OKLAHOMA CITY -- As OU- Texas weekend was approaching, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation wanted a new way to warn drivers about heavy traffic congestion on the way to Dallas. They decided to set up a Twitter account. But there was a problem. "Not everyone knows how to use Twitter," says ODOT Spokesperson Mills Gotcher.
So ODOT hired Saxum Public Relations to set up their Twitter account earlier this month.
Within two weeks, ODOT had more than 500 followers.
Saxum trained and counseled ODOT for ten days to learn how to post updates on traffic, road closings and other information.
But they paid Saxum $7,500 for a service that is free to the public.
This comes after ODOT has implemented a hiring freeze and other measures to deal with a five percent budget cut.
"It can seem like a lot (of money), but we're always looking for new tools to use to make driving safer for the public."
Renzi Stone, President of Saxum PR, says 38 other state transportation departments have Twitter accounts, but his company will help ODOT measure its effectiveness, track their Twitter following and save them money.
"Could they have set up on their own (account)? Sure. I suppose they could've set it up on their own. Would it have been as successful? I doubt it," Stone says. "They're not staffing their phones like they would have otherwise. They're not dispatching people to their congestion zones as much as they previously might have, because this tool gives information. And information is king."
"We just know it's something we'd like to try, something new and innovative," Gotcher says.
"We're giving it a shot. And we'll know in a couple of weeks, of course, if we even decide to continue doing it or not."
If ODOT's Twitter project is a success, they may spend another $7,500 to improve their site.
By comparison, the Texas Department Of Transportation tells News Channel 4 they didn't spend any money to set up their Twitter account.
So ODOT hired Saxum Public Relations to set up their Twitter account earlier this month.
Within two weeks, ODOT had more than 500 followers.
Saxum trained and counseled ODOT for ten days to learn how to post updates on traffic, road closings and other information.
But they paid Saxum $7,500 for a service that is free to the public.
This comes after ODOT has implemented a hiring freeze and other measures to deal with a five percent budget cut.
"It can seem like a lot (of money), but we're always looking for new tools to use to make driving safer for the public."
Renzi Stone, President of Saxum PR, says 38 other state transportation departments have Twitter accounts, but his company will help ODOT measure its effectiveness, track their Twitter following and save them money.
"Could they have set up on their own (account)? Sure. I suppose they could've set it up on their own. Would it have been as successful? I doubt it," Stone says. "They're not staffing their phones like they would have otherwise. They're not dispatching people to their congestion zones as much as they previously might have, because this tool gives information. And information is king."
"We just know it's something we'd like to try, something new and innovative," Gotcher says.
"We're giving it a shot. And we'll know in a couple of weeks, of course, if we even decide to continue doing it or not."
If ODOT's Twitter project is a success, they may spend another $7,500 to improve their site.
By comparison, the Texas Department Of Transportation tells News Channel 4 they didn't spend any money to set up their Twitter account.
