“The greatest measure of a customer's satisfaction is the size of their smile.”

- Mr. James L. Ely,
Executive Director

Jim Ely is a third generation Floridian who grew up in South Florida. One of his fondest memories as a child is the day his dad took him and his younger brother for a ride on the brand new Sunshine State Parkway (Florida’s Turnpike) when it first opened in January, 1957. He marveled at a road that allowed him to travel from Miami to Ft. Pierce at 70 mph without any traffic lights. After spending three years in the U.S. Army, Mr. Ely joined the Florida Department of Transportation in 1974. He held several positions including the Director of Management Review and Inspector General. In 1989, he was appointed as Director of Florida’s Turnpike, which has been part of the Florida Department of Transportation since 1969. 

During his tenure, Florida’s Turnpike has built or acquired 140 miles of new Turnpike segments around the State valued at $2.5 billion dollars while traffic has increased five fold. Today, Florida’s Turnpike serves over 1.6 million people per day and is the fourth largest Turnpike System in the nation with 460 centerline miles. The Turnpike is primarily self-financed through its toll and concession revenues and therefore, receives no Federal or State operating funds. Florida’s Turnpike is also the highest bond-rated turnpike in the nation and does not rely on the State to back its bond issues. 

Mr. Ely is passionate about the Governor’s Initiative on Mentoring. Under his direction, the Turnpike has supported two needy elementary schools, one in Central Florida and one in South Florida. Turnpike staff members travel to the schools each week and participate in either one-on-one or group mentoring. This service helps improve the reading skills of many at-risk students. Mr. Ely believes that transportation is not only a link that connects people, goods and services, but it also serves as a vital part of serving communities. In light of this, the Turnpike Charity Golf Tournament has become a yearly tradition, donating over $500,000 to charitable causes, including the United Way. Additionally, the Teddy Bears for Troopers program has supplied nearly 7,000 stuffed animals since its inception in 1998 to children affected by incidents on the Turnpike. He also serves on the National Advisory Board of the Women’s Transportation Seminar, which promotes women in transportation. 

Commitment to Customer Service 

Mr. Ely is a nationally recognized expert on user-financed transportation and is recognized for his vision, organizational development, deployment of technology, innovation and dedication to customer service. The latest annual customer satisfaction survey, conducted by an independent firm, reported that most customers of Florida’s Turnpike feel they are receiving value in the form of safety, service and convenience for the toll they pay. In fact, 92% would recommend using the Turnpike System to family and friends. He also believes that tolling is simply a means to an end – providing better mobility for Florida’s residents and visitors. As a transportation advocate he feels there are no “free” roads – just toll roads and non-toll roads (i.e., gas tax funded). In 2003 the Turnpike was awarded the IBTTA President’s Awards for Innovation and Excellence for the design of the Suncoast Parkway and in 2005 received the JD Powers and Associates Seal of Approval for Excellence in Call Center Operations for its electronic toll collection system called SunPass. 

Operating a Business – Public Sector Mission with Private Sector Methods

In 2002, the Florida Legislature transformed Florida’s Turnpike into an Enterprise. Still part of the FDOT, the Turnpike Enterprise’s objective is to employ private sector methods in operating the Turnpike as a business for the State. A centerpiece of this strategy is to capitalize on the advantages of electronic toll collection. In 2004, Florida Trend Magazine listed Jim Ely as one of the 174 Most Influential Floridians describing him as the “un-bureaucrat, charged by Governor Bush with bringing private practice savvy to the government experiment that is Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise.”

Leader in the User-Financed Industry 

Mr. Ely is Second Vice President and President-Elect of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Chairman of the Board of the Transportation and Expressway Authority Members of Florida, and serves on the Executive Board of the Florida Department of Transportation. He holds a B.S. degree in Business, an MBA, a Masters in Education and a Doctorate in Public Administration. He is also an alumnus of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He attributes the extraordinary success of Florida’s Turnpike’s mission of helping meet the State’s transportation needs, serving its customers and protecting the bondholders to support from the Governor, the Florida Legislature, the Florida Transportation Commission, the Secretary of Transportation, and the 4,600 dedicated staff who serve the Turnpike’s customers everyday. 

Jim and his wife Betty Jo reside in Central Florida, a short distance from the Turnpike’s headquarters in Orlando located at the Turkey Lake Service Plaza (Milepost 263). 

P.S. Mr. Ely’s business cards include the caption “We Drive Smiles.” He hopes this is your experience when you choose Florida’s Turnpike on your travels around the great State of Florida.

Florida's Turnpike Executive Director

Expectations
The Legislature established very clear expectations when it created the Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise. The Legislature wanted to fully leverage the Turnpike asset by pursuing innovation and best practices found in the private sector, especially in the areas of management, finance, organization and operations. The Legislature expected the Enterprise to improve the cost-effectiveness and timeliness of project delivery. The Enterprise is also expected to increase revenue and expand capital program capabilities, while improving the quality of service to customers and protecting bondholders. By focusing on these issues, the Legislature expects the Enterprise to preserve, improve and expand the Turnpike System.

Governor Bush has emphasized the need to ‘reinvent government.” As a proponent of the Enterprise, the Governor expects the Enterprise:

“…to operate in a more business-like manner and to maximize the financial leveraging capability of the State’s largest revenue-producing asset for the benefit of statewide transportation.”

The Florida Transportation Commission (FTC) has recommended strategies to support and improve the Department and the Turnpike. Like the Legislature and the Governor, the FTC supports actions that would increase funding and improve efficiency and effectiveness. The FTC unanimously agreed that the creation of the Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise:

“…will allow it to implement policies and procedures…resulting in increased toll and non-toll revenue and reduced operation costs, thus allowing the Enterprise to operate more like a business in support of an expanded capital improvement program.”

The Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation also has clearly expressed an expectation.

“The Enterprise is an experiment in governance. I expect the Turnpike System to be operated like a business from within the Florida Department of Transportation.”

Management Approach
Over the past 12 years, Florida’s Turnpike has made substantial improvements to the existing system, acquired and assumed responsibility for a project completed by a local expressway authority, delivered six expansion projects, contracted most in-house functions to the private sector, promoted customer service, maintained financial stability and improved bond ratings. Building on this success, the Enterprise will introduce a variety of best practices from the private sector addressing organization, staff management, procurement, operations, asset management and financial management. These changes in management practices will significantly increase the Enterprise’s capability to fund and develop the capital projects required to maintain and improve the existing system and to develop additional expansion projects. The new management approach will also enhance customer service and protection of bondholders.

As a large agency operated in the public interest with best private-sector practices, the Enterprise will become a prototype infrastructure organization. By actively seeking entrepreneurial opportunities, the Enterprise will become a laboratory for change and innovation within the Department. The Enterprise will maximize the use of the private sector, provide flexible and responsive service to stakeholders and promote partnerships among other organizations responsible for transportation in Florida.

As a result of HB 261, the Enterprise is not only responsible for the Florida’s Turnpike System, but also for toll operations on every Department-owned and operated toll road and bridge. This represents about 600 miles of roadway and 80% of all toll facilities in Florida. The Enterprise will ensure that every customer who travels these toll roads and bridges receives first class service on every trip.

The Enterprise will be a separate business unit within the Department. The Executive Director of the Enterprise will report to the Secretary of Transportation. The Secretary has the authority to adopt alternative policies, procedures and standards for the Enterprise for the express purpose of incorporating better business practices.

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