TxDOT’s 2027-2031 Plan Keeps Focus on Automation, Requests STS Opt-Out

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)’s newest strategic plan continues the agency’s focus on data, automation and technology-enabled operations while adding emphasis on artificial intelligence training, workforce readiness and cloud procurement flexibility.

The fiscal years 2027-2031 plan, approved May 21 by the Texas Transportation Commission, outlines innovation as one of the agency’s four priorities, calling for the use of data and innovative tools to improve transportation safety, mobility and performance while taking a “data-driven and technology-enabled approach” to guide investments across transportation modes and locations.

In an introductory message, TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams says technological advances are changing how the agency, contractors and partners operate, and that digital automation will support a safer and more dependable transportation system.

The plan follows TxDOT’s 2025-2029 strategy, which included nine information resources projects totaling more than $1.1 billion. The new plan does not present the same kind of IT-heavy capital list. Instead, technology appears throughout the document as an operating strategy tied to traffic management, customer service, asset preservation, workforce development and procurement reform.

One of the clearer technology signals is in the agency’s discussion of cloud services. TxDOT identifies the state’s Shared Technology Services Public Cloud Manager structure as a potential impediment, saying the current process is built around generalized statewide needs rather than the agency’s specific cloud operations. The department recommends that it be made an optional participant in Public Cloud Manager services, saying that some “cloud runway builds” its cloud team can deploy in days can take as many as 24 service tickets and as long as 115 business days through the current program.

The agency says optional participation would reduce delivery timelines, administrative overhead and duplicative fees while allowing it to keep using Department of Information Resources (DIR) services where they remain advantageous, including data center hosting, network connectivity, security services and negotiated vendor pricing.

AI is also addressed directly in the workforce section. TxDOT says advances in AI and automation are expected to change skill requirements during the next five years, shifting routine, rules-based tasks to automation and requiring employees to adapt to new tools, processes, systems and technologies. The agency says it will use upskilling, redeployment programs and learning pathways that include data literacy, automation tools and governance principles tied to its AI strategic plan and governance framework.

The plan includes a separate AI training certification. In an April 27 memo routed through Chief Information Officer Anh Selissen, TxDOT says the training requirement took effect Sept. 1, 2025. The agency says it has prepared training materials, is pursuing certification through DIR and will make the course available and required for applicable full-time equivalent staff whose job duties involve computer use at least 25 percent of the time.

Cybersecurity remains a compliance area in the plan. TxDOT includes a written certification that the agency has complied with required cybersecurity training under state law.

The agency’s customer service goals also point to technology use. TxDOT says it plans to improve transparency and information sharing by increasing public access to information, data analysis and visualization tools. The plan also says technology can streamline customer service processes, automate tasks, enhance productivity and improve tracking of performance measures.