Local and tribal roads are the backbone of the Nation’s transportation system, yet they are diverse in terms of location, infrastructure, operations, and safety concerns. The diversity of local and tribal roads leads to many ways that highway safety problems are evaluated and addressed. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, safety countermeasures will not always be successful in all situations.

The Local and Tribal Road Safety Mentoring, Assistance, Training, and Communication Help (MATCH) Program provides FREE, broad-based technical assistance to local and tribal agencies facing roadway safety challenges. The program connects agencies requesting assistance with volunteers who have specific expertise to help successfully address the identified challenges.

MATCH allows local and tribal agencies to learn from and build on previous experience from Mentors
who have faced similar issues on similar roadway types and successfully mitigated those issues.
Mentors sharing their expertise with local and tribal agencies enables continued deployment of
effective roadway safety technologies and countermeasures across the United States,
leading to more saved lives and less serious injuries on our Nation’s local and tribal roads.

Who Can Participate in MATCH?

Participants are either Mentees or Mentors. Mentees are the people/agency receiving the technical assistance and Mentors are the experts providing the assistance.

Mentees:

• All local agencies are eligible to apply for mentoring assistance, but requests must be submitted directly by a public agency.
• FHWA may coordinate with the Mentee’s respective State Department of Transportation (DOT), FHWA Division Office, and/or applicable local agencies to support the mentoring request.

Mentors:

• Transportation safety professionals actively employed by or retired from a public transportation agency or center of learning.
• Have specific expertise related to local or tribal road safety.
• Have a minimum of five years of continuous transportation safety experience.
• Willing to provide technical assistance on topics related to their area(s) of expertise.

How is the Free Technical Assistance Provided?

Technical assistance through MATCH is always free. Mentoring can be provided in the form of phone calls, email exchanges, web–conferences, or site visits (on a limited basis). The level of mentoring varies depending on the Mentee’s needs. Requesting agencies may specify how they would like to receive assistance when making the request (e.g., phone call from a Mentor, structured web-conference) or the MATCH Coordinator can suggest the best type of assistance.

What is Required of Mentees and Mentors?

Mentees will:

• Submit a request for technical assistance, describing the roadway safety challenges they are facing (for example, addressing roadway departures) and their assistance needs.
• Submit a short report following the assistance, using a template provided by FHWA, summarizing the mentoring activities and providing feedback on their experience.

Mentors will:

• Provide a bio, resume, self-assessment, and signed letter of commitment to participate in the Program as a Mentor upon selection.
• Provide technical assistance based on their specific expertise and availability.
• Use a report template provided by FHWA to submit a brief summary of the mentoring activities and give feedback on their mentoring experience.

How to Apply

Mentees:

Fill out and submit this form to request technical assistance. The form must be submitted by a public agency. Once the application form is submitted, the MATCH Coordinator will then contact the requestor to gather more information and determine the best approach for providing technical assistance.

Mentors:

View the Mentor Informational Flyer for more details about being a Mentor. If you are interested in becoming a Mentor, please email MATCH@dot.gov to express your interest and include your name, agency (or prior agency if retired), job position/role, years of relevant experience, relevant certifications, and description of areas/expertise where you feel you would best serve as a Mentor.