As for his own work-related travel, Njord said it has been beneficial in bringing new technologies and ideas to Utah — even if he travels less than Inglish. For example, Njord said, his agency has found it valuable to look at how cable barriers are used on other states' highways. These are thick cables stretched along the sides of many state highways. In an accident, the barriers help absorb the impact of a collision better than a rigid concrete barrier.

"There's always a lot to be learned from others in the business," Njord said. "There's no sense in reinventing the wheel."

UTA board president Orrin T. Colby Jr. said he approves Inglish's travel budget and encourages him to travel. Colby said he believes the amount spent for Inglish to travel is "puny" compared to what executives in similar-sized companies spend on travel. It's also "puny" in terms of value received for that travel, Colby said.

"I would think if they (UDOT) were to do more travel, they would find more cutting-edge things to bring back," Colby said.

William Millar, president of the American Public Transportation Association, believes it is necessary for transit officials to travel more than highway officials because of how federal funding is allocated. Highway money typically comes by formula to a state, while transit money is "discretionary" and distributed after a lengthy federal planning process, he said.

"You really do need to come to Washington," Millar said Tuesday. "You have to come and work those (federal) systems if you are going to get the kind of funding success you've had in Utah. The two jobs tend to be different in that regard."

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E-mail: nwarburton@desnews.com