Michael Lingberg photo
San Diego's shoreline set the stage for Caltrans public information officers' TransComm gathering in late September.
By Michael Lingberg
District 9 public information officer
What happens when more than 200 transportation communication professionals around the country gather in one place for four days?
Set against the scenic backdrop of Coronado Bay, this year’s American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Committee on Transportation Communications (TransComm) conference brought together transportation communicators for four days of connection, collaboration, inspiration and professional development, Sept. 27-30.
TransComm is a nationwide conference that rotates to a different host city each year, bringing together transportation communications professionals from across the country. With this year's event taking place in Southern California, Caltrans made a strong showing, sending more than 70 representatives and accounting for a significant portion of the 241 attendees from 40 state departments of transportation. The conference set a new attendance record, drawing 20 percent more participants than last year's event, which had previously held the distinction of being the conference's largest gathering.
“The annual meeting of AASHTO’s Committee on Transportation Communications is a living forum and a laboratory of ideas,” Caltrans Director Dina El-Tawansy stated in her program welcome message. “There is something unique that happens when we gather to learn from one another’s challenges and innovations in shaping transportation communications.”
TransComm gave Caltrans and national transportation communicators a unique opportunity to exchange ideas, share lessons learned, and tackle common challenges together. From navigating the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence to preparing for global events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games, transportation agencies are facing a new era of communication demands.
Attendees also shared stories about promoting innovative wildlife crossings, responding to emergencies that closed critical highways, and finding creative ways to collaborate, such as the partnership between neighboring states Ohio and Kentucky, which operate under a unified public information approach. While each department brought its own challenges and successes to the table, the shared goal was the same: keeping the public informed, engaged, and connected.
Mario Montalvo of Caltrans District 2 gave a thought-provoking presentation about their challenges building a roundabout in the small town of McCloud. Caridad Sanchez, the PIO chief of District 11 based in San Diego, spoke about having to juggle communications with not only California’s media and legislators, but Mexico’s as well thanks to D11’s shared international border.
There were daily large panel discussions, and opportunities to attend breakout presentations from individual states. For example, the Wyoming Department of Transportation presented its network of wildlife undercrossings and overcrossings and discussed public messaging pitfalls. The Kentucky and Ohio DOTs led a joint presentation on the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor over the Ohio River in Cincinnati, OH, discussing how they communicated as a single entity in both Ohio and Kentucky.
They also shared their strategy to release information to all media outlets simultaneously and amplifying awareness of this project by involving professional sports teams like the Cincinnati Reds and Cincinnati Bengals, as well as other organizations with large, public followings.
Georgia DOT (which also won several awards at this year’s TransComm) discussed lessons learned while communicating about an unfamiliar undertaking like the State Route 400 Expressway Lanes Project near Atlanta. Other breakout sessions included strategies to reach more people through social media and to make posts more engaging, Hawai’i’s experiences in fueling research, communicating about roadway emergencies from Oklahoma, approaching problems with curiosity instead of judgement from Arkansas, and designing proactive public messaging for an emergency ahead of a crisis.
The awards ceremony showcased some of the most innovative and impactful transportation communications work from across the nation, with states such as Georgia, Kentucky and Illinois earning multiple honors for their exceptional campaigns. Among the celebrated projects was Caltrans District 2's award-winning "Homecoming" campaign, which received top recognition in the advertising and marketing category.
The awards ceremony showcased some of the most innovative and impactful transportation communications work from across the nation, with states such as Georgia, Kentucky and Illinois earning multiple honors for their exceptional campaigns. Among the celebrated projects was Caltrans District 2's award-winning "Homecoming" campaign, which received top recognition in the advertising and marketing category.
"Homecoming" demonstrated a creative approach to public outreach by linking Caltrans' commitment to roadway safety with the traditions, values, and sense of community that define California's rural regions. Rather than focusing solely on infrastructure improvements, the campaign highlighted the people, places and experiences those investments help protect and preserve. By telling a story that resonates on a personal level, "Homecoming" transformed transportation messaging into a meaningful community narrative, creating a stronger connection with local audiences and illustrating how transportation projects enhance everyday life.
It wasn’t all business though. The conference kicked off with a welcome reception overlooking San Diego Bay, where attendees gathered against a backdrop of the city skyline and a vibrant Southern California sunset. The evening featured remarks from Assistant Deputy Director of Public Affairs Matt Rocco and Director El-Tawansy, setting the tone for the days ahead, while HQ Public Information Officer Jay Connerly provided live entertainment with an acoustic guitar and vocal performance. And during the final night of TransComm, each of the attendees had the opportunity to travel to Old Town San Diego for an evening of dinner, drinks, and live entertainment.
It was a fun opportunity for Caltrans PIOs to strengthen professional connections by putting faces to the names we all recognize, reflect on the week's insights, and celebrate the community of transportation communicators from across the country.