The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has been recognized with the Best Product Award by the Heartland Chapter of ITS America. The award honors the department’s cutting-edge Dynamic Message Sign web and mobile app as the top Intelligent Transportation System product in the region.
The award was presented at the 2025 ITS Heartland Annual Meeting in Kansas, where ODOT’s mobile app stood out among peers for its innovation, efficiency and public safety impact. Developed through a collaborative partnership, the DMS Control app enables authorized personnel to remotely update roadside message signs with real-time traffic alerts, emergency notifications and work zone updates, often in 30 seconds or less.
“The DMS Control app has transformed how we respond to incidents on our state’s interstates and highways,” said Taylor Henderson, ODOT Assistant Director of Operations. “The ability to post urgent messages from anywhere, whether in the field or at home, means faster alerts for drivers and better protection for everyone on the road.”
The app supports both permanent DMS and Portable Changeable Message Signs across the state, giving Traffic Operations Center staff complete remote access. It includes built-in security with three layers of authentication and operates through a private network to ensure only authorized personnel can access the system.
In addition to rapid message posting, the app allows authorized staff to:
- View live camera feeds near incident locations
- Track system status and message history
- Manage messages for work zones, lane closures and emergency events
- Access preset message libraries for quicker deployment
The DMS Control app is a major step forward in ODOT’s long-term goal of building a virtual Traffic Operations Center, allowing staff to operate efficiently from any location while maintaining consistent service quality and safety response.
The new app was developed in approximately six months through a collaborative effort between the department and HBE Systems, encompassing both front-end and back-end development. Oklahoma continues to lead in intelligent transportation systems, having earned the Best ITS Product award from the ITS Heartland Chapter each year since 2021 for innovations including the Construction Project Viewer, Drive Oklahoma app/OKTraffic.org and OKRoads.org.
ITS Heartland represents transportation professionals across Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri. Its annual awards highlight innovative tools and technologies that improve safety, mobility and traffic operations throughout the region.
Drivers can experience the Traffic Operations Centers’ innovative work and see current messages posted on interstate and highway signs across the state on OkTraffic.org or the Drive Oklahoma app.
Additionally, drivers can use the app to plan travel routes with interactive maps of live traffic conditions, as well as access to traffic cameras and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s PIKEPASS information. Drive Oklahoma is available for download on Google Play and the Apple App Store. New functionality is consistently being added to improve the user experience.