Results of 2003 Transportation Management Association Survey: Analysis of Evolving Characteristics of Transportation Management Associations

The 2003 Transportation Management Association Survey was conducted to collect and analyze survey data to better understand national and international trends in the development and operation of transportation management associations (TMAs). TMAs provide a unique organizational structure for the delivery of mobility management services. They serve as a public-private forum for those who are directly affected to address localized transportation issues through partnership efforts. Comparisons were made with data from similar surveys conducted in 1993 and 1998. With the exception of the Netherlands, transportation management efforts in European nations are implemented through organizational structures different from TMAs as we know them in the United States and Canada. During the past 10 years TMAs have been moving toward less formalized organizational structures and fewer members but with a greater diversification in the way in which service areas are defined and in the types of members. TMAs rely less on member dues and more on federal grants. They are offering a broader range of services, reflecting efforts to tailor services to meet the needs of a greater variety of travel markets, in addition to commuters. In contrast to 1993 most TMAs now conduct employee and program evaluations. However, approximately 65% of TMAs do not have a strategic plan and 40% do not use an annual or biennial work plan. Canadian TMAs have formed to accomplish missions similar to those of their U.S. counterparts. The first Canadian TMA began in 1995, and the largest member group across all Canadian TMAs is government employers.