The Virginia Department of Transportation began notifying 230 hourly employees across the Commonwealth Tuesday that their employment will end on June 6 as the agency moves to reduce staffing costs.

The cuts are one element of a comprehensive plan designed to address the $2.6-billion shortfall in transportation revenues over the next six years.

The agency announced in February that it is seeking to reduce its overall staffing levels by 1,000 full-time employees and 450 wage staff over the next 18 months. As of January 1, VDOT employed nearly 600 hourly employees and approximately 8,400 full-time, salaried employees.

Attrition and the normal seasonal reduction of part-time employees who assist only with winter snow-removal operations have already reduced the number of wage employees on staff. The 230 remaining wage employees to be released to reach the reduction goal of 450 hourly positions were provided their notification Tuesday.

VDOT estimates it will have 7,500 classified employees by July 1, 2010.

Affected part-time wage employees throughout the agency were notified beginning Tuesday of the schedule for their positions being eliminated. VDOT is offering these employees transition assistance including job search and resume writing training. As wage employees, these staff members are not eligible for severance benefits.

“The reality of our budget shortfall means that we have to prioritize spending on safety-related projects and to maintain our existing highways,” says David S. Ekern, VDOT commissioner. “None of these are easy decisions for us to make. We know that these decisions will impact the public and the lives of our valued professional staff, but we must make the sound business decisions necessary to ensure the long-term viability of Virginia’s transportation system and our department.”

VDOT will focus its resources on emergency response efforts, maintenance and operations. In February, the Commonwealth Transportation Board enacted the first phase of the cost-cutting plan when it reduced the number of new highway projects that will be built. The revised six-year improvement program cut $2 billion in funding, delaying or eliminating 808 projects statewide.

The second phase involves staffing changes and organizational restructuring including reductions in wage and temporary employees and full-time staff.

The third phase focuses on reducing spending on VDOT’s programs and services, including:

- Reducing Rest Areas and Welcome Centers
- Reducing Ferry Services
- Reducing Safety Service Patrols
- Reducing Interstate Maintenance Services
- Reducing Vegetation Management

VDOT recently completed 11 public meetings around the Commonwealth to collect public feedback on these service reductions. Final decisions in these areas will be communicated in May and June.