ITS Florida Recognizes District Six TMC Operator
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District Six Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSM&O) Office proudly announces that the Intelligent Transportation Society of Florida (ITS Florida) recognized Mr. Joel Vega with the 2025 TMC Operator of the Year Award.
Mr. Vega was selected for the award from a competitive pool of statewide candidates for his outstanding contributions to the TSM&O Program. ITS Florida noted his ability to transform challenges into opportunities and implement solutions that have improved traffic operations. Mr. Vega began his TSM&O career in 2017 and credits his time working the overnight shift at the SunGuide Transportation Management Center (STMC) with teaching him to manage complex scenarios. He realized the unique challenges posed by the overnight schedule, such as major construction activities and reduced nighttime visibility, required greater situational awareness and coordination. As a result, he quickly learned to identify traffic patterns, anticipate issues before they escalated, and develop strong working relationships with the Road Rangers and first responders. These skills allowed Mr. Vega to excel in his role and was promoted to Express Lanes Supervisor within three years of starting the job.
Today, Mr. Vega serves as Construction Coordinator for the TSM&O Office, where he attends project meetings, updates operations staff on scheduled activities and ensures timely dissemination of traveler information to mitigate construction-related impacts. He also serves as the on-site FDOT representative at Hard Rock Stadium, managing special event traffic for major events such as the Orange Bowl, Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, and the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. In this role, he again distinguished himself for identifying solutions for the stadium staff. He went above and beyond his regular duties to develop travel time analysis reports to improve shuttle bus traffic flow and identified new post-event exit routes that have alleviated congestion.
ITS Florida also recognized other District Six representatives, including Mr. Javier Rodriguez, P.E., for leading completion of the first Connected Vehicle project in Monroe County (Keys COAST), and Ms. Alicia Torrez for her contributions to public information in TSM&O.