Report 2015-120 Recommendation 8 Responses

Report 2015-120: California Department of Transportation: Its Maintenance Division's Allocations and Spending for Field Maintenance Do Not Match Key Indicators of Need (Release Date: March 2016)

Recommendation #8 To: Transportation, Department of

Caltrans should require its staff to verify and update the status of all outstanding service requests. Additionally, Caltrans should require supervisors to monitor completion of service requests by reviewing the data from the service request system monthly to identify service requests not completed after a period of time that Caltrans deems appropriate, such as 30 days. For all service requests outstanding after this period, Caltrans should require its supervisors to determine the status of the service request by reviewing the related work order that records what work Caltrans completed and ensure the work is appropriately prioritized. Also, Caltrans should require its staff to record all service requests it receives via methods other than Caltrans' website, such as by phone, mail, or email, in its service request system to ensure it captures all service requests in one central repository.

1-Year Agency Response

Caltrans has developed and implemented consistent statewide MSR Guidelines. Statewide training of these guidelines was completed in December 2016. In addition, each District has dedicated a Public Information Office staff to facilitate and assist with MSR coordination. Please see Attachment 3 for a copy of the guidelines.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented

We reviewed the MSR guidelines and found that they address our recommendation to require staff to verify and update the status of service requests and to monitor completion of service requests monthly. The MSR guidelines also require staff to record in the MSR system all service requests they receive via phone, mail, or email.

6-Month Agency Response

Caltrans continues to make progress developing consistent processes and procedures addressing Maintenance Service Requests (MSR). Once the MSR guidance is complete, the team will provide training to the MSR coordinators statewide. In addition, the Public Information Officers (PIO) in each district will facilitate and assist with MSR coordination. The PIOs will ensure all requests are recorded in a central repository while responding to the public in a timely and consistent manner. Caltrans is on schedule to have this recommendation fully implemented by December 2016.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

Caltrans established a team to evaluate the current service request process. The team will develop consistent processes and procedures to address Maintenance Service Requests (MSR) statewide. In addition, the team will provide training to MSR coordinators statewide.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2015-120

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.