guard and reserve force. Cox is enlisted with the Wyoming Air National Guard, where he is a lieutenant colonel and a C-130 navigator. He had recently From left: Director John Cox, ESGR Volunteer Committee been deployed to Al-Udeid Air Member Max Carre, TMC Manager Kevin Cox, GIS/ITS Base, Qatar where he flew misProgram Manager Vince Garcia, Col. Nicole Chavez and sions to UAE, Bahrain, Afghani- Transportation Commission Chairman Bruce McCormack at the ESGR award presentation. stan, Kuwait, Jordan and Iraq. “I can’t thank Vince enough. ESGR presents awards to employers I’ve worked for him for the last 11 years and employees who support the men and now and been in the guard for about 24. women who protect our country through He has just made life easy for me when it the reserve branch of the armed forces. comes to letting me do my reserve job,” ESGR acts as a liasion for mediation said Cox. “When you are deployed in and educational opportunities for ema foreign country and away from your ployees who are also service members in family, you have a lot of worries going on. the military reserve, as well as employers To not have to worry about what is going as pertaining to the Uniformed Services on at your job back home because of the Employment and Reemployment Rights support that you get in the workplace is Act and rights for employers and employjust awesome.” ees. n Cox was nominated for this award by Christopher Holmstead.
Rich Hall skippered the Road Island Roosters to victory. Hall receives his team’s trophy from Larry Konetzki, District 4 maintenance engineer.
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Passings Russ Collins
Russell Collins, who worked in maintenance for the old Wyoming Highway Department (WHD) for nearly two decades, died Jan. 28 in Lander. He was 86. Collins, a Thermopolis native, joined WHD in April 1968 and retired in SeptemCollins ber 1987 as crew foreman in Dubois. Prior to working for the department, he worked as a government trapper in the Casper area and as a heavy equipment operator for road construction companies in various locations around the state. Collins and his wife Juanita moved to Lander in 1991. There, he was a member of Masonic Lodge, as well as the Lander Valley Sportsmen’s Association. Other memberships included the Wyoming
Archaeological Society and the National Rifle Association. Funeral services for Collins were conducted Feb. 2 in Lander.
Rock Springs until his health began to fail last year.
Andrew Peternell
Elizabeth “Betsy” Roccabruna, 74, wife of retired WYDOT Director Gene “Rocky” Roccabruna, died Feb. 16 in Cheyenne after battling dementia and Progressive Supernuclear Palsy. During Rocky’s career with WYDOT, the couple lived in Rock Springs, Rawlins and Basin, before moving to Cheyenne in 1985. (Rocky retired in early 2000.) Betsy Roccabruna was active in the church, and she enjoyed attending shows at the Civic Center, baking, traveling with Rocky and spending time with her family. A funeral liturgy was conducted Feb. 21 in Cheyenne. n
Agency retiree Andy Peternell, 75, died Feb. 5 in Cheyenne. Peternell, a Rock Springs native, was a graduate of Rock Springs High School and seven-year veteran of the Wyoming Army National Guard. He first worked Peternell for the old Wyoming Highway Department (WHD), WYDOT’s predecessor agency, as an engineering technician in Rock Springs, starting in October 1962. Peternell subsequently left WHD to work in the mining industry and later returned to the department, again as an engineering technician in Rock Springs. He retired in June 2007 with 26 years’ total service, and continued to reside in
Extra Mile
Hunt lately? Spring skiing? Beach vacation?
AWARDS Congratulations to our January recipients! WYDOT salutes the following Director’s Extra Mile Award recipients. The award is presented to individuals who have traveled the “extra mile” in service to WYDOT. Jim Butts Warren Oyler Mark Kelly David Shepard Brian Wyza Travis King Mark Garcia
Chuck Dunlap Mike Chestnut Tony Avila Vince Birkle Cory Rinehart AJ Myers
For more information about the Extra Mile Award or to nominate someone, contact Janet Farrar at janet.farrar@wyo.gov or Mel Anderson at mel.anderson@wyo.gov.
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Elizabeth Roccabruna
Show us your photos! Outdoors submission deadline:
03/13/15 carlie.vanwinkle@wyo.gov
WTDEA
Photo: Rick Carpenter
Although the cafeteria space at WYDOT headquarters has undergone many leadership and cosmetic changes throughout the last half-century, it remains a place of good food and gathering. The Highway Cafe, as it is named today, was started in September 2008 by Dwight and Nancy Sullivan. In 2009, the Sullivans faced a decision about keeping the cafe open or closing the doors on their business forever. Julio Reyes, a then employee of the Highway Cafe, and Britney Sullivan, daughter of Dwight and Nancy, showed interest in taking the reins. Reyes and Sullivan applied for a contract extension through the WTDEA to continue serving the employees of WYDOT. The partnership successfully competed with other local vendors looking to run their business within the headquarters building. The Highway Cafe operates with a breakfast and lunch menu of standard cafe fare, and Reyes offers different specials several days each week. A salad bar is the most recent addition to the cafe’s daily offerings. The Highway Cafe provides all consumables, including all
Commission Secretary Sandy Scott getting a refill before heading back to her desk. The Highway Cafe’s self-serve soda and coffee station are a welcome feature throughout the day to recharge during a break.
