Southwest Florida International Airport officials note that Jet has cut the number of bird strikes interfering with flights from 13 in 1998 to none in 1999. Cities in California, Florida, New Hampshire and Colorado have found that goats and sheep eliminate weeds more efficiently than mowers or human weed-pickers in some situations. The animals also reduce the need for pesticides and herbicides, and for collection and disposal of the vegetation. The Texas Department of Transportation, however, has learned the hard way that both incentives and penalties are critical to getting the work done on time and under budget. Some sections were completed four years behind schedule.
Incentives are also available if work is finished ahead of schedule.
Transportation officials in Kansas are using a similar approach to guarantee the smoothness of state highways. In Ohio, contractors must sign a warranty for construction and repair work done on any interstate or multi-lane road. Since federal, state and local governments pay as much as 65 percent of long-term care costs, governments, especially states, are looking for preventive ways to cut costs. Many states are considering adult immunization programs. Medicare will pay states to provide pneumococcal vaccines and influenza virus vaccines, added incentive to set up statewide programs.