IBTTA Strategic Plan

Taking Stock Of Where We Are IBTTA has been engaged in a strategic planning and visioning process for most of 2020 and 2021. We embarked on this process to highlight what our association must do to continue to be relevant. The other aim of this process is to take a fresh look at our strategic direction and rededicate ourselves to what is most important for us to do over the next five years. We began with a visioning process during the January 2020 Board of Directors meeting in Florida. During that meeting facilitators from McKinley Advisors led the board through an orientation process and conducted several exercises to identify key strategic issues for IBTTA to address. Board members engaged in robust conversations about the challenges and opportunities facing the industry and IBTTA. The meeting provided a wonderful opportunity for board members to bond and think about the future. As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in March 2020, we put our visioning process on hold as we pivoted to a new environment of lockdowns, travel bans, social distancing, and virtual meetings.

In January 2021, we relaunched the process by holding a series of facilitated conversations with the IBTTA Board, Past Presidents Advisory Council, Council of Platinum Sponsors, and Young Professionals Council. We also launched a comprehensive member survey to better understand the wants, needs, and interests of the members and gauge their aspirations for the future of IBTTA. We learned a great deal in the process.

Strategic Approach/Philosophy

The approach in defining the new strategic direction was not to identify what IBTTA wants to continue doing today (its current operational plan). Rather, the leadership team determined what the Association is not doing today, but must engage in to be successful in the future. This strategic direction is not about business as usual — it is about the change needed to stay relevant! This separates the strategic plan from the operational plan. Both are important. The strategic direction is a constant reminder, as the leadership team oversees the development of the annual operational plan, of what must be changed to stay relevant to what members are seeing in their real world.

Embracing the Past As We Build the Future

As we look to the future, we are also mindful of the important goals from past strategic plans that are still relevant today. Among them are these principles:

1. IBTTA will be recognized as THE advocate for tolling.
2. IBTTA will be recognized as THE central clearinghouse of toll industry information.
3. IBTTA will be recognized as THE leader in producing the highest quality meetings and educational experiences for the toll industry in every region of the world that embraces user-financed transportation.
4. IBTTA members and stakeholders will find indispensable value in the association’s programs, products, services, and meetings.

These goals from past strategic plans continue to animate IBTTA and its members as we embrace our new strategic vision

As we look to the future, we are also mindful of the important goals from past strategic plans that are still relevant today. Among them are these principles:

• IBTTA will be recognized as THE advocate for tolling.
• IBTTA will be recognized as THE central clearinghouse of toll industry information.
• IBTTA will be recognized as THE leader in producing the highest quality meetings and educational experiences for the toll industry in every region of the world that embraces user-financed transportation.
• IBTTA members and stakeholders will find indispensable value in the association’s programs, products, services, and meetings.

These goals from past strategic plans continue to animate IBTTA and its members as we embrace our new strategic vision

Here is the new strategic plan for IBTTA which builds upon the vital framework of past strategic plans.

Mission 

IBTTA is the worldwide alliance of toll facility operators and associated industries that provides a forum for sharing knowledge and ideas to promote and enhance user-financed transportation.

Vision 

To be the world’s leading resource and advocate for safe, sustainable mobility supported by tolling, pricing, and road use charging.

Core Values

• Excellence. We strive for excellence in all our endeavors.
• Together. We know we are stronger together than we are apart.
• Teamwork. We respect the talents and contributions of all and play like a team.
• Legacy. We stand on the shoulders of and honor those who preceded us.
• Partnership. We recognize our limitations and work with others to advance common goals.

Strategic Outcomes

Outcome 1: IBTTA Is The Leader In Driving Road User Payment Principles.

To achieve this outcome, we will:

1. Act as a catalyst and incubator for innovative solutions that meet the needs of our members and their customers.
2. Expand our tent to welcome both the worldwide tolling industry and other forms of transportation and mobility.
3. Partner with other associations and organizations to advance road user payment principles.
4.  Develop solutions to address climate change.

Outcome 2: IBTTA Promotes and Exemplifies Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

To achieve this outcome, we will:

1. Assure that diversity, equity, inclusion, ethical behavior and cultural awareness are

embedded in IBTTA governance, operations, programs and services.

2. Strive to increase diversity so that individuals of all backgrounds are valued and

equitably included in our industry.

Next Steps

This strategic plan becomes effective once the IBTTA Board of Directors approves it. Once this plan is approved, the staff will create an operations plan outlining specific actions to bring about the strategic outcomes.

Highlights Of The Member Survey: Member Satisfaction Is High And The Value Of

Membership Compared To Cost Is High.

The electronic survey was distributed by IBTTA to 4,654 contacts (members, former members, prospects) and was fielded over a period of fourteen days between March 30 and April 12, 2021. In total, 342 respondents completed or partially completed the survey questionnaire for an overall response rate of 7.3%. This is comparable to the 2020 survey effort, which yielded a total of 304 responses and a response rate of 6.5%.

• Overall, reported satisfaction and value compared to cost are high, are above the industry average, and have increased since April 2020.
• Respondents value connecting with others in the industry, collaborating, and having access to data and information.
• Newly launched programs rated as being extremely or very valuable by most respondents include topical webinars, the Women in Tolling Council and the Peer-to-Peer Program.
• Most respondents preferred that IBTTA keep offering virtual events along with in-person conferences and events that provide opportunities to participate or view proceedings virtually.
• Top priorities that respondents commonly cited for IBTTA include better educating the public about transportation and its funding and facilitating more networking opportunities among members and professionals in the industry.
• Going forward, respondents prefer that IBTTA “expand the tent” to embrace new stakeholders within the broader mobility space and advance and represent mobility and transportation. New stakeholders that respondents most commonly want IBTTA to engage include Departments of Transportation, technology firms, manufacturers and freight and logistic companies.
• In terms of challenges, respondents were most likely to believe that road charging and innovation and technology will have the greatest impact on the international tolling industry within the next three years.
• Respondents commonly reported that their business is about as successful now compared to January 2020. Vendors/suppliers were more likely to report their business is more successful today compared to January 2020, while toll agency/operators were more likely to say their business is less successful.

Highlights Of The Facilitated Discussions – Continuing To Be Relevant 

One of the main goals of our strategic visioning process is to position IBTTA to continue to stay relevant to its members and other stakeholders. During the facilitated discussions with the Board, Past Presidents and Council of Platinum Sponsors, McKinley Advisors asked this question to get at the notion of relevance: What issues, causes and concerns does IBTTA need to “get on the right side of” to continue to be relevant?”

Here are the issues most mentioned by the three groups:

1. Social Justice. Examples of this issue include being a leader of social justice in thendustry; increasing equity and transparency in the industry; and supporting a diverse workforce pipeline within the industry.
2. Climate Change. Examples include understanding the role the industry plays in climate change and environmental stewardship.
3. Electrification. Examples include understanding the changes that will happen because of expanded use of electric vehicles, including charging stations, etc.
4. Innovative technologies. Examples include the adoption of connected and automated vehicle technologies and applications.
5. Tolling value proposition. Examples include the need to clearly articulate the value proposition to justify tolling to customers.
6. Future focused. Examples include an awareness of the migration away from vehicle ownership; the role of micro freight; and monetizing mobility as a service.