Tell us a little about yourself and your role at Ver-Mac.
I’ve been in the industry for over 21 years now, with a historical focus on the smart work zone industry, specializing in business development, market creation, and distribution channel strategy. As Director of Business Development at Ver-Mac Inc., I play a key role in expanding the company’s market presence across North America and abroad. My expertise includes working closely with state departments of transportation, engineering firms, and technology partners to implement innovative traffic management solutions that enhance safety and efficiency in work zones. My deep industry knowledge and strategic insight have positioned me as a trusted leader in the intelligent transportation space. I am a recent addition to the Ver-Mac team after spending 20 years with another firm within the industry, and as you can imagine, it takes a lot to be a loyal soldier and make that decision to change. For that reason, I did not take the change decision lightly and really sought out the home with an incredible and massive support team / infrastructure and even more importantly an amazing culture. As a third-generation, family-owned business, Ver-Mac has the ability to make immediate and dynamic decisions that are in the best interest of the customer which, as you know, always converts to success.
Ver-Mac has positioned safety at the heart of its intelligent work zone products. How do you ensure your technology actively improves safety for both roadway workers and drivers?
We are the first to market with our innovative connected worker module, our work zone live solution, and our work zone live companion app. The connected worker module provides a direct connection to the worker, utilizing GPS technology that can provide automated speed reductions and automated messaging within a work zone environment. This worker data can then be shared directly with various third-party, crowdsourced data providers. We are sharing 1.2 million data points of worker presence and connected lane closures to WAZE on a weekly basis, with close to a 70% approval or ‘thumbs up’ rating. This results in worker presence awareness in vehicles. The work zone live solution and respective companion app is creating a digital twin and a digital footprint for all traffic plans, thus empowering the state with the appropriate data to provide a safer and more efficient work zone environment. As you know, autonomous and connected vehicles require as close to 100% validated data as possible. We now have the ability to provide that validated data, and based on driver feedback, we are seeing that user confirmation.
Work zones bring about complex challenges, like changing traffic patterns and driver behavior. What are the most pressing challenges you’re addressing in connected work zones, and what innovations are you bringing forward to solve them?
Work zones are essentially a disturbance in the road for those daily motorists utilizing that corridor on a routine basis. There are several goals for inserting a smart work zone solution, an automated speed reduction solution, or an active vs inactive work zone utilizing worker presence detection. Each environment requires a fine-tuned approach that provides goal-appropriate planning. A smart work zone provides one of the most important goals, which is rear-end collision reduction, that, upon utilization, reduces those incidents on a national average of 40% or more. An automated speed reduction solution increases the appropriate work zone speed accuracy, upwards of 90-100%. And lastly, we can now accurately monitor and automate an active work zone environment through the utilization of connected worker modules. This technology now provides an accurate and validated digital footprint of both worker presence and respective notifications to the motorists. All of these solutions provide the ultimate goal of enhanced work zone safety and mobility.
In traffic management, agencies are under pressure to adopt new, more advanced tools while ensuring dependability in high-stakes environments, as well as providing more cost-effective solutions that help them insert more technology into their projects. How does Ver-Mac balance rapid technological advancement with the need for proven reliability, all while providing a cost-effective solution?
As an industry, we were fortunate to have the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law back in 2021, which is currently set to end in 2026. That certainly contributed to a very healthy work zone safety budget. We also have funding from the Highway Safety Improvement Program, which places a high priority on reducing traffic incidents and fatalities. One of our top priorities and strategies at Ver-Mac is to remain hyper-focused on what’s next within our industry. This mentality easily places innovation at the top of that list. Being the first to market with the previously mentioned technologies has really helped us to stay well ahead of the curve, and that translates to a market capture rate comfortably above 80%. We have a strong belief in listening to our customers’ needs and solving problems or challenges. Inside the office, you’ll often hear us say, “What problem does this solve?” before we decide to move forward. Which brings me to a great advertisement I saw many years ago that stated, “Stop selling what you have and start selling what they need.” Incredible philosophy to live by, as a company. As a result, we closely monitor and adopt new software applications that provide a better UI and dashboard for our customers, which also gives them a better user experience. The result, a more informed and empowered customer who can manage their project more efficiently and effectively.
As our first temporary work zone technology member, we are excited to have you on board to expand our network and education partnership. What do you hope to learn with your new PAVE membership, and how do you see your role with Ver-Mac playing a role with your new membership at PAVE?
Great question and one I’m continuing to ask myself. The overall goal was to learn more about the autonomous and connected vehicle market while gaining insight into the vast network and reach that you have with your member base. I’m hoping to make several new contacts and better understand how the AV + CV world aligns with our own business strategies. As the adage goes, if you’re not moving forward, you’re falling behind. We cannot afford to stand still in a dynamic, technology-driven world. I’m hoping to find that connection between our two markets and look forward to meeting everyone soon.
