Photo by torbakhopper HE DEAD

Alta Bicycle Share designs, deploys, and manages bicycle share programs and systems worldwide.  Public bike sharing systems combine the convenience and flexibility of a private vehicle with the accessibility and reliability of mass transit.

Overview of Position:

We at Alta Bicycle Share located in NYC are looking for a Technical Project Manager who thinks relentlessly about who does what by when, everything that can go wrong, and how to make it all come together in the end.  Someone who knows enough about technology to identify risks and evaluate plans, but doesn’t need to be the one actually writing the code or designing the system.  Someone who always has a plan B and a Plan C, and can stay cool when everything else seems to be going wrong.  This is an exciting opportunity for a high performing individual to be part of the Technology Team in a growth environment.

The Technical Project Manager will report to/support the Vice President of Technology to help deliver the desired products and projects on time, on target and on budget. This position includes project management responsibilities for one or more complex projects.  These projects typically utilize vendor participation and require complex schedules and integration with other systems and multiple contractors.

Key Aspects of Position:

• Manage scope, schedule, budget, and risks for critical aspects of aggressive and complex bikeshare systems rollouts and upgrades.
• Hold relevant contracted and in-house resources accountable for timeliness and quality of all deliverables
• Work with contractors to understand production and supply chain, and mitigate risks and issues.
• Identify and manage project risks through deep communication and collaboration with contractors and in-house technical and operational teams.
• Create contracts by developing scopes of work, estimating costs, identifying contractors, and negotiating contract awards.
• Report qualitatively and quantitatively on project status, progress, and risks.
• Develop and manage team project management tools and processes

Note: The above description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the job.  All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities due to the nature of work performed to accomplish Alta Bicycle Share’s Mission.

Required Skills and Experience:

• A Bachelor’s degree in an engineering or analytical field and 5+ years of progressively more responsible experience.
• Experience managing at least one large and complex technology project or program across multiple teams or contractors.
• Technical experience and/or training sufficient to understand project technical risks.
• Exceptional verbal, written, interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to build consensus, negotiate solutions and alternatives, and resolve conflicting high-priority requirements.
• Travel: will vary but must be willing/able to travel up to 25%.

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Located in or willing to relocate to New York City metro area.
• A Master’s degree in an engineering or analytical field.
• Thorough knowledge of Project Management principles, concepts and practices.
• Experience creating contracts and managing contractors.
• PMP Certification is a plus.
• Passion for bicycling/bikeshare and progressive urban transportation on issues.

Alta Bicycle Share is proud to be an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and strongly encourages applications from women, minorities, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Alta Bicycle Share is a drug-free workplace.

Click here to learn more and to apply

Image courtesy: IEA.org

Some interesting nuggets from IEA:

• Since 1990, the domestic transport sector has accounted for the largest share of total final energy consumption, more than 30%, in the 24 OECD countries.
• Within the sector, road transport dominates energy consumption, at 90% in 2011, as shown in this chart above based on the IEA energy efficiency indicators database.
• Further disaggregated data by segment and vehicle type indicate that consumption by passenger cars is a key driver (64%) for road transport, and thus for global energy consumption trends.

Click here to learn more.

With gas prices falling faster than a drop of water from the sky (as we speak, the national average is well below $3 – the 1st time since Dec 22, 2010), you can expect more Americans tempted to drive instead of opting for other modes of transportation.  AAA expects the travelers to spend an average of $573 over the course of their holiday travels.  Click here to view the complete AAA/IHS Global Insight 2014 Thanksgiving Travel Forecast.

Image courtesy: Newsroom.AAA.com via cspnet.com

Related articles

• Marylanders traveling for Thanksgiving to reach seven-year high
• 4.2% more Americans will travel this Thanksgiving – AAA
• AAA: Gas Prices At 46 Month Low

Image Courtesy: BounceCars.com via now-here-this.timeout.com

Click here to read more about the unlicensed minicabs issue in London.

Job Title: Senior Planner
Job ID: 4935
Location: Lakeside- 21st Floor

Marketing Statement

English: Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ride BART to a satisfying career that lets you BOTH 1) make a difference to Bay Area residents, and 2) enjoy excellent pay, benefits and stability. BART is looking for people who like to be challenged, work in a fast paced environment, and have a passion for connecting over 400,000 daily riders to work, school and other places they need to go. BART offers a competitive salary, comprehensive health and medical benefits, paid time off, plus CalPERS retirement in the future.

Pay and Benefits
BART offers one of the most comprehensive compensation and benefits programs you will find anywhere. We pay at rates that are strongly competitive in the labor market, and complement our pay program with an outstanding benefits package. Benefits include the renowned CalPERS pension, excellent medical, vision, and dental coverage, supplemental insurances, excellent paid holidays and vacation, as well as two investment programs, one of which is entirely funded by BART on your behalf. BART also saves you money in your paycheck because no deductions are made for Social Security.

