On the VMS Miami-Dade Expressway project, a vehicle struck and demolished a toll booth. VMS immediately dispatched its Incident Response Team to assist the Florida Highway Patrol with traffic control and cleanup. The VMS Team response was so efficient that a new fully operational toll booth was in place within 48 hours.
Hallmarks of the VMS Approach
VMS has been recognized by our clients, contractors, and the traveling public for policies and programs that provide outstanding service and notable mention. Some of these hallmark programs include:
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Safety Training Programs
The nature of our work environment demands that we closely examine each work zone activity in advance to plan the most effective arrangement for employees, contractors and the traveling public. Led by our nationally recognized Safety Manager, VMS works closely with the involved parties to provide a proper working environment for employees and contractors and safe roads and facilities for the traveling public.
In addition to presenting these training programs at the start of a project, VMS safety professionals regularly revisit various program aspects – for example, re-certifications in first aid and CPR – as well as when updates occur or conditions change in OSHA or other safety requirements. VMS also holds mandatory pre-work sessions with contractors in which traffic management and employee safety are integral parts of discussions.
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Community Outreach and Customer Service
Client-driven contract management and operation is the guiding philosophy of the VMS culture. This means that we strive to anticipate our customers’ needs and deliver solutions that consistently meet expectations outlined in the asset management program contract.
In keeping with this core value, VMS has developed comprehensive Customer Service Resolution and Community Outreach Plans. These plans ensure that the users in the communities we serve will benefit from these asset management programs. These outreach plans have been an enormous success, producing good will among contract parties and outstanding results for VMS’ clients and the communities we serve.
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Quality Assurance/Quality Control Programs
VMS’ QA/QC program is designed to ensure the work performed meets the clients’ specified performance measures, and is performed efficiently, effectively and correctly.
The program consists of two complementary parts: 1) Quality Assurance (QA), which ensures that processes and procedures yield consistent quality performance across project functions; and 2) Quality Control (QC), which includes the execution of individual project work elements to ensure achievement of quality standards. Quality Control is achieved through sound execution of work tasks and comprehensive inspection, while Quality Assurance is attained through application of the Operational Control Reviews (OCR).
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Incident Response
VMS knows first-hand that the ability to work side-by-side with public safety officials, community leaders and residents is critical for the best-possible response to incidents and emergencies. When it comes to the proper response to accidents and incidents, the most voiced concern of seasoned public safety officials is this: Traffic control operations take valuable time and resources from more critical needs on accident scenes. VMS has developed its incident response plan to specifically address these concerns for law enforcement.
By arriving quickly on the scene of an incident, VMS is committed to doing what is necessary to keep the road open, to keep traffic flowing and to allow incident responders to focus on safety and welfare priorities of crash victims and to make the necessary observations for more accurate incident reporting. Timely dispatching of personnel to cones, barrels and barricades is part of VMS’ planned traffic control measures to provide drivers with passage around the incident scene and to incident responders to quickly access the scene and do their jobs. VMS has fully certified and capable traffic control professionals on staff to coordinate and implement these services.
VMS’ specially designed crew trucks have proven an effective addition to our incident response tools.