District 2 photo by Kurt Villavicencio
By Kurt Villavicencio
District 2 information officer
For years, KQMS NewsTalk Radio has featured a series of informative interviews featuring representatives from Caltrans District 2. According to Steve Gibson, KQMS’ news director and on-air personality, the partnership has been remarkably successful and mutually beneficial.
"We’ve had an excellent working relationship with Caltrans since we’ve been doing these monthly interviews," Gibson shared. “I’ve gotten a sense that Caltrans has a culture of openness and transparency, and a healthy realization that they spend a lot of taxpayer money and are eager to explain why it’s necessary to do so.”
Listeners have tuned in regularly to hear about everything from complex engineering projects to the day-to-day operations that keep California’s roads and highways functioning smoothly. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with listener responses consistently reflecting appreciation for the insightful and engaging content.
Project Manager Sara Hunt recently joined the show to discuss Caltrans safety projects. Despite feeling nervous beforehand, she found the experience rewarding.
“I was a bit anxious about being on the radio,” Hunt admitted. “But once we got started, it was actually a lot of fun. It was great to have the chance to talk about our safety initiatives and explain how they benefit the district.”
District 2 photo by Kurt Villavicencio
Hunt noted that talking about the projects helped clarify their importance. “It’s always beneficial to communicate directly with the public,” she said. “It was nice to share the details of our work and explain how our projects make a difference. It felt like we were really connecting with the community.”
Gibson attributes the success of these interviews to the passion and enthusiasm of the Caltrans staff.
“What’s most important is that the person I’m talking to has a true passion for the topic,” he explained. “You can hear the interest in their delivery, and it brightens their day to talk about their jobs.
“Some of the more interesting guests have included engineers and planners who can talk in layman’s terms, as well as cultural positions like the Native American Liaison. Even the culvert guy was interesting because he had a passion for culverts.”
The evident job satisfaction among Caltrans employees has also caught Gibson’s attention.
“Everyone has been very professional, and the perception of job satisfaction is almost weirdly universal. Surely you can’t all love your jobs! The positive attitudes I’ve seen makes me want to work for Caltrans!”
As the collaboration between KQMS Radio and Caltrans continues, it’s clear that this dynamic exchange of information and enthusiasm is not only informative but also truly engaging for the listeners.