The Florida Model Task Force (MTF) establishes policy directions and procedural guidelines for transportation modeling in Florida using the Florida Standard Model, FSUTMS. Voting members of the MTF consist of representatives from twenty-seven MPOs and TPOs, FDOT districts, Florida's Turnpike Enterprise, and one representative for each of the following: Florida transit agencies, six FSUTMS users' groups, and the Federal Highway Administration. In addition to these voting members, transportation professionals throughout the state of Florida participate in MTF discussions and technical committee activities as non-voting members.
The Model Task Force members developed the mission statement as follows: To advance model development and applications to serve the transportation planning needs of the Department and local governments. Furthermore, it was decided that the Model Task Force would operate in a responsive, consistent, and credible manner to establish standardized and uniform modeling practices. The Florida Model Task Force ensures that the development of new modeling techniques follows a consistent and universal approach throughout the state of Florida. This universal approach entails encouragement of research and development with periodic review of these new procedures to determine whether they should be amalgamated into the Florida Standard Model. Maintaining project production throughout the process of revising the model and its application is vitally important.
The Model Task Force deliberates technical modeling issues and collectively adopts technical recommendations to be implemented with the Florida Standard Model, FSUTMS. There are three chairpersons, each selected for his or her modeling experiences in one of the three areas: MPO/TPO modeling, regional modeling, and district modeling. Each tri-chair coordinates MTF activities within their respective areas of expertise. The use of tri-chairs ensures that leadership roles represent the full spectrum of modeling activities in Florida. Additionally, the tri-chair structure ensures that there is never a tie vote from the leadership, and that one interest group does not dominate policy recommendations. To ensure decentralization to the MPOs/TPOs and FDOT Districts, FDOT Central Office Systems Planning provides technical assistance, develops new models, and participates as non-voting facilitator of the Model Task Force. Under the Model Task Force, technical committees were formed to facilitate in-depth discussion of specific subject areas. New modeling methodologies and applications are researched and recommended by the MTF technical committees. Once recommendations are approved by the MTF, these procedures are adopted for statewide implementation and incorporated into the universal Florida modeling process, FSUTMS. There are four technical committees serving the task force:
Technical committee membership is open to transportation professionals from both the public and private sectors with one tri-chair coordinator and one chairperson leading committee efforts. These technical committees meet or hold teleconferences more frequently than the full Model Task Force and are the backbone in accomplishing MTF missions and goals.
Model Task Force efforts are supplemented by six regional user groups, each having a voting representative at MTF meetings:
Andrew Tyrell
Systems Planning Coordinator
FDOT D7 Planning & Environmental Management Office
11201 North McKinley Drive, MS 7-500
Tampa, FL 33612
813-975-6458
andrew.tyrell@dot.state.fl.usTwo tri-chair vacancies
Please navigate to the following page to view presentations from the Model Task Force meetings: Model Task Force Documents and Meeting Materials.
For further information on the Model Task Force, please contact:
Terry Corkery
FDOT Forecasting and Trends Office
605 Suwannee Street, MS 28
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
(850) 414-4903
terrence.corkery@dot.state.fl.us