Transportation agencies have an extraordinary responsibility: to connect people and communities every day. But in an era of rapid change, increased scrutiny and competing priorities, moving people safely and efficiently is only part of the story. Just as important is how agencies communicate their purpose, values and vision – in other words, how they define and live their brand.

At the recent AASHTO Committee on Transportation Communications (TransComm) annual conference, I led a workshop with communications leaders from state DOTs and transportation agencies across the country. Together, we explored how brand strategy can elevate public trust and engagement. Through hands-on exercises, participants worked to define their agency voice, clarify brand values and learn storytelling techniques that resonate with their communities.

Why Brand Matters in Public Infrastructure

Unlike private companies, transportation agencies aren’t competing for market share. Their success depends on public confidence and participation. Every new project requires community buy-in – whether that means understanding a new transit line, adjusting to roadway changes or supporting long-term mobility investments.

People engaging with infrastructure want to know: Will this improve my daily life? Will I have a voice in shaping it? Can I trust the agency to deliver on its promises?

A clear and consistent brand helps answer those questions. It demonstrates transparency, establishes accountability and shows that the agency is listening. In this context, branding is not about promotion. It’s about building enduring relationships grounded in trust.

Best Practices for Elevating Transportation Brands

Through the work of our national outreach and engagement strategies practice, we’ve seen several approaches consistently help agencies strengthen their brands:

• Define Core Values Early: A strong brand begins with clarity. Agencies that identify their values – such as safety, innovation, accessibility or community – are better positioned to weave those principles into every communication.
• Speak with One Voice: With multiple programs or projects simultaneously, agencies risk fragmented or confusing messages. A shared framework – including tone of voice, narrative pillars and audience-specific messaging – creates consistency across teams and platforms.
• Prioritize Accessibility and Equity: Brand strength grows from inclusivity. That means going beyond ADA compliance to include multilingual materials, user-friendly digital platforms and visual approaches that make technical information easy to understand.
• Engage Proactively: Effective agencies don’t wait until challenges surface – they anticipate them. Proactive milestone-based communication, supported by tools like issue management plans, empowers agencies to stay ahead of questions and foster constructive dialogue.
• Humanize the Work: Agencies are made of people working to improve communities. Elevating leaders, project managers and frontline staff as storytellers builds credibility and relatability. When the public can see the people behind the work, they connect more deeply with the mission.

Building Trust Through Engagement

Strong brands create space for meaningful engagement. In one recent regional planning effort, our outreach and engagement strategies team supported a process where public meetings, stakeholder interviews, community surveys and social media campaigns all worked together to give residents multiple ways to participate in shaping the project. By pairing those efforts with a visible agency spokesperson, the project built momentum and credibility over time.

These strategies support not just individual projects but the agency’s overall reputation. The more consistent and transparent an agency’s communications are, the easier it becomes for communities to recognize the value of long-term investment.

The Payoff: A Brand That Builds Public Trust

Defining your brand voice is not a side exercise – it’s the foundation of public trust. Transportation agencies that communicate with clarity and consistency turn community engagement from a challenge into a lasting advantage. That’s the true power of brand: strengthening the connection between agencies and the communities they serve.