A method at a power-limited computing station for communicating in an intelligent transport system, the method including operating the computing station in one of a non-critical radio operating state and a safety-critical radio operating state; receiving a trigger at the computing station; determining whether the trigger should cause the computing station to transition a radio operating state; and if the trigger should cause the computing station to transition the radio operating state, changing the radio operating state to the other of the non-critical radio operating state and the safety-critical radio operating state.