Rep. Oelslager Announces ODOT Audit Findings

State Rep. Scott Oelslager (R–North Canton) announced the findings of Phase I of the Ohio Department of Transportation audit. State Auditor Keith Faber conducted Phase I of the ODOT audit in 2019. The Ohio Performance Team (OPT) reviewed several key areas of the department, including fleet management, construction inspection, and IT consultant management.

Last year, the Ohio legislature passed House Bill 62, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Budget, and one measure added to the bill requires the Auditor of State to conduct a performance audit of ODOT.

“When ODOT came to the legislature asking us to raise the gas tax we wanted to make sure they were operating efficiently and effectively. Requiring a performance of ODOT is an important way for the legislature to ensure the department is using taxpayer dollars in the best way possible,” Oelslager said.

Highlights from the audit include:

Fleet Management

-ODOT spends between $35 and $55 million annually on fleet purchases. ODOT’s current practice of purchasing equipment is more cost effective than switching to a leasing model.

Construction Inspections

-One of ODOT’s core functions is construction inspections, where inspectors are on site during projects to make sure everything is going according to the plan. Currently, ODOT employs both internal staff and private consultants to carry out inspections. By using internal staff to perform inspections rather than private consultants, ODOT could save between $10 and $21 million annually.

IT Consultant Management

-ODOT’s Division of Information Technology often uses IT consultants for job functions that could be performed by permanent staff. By transitioning to permanent employees, ODOT could save more than $450,000 annually in consultant fees.

Over the course of the next year, the Auditor will conduct Phase II of the ODOT audit. This phase is going to focus on: pavement management strategies, bridge management strategies, highway maintenance, financing, and district alignment. Because of the scope of this phase, the Auditor has decided to seek subject-matter experts to consult throughout the duration of the audit.

Phase II of the audit is slated to be released in November 2020.