Integrating Transportation Systems Management and Operations into Transportation Asset Management: An Orientation (2026)
Chapter: 1 Guide Overview
Integrating Transportation Systems Management and Operations into Transportation Asset Management: An Orientation
CHAPTER 1. GUIDE OVERVIEW
NCHRP Research Report 1182: Integrating Transportation Systems Management and Operations into Transportation Asset Management: A Guide aims to assist agencies in effectively managing transportation systems management and operations (TSMO) assets. This guide provides a comprehensive approach to integrating TSMO into transportation asset management (TAM), ensuring that TSMO assets are managed efficiently to support agency goals and operational outcomes. By applying the guidance, an agency can enhance the performance, reliability, and safety of its transportation system while optimizing resource allocation and minimizing costs. The guide helps an agency determine an approach to TSMO asset management that meets its needs.
TSMO ASSET MANAGEMENT
TSMO asset management is the application of TAM principles to TSMO assets to:
- Understand the TSMO assets that the agency has, determine which of those assets benefit from being formally managed, and identify the condition of those assets.
- Use the condition and functional performance of TSMO assets to increase the efficacy of day-to-day or real-time operational decisions.
- Use the condition and functional performance of TSMO assets to plan for future TSMO investments and secure funding at the earliest stage possible.
- Allocate routine maintenance, repair, and replacement resources to those assets to maximize system performance objectives and minimize life-cycle costs and risk.
Integrating TSMO into TAM means:
Integrating TSMO into the steps of the asset management process, including defining and maintaining an inventory, assessing asset condition and performance against set targets, performing life-cycle planning activities, and conducting financial planning and determining investment strategies.
Integrating TSMO asset management into agency enterprise asset management (EAM) processes, policies, and tools applied to other infrastructure assets.
BENEFITS
Effective TSMO asset management supports the overall strategic goals of the agency, ensuring that transportation systems contribute to broader objectives such as improving safety and facilitating economic opportunity. Consequently, integrating TSMO into TAM offers several benefits:
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Enhances transportation system safety and efficiency. Properly managing TSMO assets ensures that transportation systems operate smoothly and safely, reducing the likelihood of crashes and other incidents and improving traffic flow. |
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Optimizes resource allocation and utilization. By understanding the condition and performance of TSMO assets, an agency can allocate resources more effectively, ensuring that funds are spent where they are most needed. |
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Reduces risks and costs associated with asset failures. Proactively managing TSMO assets helps prevent unexpected failures and unplanned downtime, which can be costly and disruptive. |
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Supports data-driven decision-making and budgeting. Collecting accurate data on TSMO assets allows an agency to make informed decisions and justify budget requests based on actual needs and performance metrics. |
Overall, agencies that advance TSMO asset management can:
Make the case for the resources required to cost-effectively keep TSMO assets performing and operating at targeted performance levels.
Support a rationalized asset management approach that considers both cross-asset priorities and balancing asset-specific maintenance strategies.
AUDIENCE
Recommended users of this guide include the following staff from state, regional, and local transportation agencies and transportation planning organizations:
- TSMO practitioners and others who are involved in the planning, design, operation, and maintenance of TSMO or intelligent transportation systems devices.
- Transportation asset managers.
- Transportation system managers with operational responsibilities.
In addition, Federal agency and national transportation organization staff, researchers, academics, and consultants can benefit from the guide.
HOW TO USE THE GUIDE
The guide (NCHRP Research Report 1182) offers flexibility for agencies to determine the best approach for integrating TSMO into TAM, recognizing that:
- An agency is unlikely to be starting “from scratch.” An agency almost certainly performs some form of TSMO asset management (or simply maintenance) and has certain tools, processes, resources—and constraints—in place.
- The capabilities, contexts, and goals of agencies vary; therefore, where an agency may want to focus first will also vary.
- Integration into EAM may depend on where in the asset management process an agency finds the most value.
