The Manual Certification Exam is designed to improve the quality of pavement management data collected in the field by pavement raters.
Rater Certification Program
Under the Pavement Management Technical Assistance Program (P-TAP), MTC requires all raters from a vendor-certified firm to earn certification through the Rater Certification Program (RCP). The RCP includes a pavement distress manual survey exam and an online knowledge exam.
These exams evaluate a rater’s skills and knowledge in pavement condition rating using MTC’s 8AC/7PCC-distress protocol. Raters must assess up to 24 test sites and meet the accuracy level defined by the Passing Criteria (see below).
Additionally, raters from non-P-TAP consulting firms and local agencies can also earn certification. MTC conducts the rater certification exam once a year.
After passing the exams, raters receive a certificate valid for two years. To renew certification for another two years, raters must complete a refresher course—Pavement Distress Identification Tutorial—and pass an online exam. Every four years, certified raters must retake both the field and knowledge exams to maintain certification, as long as they meet all prerequisites.
Prerequisites
The exam is open to pavement distress raters from P-TAP contractors, pavement management consultants, and local agencies.
At a minimum, raters must understand MTC’s pavement distress rating procedures. These procedures follow the 8AC/7PCC-distress protocol, based on a modified ASTM D6433. MTC provides detailed distress definitions and descriptions in two key manuals:
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Pavement Condition Index Distress Identification Manual for Asphalt and Surface Treatment Pavements (4th Edition, March 2016)
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Pavement Condition Index Distress Identification Manual for Jointed Portland Cement Concrete Pavements (3rd Edition, March 2016)
Additionally, to meet prerequisites, raters must have completed one of the following:
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Attended the MTC Pavement Distress Survey class within the last four years, or
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Finished an online, self-paced Pavement Condition Assessment course.
Costs:
All applicants must pay a non-refundable registration fee of $1,150 for the Rater Certification exam.
You can purchase distress manuals from our store for $25.
For renewals, raters must:
Rating & Recording Method
Raters must use the walking (manual) distress survey method, as no other methods are acceptable. MTC tests raters on both asphalt (AC) pavement and Portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement.
For AC test sites, raters must collect distress data for the full street width by 100 feet in length. If the street is wider than 40 feet, they must collect data for half the width by 100 feet. For PCC, raters will record distress data based on each slab.
MTC designates and marks up to 24 test sites with paint on the pavement. Raters do not need to sample inspection units or calculate the PCI. However, they must record the total quantity of each distress and severity.
Raters should provide “raw data” on the inspection sheet (see Sample1_RatingSheet_AC and Sample2_RatingSheet_PCC), in StreetSaver format (as described in the Inspection Import Excel Format), and in MobileRater format.
Passing Criteria
To pass the field survey portion of the Rater Certification exam, raters must meet two key criteria for distress data:
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At least 50% of PCI values for inspected sections must fall within ±8 PCI points of the reference, or “ground truth,” PCI values.
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No more than 12% of PCI values can deviate by more than ±18 PCI points from the reference PCI values.
After the exam, applicants will receive their field survey results by email. Successful candidates will then be invited to take the online knowledge exam.
To pass the online exam, applicants must score at least 80%. Only one retest is allowed. Raters must complete the online exam within one month of receiving the notification.
Rules and Testing Procedures
To ensure a level playing field, MTC may disqualify raters who do not follow these rules:
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MTC distributes test site maps at 7:45 AM on the testing date at a designated meeting location.
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Raters must complete all surveys within the allotted time frame, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
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Raters must submit all raw data (paper or electronic) by 4:00 PM.
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Only the walking (manual) distress survey method is allowed.
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Each rater must perform the manual rating individually; teaming is not allowed.
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MTC provides official inspection sheets; no substitutes will be accepted.
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AC test sites are marked as full width by 100 feet or as specified. PCC test sites are marked from 10 to 30 slabs.
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Raters must bring their own personal protective equipment and tools.
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Fees are non-refundable and must be paid each time the exam is taken.
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Retests are not allowed for the field survey exam. However, one retest is permitted for the online knowledge exam.
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MTC may suspend field testing due to inclement weather.
Why Get Certified?
MTC developed the StreetSaver pavement management software, which now supports over 500 users nationwide, including many cities and counties. In addition to providing StreetSaver to local agencies, MTC uses the software to assess regional street and road conditions and evaluate maintenance needs for the 109 cities and counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Since 2008, MTC has exclusively used StreetSaver to perform the California Local Street and Road Statewide Needs Assessment. This assessment helps inform the Governor and Legislature about the critical funding shortfall for maintaining local streets and roads. It also highlights the risks of deferring or reducing transportation funds for cities and counties.
To ensure high-quality data from P-TAP consultants, MTC developed strict procedures and guidelines for managing pavement data collection. The Data Quality Management Plan includes Rater and Vendor Certification Programs, quality control measures before, during, and after production, and a rigorous data acceptance process.
The Rater Certification Program ensures raters can deliver the required accuracy for pavement condition ratings. Additionally, some StreetSaver users—both within and outside the Bay Area—may require consultants’ raters to hold this certification or for their firms to be vendor-certified by MTC to conduct data collection.
Benefits of Becoming Certified:
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Meet minimum qualifications required to respond to RFPs and RFQs for MTC’s Pavement Management Technical Assistance Program (P-TAP).
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Boost local agencies’ confidence in the quality of your pavement condition databases.
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Showcase your firm’s expertise in pavement condition data collection with certified raters.
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Prove your commitment to delivering accurate, high-quality data.
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Gain trusted referrals—MTC maintains and shares a list of certified consultants and raters.
Have questions about the exam? Contact us today to get the answers you need and take the next step toward certification.
Location:
Oakland, CA
Additional details provided upon registration.
