Clarity of Mission for the Delaware River Port Authority

The board of the Delaware River Port Authority voted to adopt new mission and vision statements at its Jan. 21, meeting. The new statements are intended to reflect the central role of stewardship of both the authority's transportation assets - four bridges spanning the Delaware River plus the PATCO high-speed line - and its financial and human resources. 

The new mission statement, intended to describe the authority's fundamental purpose, reads "As stewards of public assets, we provide for the safe and efficient operation of transportation services and facilities in a manner that creates value for the public we serve." That statement supports the Authority's highest organizational values including safety and customer service, and will be the foundation for both day-to-day operations and future decision-making, according to John T. Hanson, who became CEO of the DRPA in May.

Hanson is known for emphasizing stewardship in everything he says about the authority, from formal statements to the board and the public to informal conversations with employees. "One of the key things we do in this organization is serve the public as stewards of these assets, which are owned by the community," he says. "We take care of them and protect them, maintain them and operate them for the community."

The  vision statement is aspirational and articulates both the strategic and practical implications of stewardship, specifically the authority's intended direction and activities. It reads, "Together we are world-class stewards of public transportation assets. Working collaboratively across all business units, we operate, maintain, improve and protect transportation infrastructure for the benefit of the citizens we serve throughout the Greater Philadelphia Region. We are committed to building credibility, earning public trust and creating public value."

"The previous mission statement no longer reflects the DRPA's activities - or its values." says CEO Hanson.  He explained that the new statements accurately reflect how the Authority is evolving since the board officially terminated its economic development program in 2011.

"As a result of previous board action, we are prohibited from making new expenditures not directly related to transportation," Hanson said. "We are focusing our resources solely on fulfilling our core mission."

The authority is encouraged that the new mission and vison statements will better connect everyone with its core mission and the broader purpose of stewardship and service. 

This resolution is subject to the 10-day New Jersey Governor's veto-period.