IDOT UNVEILS NEW PROGRAM TO CRACKDOWN
ON ABUSE OF STATE TIME AND VEHICLES

CHICAGO -- Tim Martin, Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), today unveiled a new initiative to crackdown on employee abuse of state time and vehicles. The initiative calls for bumper stickers and placards to be placed on every IDOT vehicle. Secretary Martin placed the first IDOT bumper sticker on his car this morning at a news conference in Chicago at the IDOT Emergency Traffic Patrol facility.

"In any Department with more than 6,000 employees, there are bound to be some who will try to take advantage of the freedom they have been given to do their jobs," Secretary Martin said. "These bumper stickers and placards clearly identify which cars and trucks are IDOT's and include a phone number for people to call if they suspect an employee is abusing the public trust."

The stickers are orange and blue and include the IDOT logo along with the 24-hour communications center phone number: 800-452-4368(IDOT). An operator will ask the callers a number of questions and fill out a report that will then be forwarded to the appropriate office within the Department for investigation.

"Each complaint will be investigated fully and if there is no basis for a complaint, no action will be taken. But, if there is a basis for complaint and it can be substantiated, discipline will be swift and as severe as possible," Secretary Martin said. "At the same time, I would also encourage anyone who sees an IDOT employee going out of their way to help someone, or goes above and beyond what their normal duties are to call in and let us know. Many times the good works of our employees go unnoticed by supervisors, and this may give us an opportunity to acknowledge good work we may have not noticed."

The Illinois Department of Transportation has more than 6,000 employees at 9 district offices throughout Illinois. The Department is currently in the process of seeking bids for enough bumper stickers to outfit the entire IDOT fleet.