SR 180: REQUESTING THE OAHU METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION TO continue transportation management training programs that focus on educating key decision makers responsible for transportation policy, planning, funding, and implementation.

SENATE RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE OAHU METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION TO continue transportation management training programs that focus on educating key decision makers responsible for transportation policy, planning, funding, and implementation.

     WHEREAS, Hawaii has one of the highest costs of transportation per capita in the country and among the highest rates of transportation-related fatalities and injuries; and

     WHEREAS, different jurisdictions have tried to utilize a number of different methods to achieve their transportation safety goals and reduce the cost of multimodal and public transit for local families; and

     WHEREAS, a number of other jurisdictions that struggled to overcome similar transportation-related challenges as Hawaii have managed to successfully reduce their cost of transportation for residents over time, with some also having reduced fatalities nearly to zero; and

     WHEREAS, Hawaii can learn from the proven lessons in other jurisdictions and apply these strategies and best practices to reduce its cost of transportation for local residents and improve safety on roads and highways; and

     WHEREAS, some of the transportation-related challenges Hawaii faces include a system of governance that involves multiple agencies and levels of government that split the decision‑making process amongst a host of different officials; and

     WHEREAS, joint policy and implementation strategy workshops that engage multiple agencies and levels of government in conversations with those who have successfully achieved progress can help accelerate progress and success across silos; and

     WHEREAS, the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization has been operating a successful transportation project management training program to help state and county decision makers and employees working on transportation issues to meet with and learn from their peers in other jurisdictions since 2023; and

     WHEREAS, successful transportation training programs typically involve peer exchanges and mobile workshops where participants meet and learn from their counterparts in other model jurisdictions that have employed best practices, gain firsthand experience as both designers and users of innovative transportation infrastructure, and understand the unexpected and unplanned for pros and cons of implemented solutions; and

     WHEREAS, state and county decision makers, including employees, department heads, and elected and appointed officials responsible for funding and implementing transit policy and projects, would benefit from training programs involving discussions with their peers in those jurisdictions that have successfully improved transportation safety and cost; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization is requested to continue transportation management training programs that focus on educating key decision makers responsible for transportation policy, planning, funding, and implementation; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the transportation management training programs be designed to help decision makers achieve state and county transportation goals including improving transportation safety and providing a multimodal transportation system that can expand opportunities for residents to lower their transportation costs; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the transportation management training programs also provide for peer-to-peer learning and collaboration with other jurisdictions that demonstrate implementation of innovative best practices and have achieved successful outcomes; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Transportation, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, Mayor of the County of Maui, Mayor of the County of Kauai, Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Director of the Department of Transportation Services, Director of the Maui County Department of Transportation, and Executive Director of the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Report Title:

Department of Transportation; Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization; Transportation Management Training Programs

SENATE RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE OAHU METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION TO COORDINATE A TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT TRAINING PROGRAM.

     WHEREAS, Hawaii has one of the highest costs of transportation per capita in the country and among the highest rates of transportation related fatalities and injuries; and

     WHEREAS, different jurisdictions have tried to utilize a number of different methods to achieve their transportation safety goals and reduce the cost of multimodal and public transit for local families; and

     WHEREAS, a number of other jurisdictions that struggled to overcome similar challenges as Hawaii have managed to successfully reduce their cost of transportation for residents over time, with some having reduced fatalities nearly to zero; and

     WHEREAS, Hawaii can learn from the proven lessons in other jurisdictions and apply these strategies and best practices to reduce the cost of transportation for local residents and improve safety on roads and highways; and

     WHEREAS, some of the challenges Hawaii faces include a system of transportation governance that involves multiple agencies and levels of government that split the decision‑making process amongst a host of different officials; and

     WHEREAS, joint policy and implementation strategy workshops engaging multiple agencies and levels of government in conversations with those who have successfully achieved progress can help accelerate progress and success across silos; and

     WHEREAS, the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization has been operating a successful transportation project management training program to help state and county decision makers and employees working on transportation issues to meet with and learn from their peers in other jurisdictions since 2023; and

     WHEREAS, successful transportation training programs will typically involve peer exchanges and mobile workshops where participants meet and learn from their counterparts in other model jurisdictions employing best practices, gain firsthand experience as both designers and users of innovative transportation infrastructure, and understand the unexpected and unplanned for pros and cons of implemented solutions; and

     WHEREAS, state and county decision makers, including employees, department heads, and elected and appointed officials responsible for funding and implementing transit policy and projects, would benefit from training programs involving discussions with their peers in those jurisdictions that have successfully improved transportation safety and cost; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization is requested to continue transportation management training programs focused on educating key decision makers responsible for transportation policy, planning, funding, and implementation; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the transportation management training programs be designed to help decision makers achieve state and county transportation goals including improving transportation safety and providing a multimodal transportation system that can expand opportunities for residents to lower their transportation costs, among other issues; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the transportation management training programs provide for peer-to-peer learning and collaboration with other jurisdictions that demonstrate implementation of innovative best practices and have achieved successful outcomes; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Transportation, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, Mayor of the County of Maui, Mayor of the County of Kauai, Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Director of the Department of Transportation Services, Director of the Maui County Department of Transportation, and Executive Director of the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Report Title:

Department of Transportation; Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization; Transportation Management Training Programs

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1406

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 180

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs and Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.R. No. 180 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE OAHU METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION TO COORDINATE A TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT TRAINING PROGRAM,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization to continue transportation management training programs that focus on educating key decision‑makers responsible for transportation policy, planning, funding, and implementation.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization and one individual.

     Your Committees find that the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization has been operating a successful transportation project management training program since 2023 to help state and county decision-makers and employees working on transportation issues to meet with and learn from their peers in other jurisdictions.  This measure would help the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization achieve various state and county goals, including improving transportation safety and providing a multimodal transportation system that can expand opportunities for residents to lower their household costs related to transportation.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Amending its title; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs and Transportation and Culture and the Arts that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 180, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 180, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs and Transportation and Culture and the Arts,