Wyoming State Agencies cut travel expenses

By Tom Lacock, Cowboy State Free Press correspondent

CHEYENNE–Since Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal asked state agencies to limit their travel expenses last March, the state’s workers are finding new ways to save money.

According to The Wyoming Department of Transportation, numbers and specifics on the amount of travel that has been reduced is tough to gauge by fuel usage alone. WYDOT spokesman Bruce Burrows said it is difficult to discern whether agencies are using fuel for operations or travel, however he does have statistics on WYDOT-specific fuel usage.

Last year the agency budgeted $982,000 for out-of-state travel, used largely for seminars, meetings and conferences. WYDOT only spent $218,000, according to Burrows. In-state travel receipts also came in $284,000 under the $2.1 million that was budgeted. Burrows cautioned it is difficult to get exact numbers due to the mission of WYDOT.

“The stuff we need to do as part of our basic mission wasn’t considered travel. If it snows, we need to go out and plow the road. That is where it gets difficult to determine travel,” Burrows said.

The Department of Education has tried to follow the Governor’s order to drop travel by limiting the number of employees it sends on trips around the state. The Department of Education rarely uses the state jet and is also taking better advantage of the Wyoming Equality Network – a fiber optic network that connects the Department of Education with all of the state’s high schools, the University of Wyoming and community colleges around the state. Video, audio and network sharing is all possible through the WEN.

“Over the last two or three years the WEN has gone beyond something that just sat in the schools,” said Department of Education Public Information Officer Tim Lockwood. “People kind of understood what it was for, but people never really used it. Now, technology is such a staple in the classroom, it isn’t something teachers, students or administrators are afraid to use anymore.”

Lockwood added that increased video quality has allowed the Department of Education to do everything but take a school tour. The Department is also cutting the number of people they send on trips to schools.

“We used to have six members of a team go for a technical assistance meeting at a school,” Lockwood said. “Now you sit back and analyze what is the minimum number of people you can get by with. If you chose the right people you can accomplish the same job with two or three.”

Wyoming Division of Travel and Tourism Director Diane Shober said her office doesn’t have satellite offices around the state, which means her office staff still needs to travel. However, the agency has been able to cut down on travel expenses.

“We have always been frugal about travel and pooling with other staff whenever possible,” said Shober. “We made cuts in both in-state and out of state travel during the necessary 10 percent reductions last year and have followed accordingly.”