Episode 4
Everything You Don’t Know (But Should) About Tollways
TL;DR – Fabiola Bowers joins the podcast to peel back the layers of toll operations, showing how scrappy builders use “dispatch-level” focus and a community-first heart to manage the invisible highway systems we all rely on every day.
Ever drive under a toll gantry and think of it as nothing more than a camera and a future bill in your mailbox? Most of us treat infrastructure like a background utility, but what happens when the “background” needs a tactical response team to keep the region moving?
In this episode, we’re joined by Fabiola Bowers, Traffic and Incident Manager at the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA). With over 14 years in the game and a background in police telecommunications, Fabiola has mastered the art of managing the chaos behind the cones. She shares how high-stakes operations and a commitment to community service can change the perspective of the people managing our roads.
We dive deep into how to:
- Develop a “Dispatch Mindset”: How Fabiola’s experience in emergency comms translates to managing complex traffic incidents in real-time.
- Bridge the Gap Between Tech and People: Why the most advanced tolling technology still requires a human-centered approach to be effective.
- Lead Beyond Your Industry Silo: The “life-changing” impact of stepping outside your professional bubble to learn from leaders in entirely different fields.
- Service as a Leadership Tool: Why being a Meals on Wheels driver or working with The Caring Place isn’t just “volunteering”—it’s a core part of being a better public sector leader.
The Silo Factor: You’ll also hear us talk about our experience in the Leadership Women America program. We explore why typical industry conferences keep us in a bubble and how traveling to different cities to see how other people solve problems can make you a completely different person when you return to your day job.
Free Resource: Want to see the human side of infrastructure for yourself? Check out the CTRMA 2024 Annual Report. It’s a great example of how technical organizations can tell their human stories.