If you build a better mousetrap, you will catch better mice. - George Gobel
View From the Road - David Orr, P.E.
Build a Better Mousetrap (BABM) is a competition we have been running for several years. For this month's View from the Road, I want to discuss a couple of misconceptions regarding BABM entries.
First, an entry does not have to be a fancy new thing. While the name Mousetrap sounds like we are looking for gadgetry or mechanical innovations, we are looking for a whole range of good ideas. It could be a new procedure, safety system, or even just a creative form. Some examples include:
- A notice next to the time clock reminding everyone to throw the cutoff switch on their truck before leaving – something that might prevent the next vehicle fire.
- A standard operating procedure to always fill up every vehicle each night. Imagine an emergency response that could be delayed while you fill up the trucks with diesel.
- A form to be used by the public to log service requests which acts as a communication tool and a log of items to be repaired by the agency.
There is no limit on what Mousetrap entries can be, except that they need to come from a highway agency, be developed in-house, and solve a problem.
Folks have told us their ideas are not that innovative or that everybody already knows about them. Don’t assume that! There is a tremendous turnover of folks working in highway and public works departments and even small ideas may keep new employees or managers from having to reinvent the wheel. Even if most folks may know about something, your small tweak may improve their thing, idea, or process.
We really would like to share your ideas with others and remember, all your entries will be highlighted at the annual Highway School in Ithaca this June in front of hundreds of your peers. Winners will move on to a national competition hosted by the Federal Highway Administration. Let’s get those Mousetrap entries in!
