BACK in 1984, it was hard work and responsible stewardship that enabled Carol Molnau and her husband to be recognized as "Farm Family of the Year" by "The American Farmer" magazine.

　　About 20 years later, Carol still regards hard work and dedication as the core principles of her job - to provide a safe and efficient transportation system for citizens of Minnesota in the US.

　　Entrusted with more responsibility than any lieutenant governor in modern times, Molnau serves Minnesota both as the state's number two executive and also as commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

　　Referring to traffic jams, the most common problem in big cities, the commissioner drew on her rich experience, saying: "It's a good thing that people have more private cars, which attests to greater prosperity. But it also causes more pollution and congestion. To improve public transportation by making it more convenient and efficient is the best way to solve the congestion problem."

　　Although her state has no control on the number of vehicle plate licences, unlike Shanghai, a series of policies such as high parking fees have effectively discouraged people from driving cars into the downtown area. Companies applying different working schedules can help avoid rush hours, while employees are encouraged to use buses.

　　Molnau has sought to deepen government co-operation with various partners in the private sector and academic institutions to assist transportation management. "When private companies participate in public transportation construction and even design it can make the project quicker and less expensive," she said.

　　"Private firms that are given an opportunity to profit are willing to contribute some or all of the capital required, decreasing reliance on State expenditures and lessening the State's exposure to risk."

　　The most successful example is the "Minnesota Guidestar", initiated in 1991, an intelligent transportation systems (ITS) programme applying advanced technology to improve the safety and efficiency of the transportation system.

　　Current ITS initiatives aim to enhance the State's traveller information system, improve safety at rural rail crossings, test on-vehicle systems that assist drivers, and create statewide operations centres that improve traffic operations and incident management capabilities.

　　As a grandmother, 53-year-old Molau feels her happiest times are when she is with her three grandchildren, working on their farm, but she has been too busy to do this after being elected as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1992.

　　"My work is really busy, sometimes even overwhelming. I can only afford to spend my weekend with my family. It's really hard to balance personal life and work for a woman," said Molnau during her recent visit to Shanghai where the Minnesota-based company 3M has operated for 20 years - the first foreign-invested company in Shanghai.

　　Molnau also expressed a willingness to deepen communication and co-operation over a wider area between Minnesota and Shanghai.

　　By Hu Yan