Kristen Johnson, Toll Insight

Toll Insight spoke with their own Industry Specialist, Kristen Johnson.

Please tell us about your background and how you got into the tolling industry.

Like many others in the tolling industry, I didn’t grow up dreaming of a career in tolling. I graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Finance. I began my career with a boutique investment bank, working with management teams to fine-tune their business plans, build out financial models, position their product or service in the market, and seek funding. That role created a solid base for my career and helped me discover my passion for analysis. I continued to hone my skills in a small private equity firm, corporate finance for a large retailer, and within the operations side of an energy management company.

In 2012, I was presented with the opportunity to join Transurban’s North American business as they prepared to open the 495 Express Lanes outside Washington, DC. The role of Business Intelligence Analyst, responsible for operational reporting and analytics, spoke to my love of utilizing data to evaluate key business metrics and drive actionable results. Throughout my time at Transurban, I had the opportunity to broaden my scope beyond traffic and revenue reporting, learning more about the full operation from trip-to-cash, managing the dynamic toll algorithm, participating in a back office upgrade and opening of a second facility, and eventually representing Operations for future development projects.

When I joined the Indiana Toll Road (ITR) in late-2017, I was able to utilize my knowledge of the industry and experience developing and establishing controls and processes for tolling operations to build out the strategy and analytics function. While at ITR, I helped to implement a new analytical reporting tool, established a toll operations and revenue assurance function, and acted as the Business Representative for a multi-faceted toll system upgrade project.

What drew you to Toll Insight?

I had been following Toll Insight since its inception, having worked with Lev Pinelis at Transurban. I was drawn to the knowledge-sharing aspect of the online events and the opportunity to connect virtually. Being a proponent of growing the industry and ensuring all professionals have access to connect outside the four walls of their organization, regardless of their level or years in the industry, I believe the online format allows for broader participation and low/no-cost registration creates new opportunities for individuals typically unable to travel (e.g., young professionals, agency personnel). I was also drawn to the opportunity to work in a strategic advisory role with businesses looking to grow within the industry. In early 2023 I decided to take a break from a traditional role to focus on my young family and figure out how best to utilize my passion and expertise for connecting people and sharing knowledge. I was presented with the opportunity to work with Toll Insight, and it was a no-brainer.

What do you like about working at Toll Insight?

From an online event perspective, I really enjoy being involved in the process of selecting event topics and curating the agenda, speakers, and sponsors. It’s an opportunity for me to connect with my contacts and foster new relationships. It has been fulfilling to know that I have been a part of providing a forum for businesses and individuals to share what they are doing in the industry with a broader audience. The high degree of engagement and positive feedback has been very rewarding. Helping people make connections and access the resources they need in order to succeed is something I enjoy in both my personal and professional life.

From a business consulting perspective, I enjoy the different challenges that come with working with clients to move their business forward by utilizing my skills with data analytics, business intelligence, business strategy, and market research.

I also enjoy the opportunity to represent Toll Insight at industry events and within the professional organizations associated with the International Bridge, Tunnel & Turnpike Association (IBTTA) I’ve become a part of over the years, including Women in Tolling (WIT) and Young Professionals Council (YPC).

How does your role at Toll Insight utilize your skills and background?

With the online events, I am able to utilize my broad understanding of the tolling industry to identify key themes, leverage my network to curate the best possible agenda, and provide thoughtful input and questions to elevate the events.

For business strategy client work I’ve been involved in, I’ve been able to utilize my knowledge of the industry and skills for performing market research and analyzing various businesses, to then distill it down into a digestible report / presentation. I recently led a project for a client where we reached out to several toll road operators across the U.S. in an effort to understand how various cost-of-service metrics compare to other operators and work to standardize costs into broad buckets for comparison. The project involved analyzing financial statements for 20+ operators and supplementing the information with conversations with management teams in order to deliver a report to the client summarizing the information and key findings. It was a very in-depth project that also required me to utilize my knowledge of the industry and the inner-workings of a tolling operation to extract the pertinent information and apply any necessary assumptions.

At a few industry meetings, I’ve had the opportunity to work with one of Toll Insight’s Industry Focus Groups, representing a group of Third-Party Providers (3PP) / tolling account management vendors. I worked with the Focus Group to draft a presentation summarizing a high-level cost-benefit analysis of their products / services and acted as the “joint voice” when delivering the message to tolling agencies. This project allowed me to utilize my presentation skills and also my passion for knowledge-sharing.

What have you found to be most rewarding about working in the tolling industry?

Since joining the industry in 2012, I have had the opportunity to be involved in multiple councils and working groups through IBTTA, including the Toll Revenue Assurance Committee, YPC, WIT Council, and the Leadership Academy Alumni Association (2016 graduate). It’s been so rewarding to help evolve what a “tolling professional” looks like and advance the industry alongside such a well-rounded group of professionals. The diversity of age, gender, race, and educational background continues to expand, and I believe that will continue to benefit the industry for years to come.