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Emergency Management
When emergency conditions arise such as hurricanes, floods, industrial explosions or terrorist attacks, the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at Houston TranStar is activated. Representatives from all four collaborating agencies—as well as such diverse entities as the U.S. Army, Salvation Army, Harris County Toll Road Authority, Amateur Radio Operator volunteers, the American Red Cross, and area local governments—come together to coordinate a quick, effective response. The Automated Flood Warning System, Doppler Radar Imagery, Satellite Weather Maps, Road Flood Warning Systems and the Regional Incident Management System (RIMS) comprise some of the tools used to address the emergency. more

Leveraging Resources
The benefit of having multiple agencies under one roof for pooling information and resources gives Houston TranStar partners an advantage over other agencies who work alone. Because of joint transportation projects, combined emergency response efforts and general day-to-day cooperative operations, TranStar enjoys a worldwide reputation for innovation and efficient use of resources.

Innovation
Houston TranStar was the first center in the nation to combine Transportation and Emergency Management centers, and the first to bring four agencies together under one roof. Houston TranStar’s web site, nationally and locally recognized for the breadth of information it offers the general public, allows subscribers to receive personalized travel time updates and incident warnings, as well as providing up-to-the-minute traffic and weather information.

Benefits
Houston TranStar’s benefits are well-documented and quantified by the Texas Transportation Institute, the transportation research arm of Texas A & M University.

TranStar’s transportation management activities have reduced the public’s travel times and fuel consumption (more than $1.6 billion saved since the program’s inception), and has lowered exhaust emissions (3,157 tons of hydrocarbons, 20,899 tons of carbon monoxide and 4,375 tons of nitrogen oxides).

In 2006, travel delays cost the region more than $714 million. However, by actively managing traffic incidents and providing travel information to the public, Houston TranStar offset travel delays in the region by more than 12 million vehicle hours, for a monetary benefit of $228.8 million. The reduced travel time lowered fuel consumption by 22.7 million gallons, for an additional savings of more than $57 million, or a total of $286 million in benefits to the region.

Emergency management activities and warnings have decreased the number of injuries, deaths, and extensive property damage caused by floods and other weather-related and/or man-made events. These benefits to the public are not quantifiable.

The annual cost to operate Houston TranStar is $26.9 million. Divided into TranStar’s annual benefit of $286 million, Houston TranStar’s benefit/cost ratio is 10.6. So for every $1 spent on Houston TranStar, the region realizes a benefit of $10.60.