Photo: Rick Carpenter
The Highway Cafe, a privately owned business, keeps WYDOT well fed in space maintained by WTDEA
Julio Reyes and the staff at the Highway Cafe keep WYDOT well-fed throughout the year. Daily specials and the green chile are very popular selections.
food, to-go boxes, condiments (ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, salt and pepper), and coffee creamers and sugar for coffee drinkers. Another overhead cost for the cafe is rent paid for the kitchen facility. While the cafe purchases all of the consumable goods, the WTDEA provides all things non-consumable in the cafe. The dine-in dinnerware, tables, chairs and other equipment found in the cafe are all purchased by WTDEA. WYDOT Facilities Management maintains the mechanical kitchen equipment. The Highway Cafe is now in it’s fifth year under Reyes’ direction. He takes his full-time job seriously and wants to keep the employees of WYDOT fed and happy. Reyes has set some goals for the Highway Cafe which includes keeping food fresh and stocked. There is a new comment box in the cafe to allow for suggestions about specials, new menu ideas and other things customers might like. All suggestions will be reviewed weekly. The next time you stop in at the Highway Cafe, say hello to Reyes and his staff. They’ll be glad you stopped in – and so will you when you take a bite of your meal. This is the first of three articles about the Highway Cafe. The next two installments will include the results of an upcoming cafe survey and changes implemented due to survey feedback. n
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Take it slow
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Know before you go. March 2015
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Rides
Photo: Steve Lund
Rides is a quarterly feature. Interchange will run the Rides section again in the June issue. Get those submissions to carlie.vanwinkle@wyo.gov. Please include year, make, model and any other information you’d like to share with our readers about your ride.
Photo: Ray Avery
Steve Lund, Motor Vehicle Services, displays his 1973 Plymouth Barracuda when he is not racing it at Colorado’s Bandimere Speedway.
utiful 1969
Photo: Rick Carpenter
his bea ings traffic, shined up Ray Avery, with Rock Spr e. issu ’s this month Suzuki 250 Savage for
Leroy Everitt, a Right Of Way employee, poses with his fully restored is 1971 Dodge Charger. The car runs a 383 Magnum engine. Everitt 1991. in on restorati a d complete and the only owner of this gem
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Photo: Rick Carpenter
Photo: Rick Carpenter
Geology retiree Mike Schulte with his 1967 Chevy Nova.
Layne Harsha, a 13-year-old Rock Springs resident has two “whips.” The one pictured is a 2014 KTM 150cc dirtbike. His other is a 2012 KTM 125cc. He races in several series: The Wild West Series (Utah, Idaho); High Plains Motoc ross Association Series (Wyoming); and Utah Sports man Racing Association Series (Utah). He is spons ored by Ryno Designs and High Desert KTM. Harsh a’s mom is District 3 Public Involvement Specialist Stephanie Harsha.
Don Moench, a retiree from the Utilities Progr am, drives his 1966 C10 Chevy pickup around town occasionall y.
Photo: Joseph Keele
Photo: Rick Carpenter
Joseph Keele with the Basin striping crew cruises around town in his cherry red 1965 Lincoln Continental convertible.
Photo: Rick Carpenter
Photogrammetry/Surveys retiree Rick Eccli stands next to his 1934 Ford panel delivery truck.
Photo: David Nielson
18-year old Kemmerer resident Chance Nielson standing next to his 2014 Yamaha YZ 250. Nielson’s father is David Nielson in Kemmerer Construction. Photo: Rick Carpenter
sha Photos: Stephanie Har
Longtime Right Of Way employee Harry Evanoff with his 1966 Ford Mustang and his trusty companion, Princess. Evanoff bought the V8 new and gets it out on the road a couple times each month.
nd r which he bought bra 1971 Dodge Challenge for age gar his Chuck James with his in sat It es on the odometer. ry. new in 1972 with 9 mil tored it to it’s former glo he and his brother res ore bef rs yea nt. pai nearly 30 of t coa new a Hammer gave it Fellow WYDOTer Tom
Motor Vehicle Services employee Vicki Klein submitted this photo of her sunny bright yellow 1967 Chevrolet Camaro.
Photo: Vicki Klein
Photo: Rick Carpenter
Construction Staff retiree Fred Williams poses with his 1979 Chevy Malibu wagon.
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March 2015
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Interchange
Wyoming Department of Transportation 5300 Bishop Blvd. Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009-3340 Address Service Requested
Pre-sorted Standard U.S. Postage Paid Cheyenne, WY 82009 Permit No. 24