| RELEASE: CONTACT: |
IMMEDIATE Tamara Neale 804-786-6458 Tamara.Neale@VDOT.Virginia.gov |
CO-0613 March 14, 2006 |
VDOT FACILITATES INFORMATION’S FREE FLOW
The agency’s FOIA Tracker lets the sunshine in
RICHMOND, March 13, 2006 – As the national Sunshine Week to promote open government is recognized, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has executed a new system to provide citizens with quick access to state records.
The information management system, the FOIA Tracker, provides real-time, agency-wide tracking of citizen requests for records and data under Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act. The system provides a record of what information was provided, to whom it is provided, by whom and when. It even sends out reminders to employees responsible for answering individual FOIA requests to ensure deadlines are met.
VDOT is the first state agency in the commonwealth to develop an automated system for ensuring that information requests are handled swiftly and the process is documented. Every year, the agency receives about 400 requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act.
“VDOT’s business is the public’s business and they have a right to public records in a timely matter,” said Acting VDOT Commissioner Gregory A. Whirley. “The FOIA Tracker is another tool that holds the agency accountable when providing information to the public we serve.”
The system, which was launched last June, was honored by the Virginia Coalition for Open Government.
In the last three years, VDOT became more transparent by launching the Dashboard and the Quarterly Report. The Dashboard is a 24/7 online system that shows how VDOT is spending tax dollars on building, maintaining and operating more than 57,000 miles of roads and bridges across the state.
The Quarterly Report shows on-time and on-budget performance with completed construction and maintenance contracts.
“The more open and accountable VDOT is to the public, the better the agency will perform,” said Whirley. VDOT delivered 82 percent of its construction contracts on time and 88 percent within budget through the first half of fiscal year 2006, a dramatic improvement compared to 20 percent on-time and 56 percent on-budget delivery in fiscal year 2001.
To view the Dashboard go to:
http://dashboard.virginiadot.org/default.aspx
The latest quarterly report is available online at:
http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/2006JanQuarterlyReport.pdf
The information management system, the FOIA Tracker, provides real-time, agency-wide tracking of citizen requests for records and data under Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act. The system provides a record of what information was provided, to whom it is provided, by whom and when. It even sends out reminders to employees responsible for answering individual FOIA requests to ensure deadlines are met.
VDOT is the first state agency in the commonwealth to develop an automated system for ensuring that information requests are handled swiftly and the process is documented. Every year, the agency receives about 400 requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act.
“VDOT’s business is the public’s business and they have a right to public records in a timely matter,” said Acting VDOT Commissioner Gregory A. Whirley. “The FOIA Tracker is another tool that holds the agency accountable when providing information to the public we serve.”
The system, which was launched last June, was honored by the Virginia Coalition for Open Government.
In the last three years, VDOT became more transparent by launching the Dashboard and the Quarterly Report. The Dashboard is a 24/7 online system that shows how VDOT is spending tax dollars on building, maintaining and operating more than 57,000 miles of roads and bridges across the state.
The Quarterly Report shows on-time and on-budget performance with completed construction and maintenance contracts.
“The more open and accountable VDOT is to the public, the better the agency will perform,” said Whirley. VDOT delivered 82 percent of its construction contracts on time and 88 percent within budget through the first half of fiscal year 2006, a dramatic improvement compared to 20 percent on-time and 56 percent on-budget delivery in fiscal year 2001.
To view the Dashboard go to:
http://dashboard.virginiadot.org/default.aspx
The latest quarterly report is available online at:
http://www.virginiadot.org/info/resources/2006JanQuarterlyReport.pdf
Page last modified: April 5, 2007
