RALEIGH – The following are highlights from this week at the N.C. Department of Transportation. The stories below are also featured in
NCDOT Now, the department's weekly newscast.
NCDOT Div. 6 Employee Saves Man
Heath Pittman, NCDOT Division 6 traffic supervisor was traveling a different way into work this summer when he saw Ray Cooper unconscious on the ground outside of Fayetteville, and immediately stopped and began giving him chest compressions. Another bystander also rendered aid until first responders could arrive.
Cooper recovered from a heart attack, but his doctor said it was Pittman who first began CPR which likely saved his life.
For Pittman’s heroic efforts, the North Carolina Board of Transportation awarded him the department’s Extra Mile Award.
On-the-Job Training Program
The department’s Office of Civil Rights’ On-the-Job Training Program is currently recruiting to meet the high demand for highway construction, maintenance, and operations workers.
Recently, the program has hosted Highway Construction Trade Academies, which work to provide participants with the basic skills and credentials they need for jobs with transportation contractors and NCDOT.
The academies train and place minorities and women into transportation employment opportunities.
To learn more information about the programs offered, visit NCDOT’s
On-the-Job-Training Program website.
Daylight Saving Time
Finally, Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 6, when we turn our clocks back one hour.
This change can present challenges for drivers as it gets darker sooner, so many late afternoon commutes will be at dusk.
Safety is NCDOT's top priority, so use the following suggestions to be prepared for the change:
- Ensure all your car's lights, particularly the emergency flashers, are working
- When a car approaches, change your headlights from high to low beam
- Keep an eye out for deer, pedestrians, and bicyclists
- Get plenty of sleep and be well rested to avoid driving tired
For more information about NCDOT Now, contact the NCDOT Communications Office at (919) 707-2660. Additional news stories from throughout the week can be found on
NCDOT.gov.