From the Starting Gate to System Go-Live: What the Kentucky Derby Teaches Us About Tolling

The Kentucky Derby may last only a couple of minutes, but we all know there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes. Participating in one of the most iconic sporting events in the US takes years of preparation—training, logistics, coordination, preliminary qualifiers, and precision timing—to ensure everything runs flawlessly when the gates open.

If you work in tolling, that probably sounds familiar.

A new toll system deployment has its own version of “race day.” When it happens, it should feel smooth and uneventful. Transactions are processed, systems communicate, and everything just…works. But getting to that point takes more than just flipping a switch.

At Milligan, we know that a successful go-live is the result of careful planning long before the first transaction is processed. That means helping our client’s team define clear requirements, coordinate across vendors, and ensure systems are fully integrated and tested.

It also means bringing the right expertise to every stage of the process:

• Program and project management to keep complex initiatives on track

• System integration and testing support to make sure all components work together seamlessly

• Operational readiness planning so teams are prepared from day one

• Transaction validation and back-office support to ensure accuracy and reliability once systems are live

None of it is flashy, but neither is re-shoeing the horses, cleaning up the stables, and washing the filthy race uniform.

This week, while much of our industry is at the IBTTA Technology Summit, our team member and Louisville-native Carrie MacKenzie is at Churchill Downs to take in the Derby in person. Not a bad tradeoff.