Talking Michigan Transportation MDOT’s new chief administrative officer takes on a road user charge project
Jan 29, 2026
Paul McDonald, MDOT Chief Administrative Officer and former EGLE senior official, discusses his new role and leading a legislatively mandated Road User Charge study and pilot. He explains his CAO portfolio, the RFP and review timeline, the Technical Advisory Committee’s advisory role, and pilot design choices like size, data collection, and legislative involvement.
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MDOT Culture Is Passionate And Mission Driven
- Paul McDonald observed MDOT staff are passionate, knowledgeable, and focused on improving infrastructure across urban and rural areas.
- He contrasted MDOT's stewardship and mission-driven culture with his experience at EGLE, reinforcing his positive first impressions within two months on the job.
Coming From EGLE Changed How He Sees MDOT
- Paul McDonald shared that at EGLE his role was regulatory while at MDOT he often seeks permits to do work, reversing typical public assumptions about MDOT's role.
- He joked colleagues told him not to reveal EGLE 'secrets' that might make MDOT's permit work easier.
CAO Role Covers IT Data And Multiple Modes
- As CAO Paul McDonald's portfolio covers IT, data platforms, and modal offices like Rail and Aeronautics in addition to finance and HR.
- He emphasized building a data-sharing platform to let managers access information across databases for better decisions.