Pay Rate
$83,721 – $108,837 /Annually (AFSCME Pay Band E)

Posted Date: Thursday, November 20, 2104.  This announcement will be used to establish a pool of eligible candidates for vancancies that may occur within the next (12) months.

Closing Date : Thursday, December 11, 2014

Reports To
V. Menotti
Days Off
Saturday and Sunday
Who May Apply
All current BART employees and qualified individuals who are not yet BART employees.

Current Assignment
The Office of Planning and Development is recruiting a Senior Planner to support various District initiatives. Each position will be responsible for a combination of planning duties in support of station area planning, access and system expansion projects as well as developing and coordinating the acquisition of funding for projects and programs with other transportation agencies; and performs related duties as assigned.

The selection for each position will be based on the candidate’s qualifications and needs of the Department; each candidate will demonstrate a combination of the following criteria beyond the minimum qualifications:

• *Station Area Planning, including consideration of station access and capacity.
• * Understanding of local land use decision making processes, and experience coordinating with local governments.
• * Experience with place making, to better connect BART fare gates to surrounding communities and enhance the transit customer experience.
• *Travel markets, and regional growth policies to be used in transportation modeling and analysis assignments.
• *Formulating policies and strategies for implementing station area, access, or system expansion plans.
• *Relationship between land use, transit and travel demand.
• * Knowledge of laws and regulations applicable to transit system development (i.e. California Environmental Quality Act, Federal Title VI, Americans with Disabilities Act, California Title 24).
• *Project management, including scope, schedule and budget, and organizing and directing staff and consultant resources.
• *Establishing and maintaining working relationship with District staff, various departments, internal and external agencies, the public, and other key stakeholders.
• * Proven ability to engage the public and key stakeholders with effective communication techniques, particularly as it relates to emerging social media strategies.

Essential Job Functions
1) Performs all planning duties necessary to advance transit-oriented development planning, service extensions, service capacity, as well as generates feasibility analyses and technical reports as required.

2) Applies understanding of travel markets, and regional growth policies to transportation modeling and analysis assignments.

3) Conducts environmental impact assessments; researches, assembles, analyzes, and presents data; coordinates inter-departmental, outside agency and public review of plans; presents recommendations to District management.

4) Develops, recommends or assists in formulating policy and strategies for implementing plans and planning services, and secures capital funds from diverse sources.

5) Develops scopes of work for feasibility studies, policy research, and project evaluation.

6) Develops and maintains effective, collaborative relationships with internal and external partners in order to advance the District’s objectives.

7) As assigned, serves as District’s representative to coordinate on joint agency planning projects; reviews plans, reports, and studies from other agencies which reference District plans; comments on plans, reports, and studies.

8) Prepares and monitors project budgets to ensure project is completed within budget guidelines and pursues funding opportunities.

Minimum Qualifications
Education:
A Bachelor’s degree in transportation planning, urban planning, economics, business administration, public administration, or a closely related field from an accredited college or university.

Experience:
Three (3) years of (full-time equivalent) verifiable professional experience in transportation planning and analysis.

Other Requirements:
Must possess a valid California driver’s license and have a satisfactory driving
record.

Substitution:
Additional professional experience as outlined above may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis. A college degree is preferred.

Knowledge of:

• Current and complex principles and practices of transportation planning and analysis.
• Statistical techniques, methods and formulas.
• Methods and techniques of financial cost/benefits analysis.
• Principles of business letter writing and report preparation.
• Related Federal, State, and Local codes, laws, and regulations.

Skill in:

• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Independently performing the most difficult short- and long-term District planning duties. in support of agreed goals.
• Coordinating the inter-departmental activities and inter-organizational teams.
• Identifying and responding to community transportation needs.
• Understanding and following oral and written instructions, and communicating clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

Selection Process

• This position is represented by American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). Applications will be screened to assure that minimum qualifications are met. Those applicants who meet minimum qualifications will then be referred to the hiring department for the completion of further selection processes.
• The selection process for this position may include a skills/performance demonstration, a written examination, and/or an individual or panel interview.
• The successful candidate must have an employment history demonstrating reliability and dependability; provide copies of certificates, diplomas or other documents as required by law, including those establishing his/her right to work in the U. S.; pass a pre-employment medical examination which includes a drug and alcohol screen, and which is specific to the essential job functions and requirements. Pre-employment processing will also include a background check. (Does not apply to current full-time District employees unless specific job requires additional evaluations)
• The selection process for this position will be in accordance with the applicable collective bargaining agreement.

Application Process
External applicants may only apply online, at www.bart.gov/jobs. Applicants needing assistance with the online application process may receive additional information by calling (510) 464-6112.

Current employees are strongly encouraged to apply online, either at www.bart.gov/jobs, or on WebBART. Current employees may also apply using a BART paper application by delivering the completed form to the Human Resources Department, or by mailing it to P. O. Box 12688, Oakland, CA 94604-2688.

All applicants are asked to complete the application in full, indicating dates of employment, all positions held, hours worked, and a full description of duties. On line applicants are invited to electronically attach a resume to the application form to provide supplemental information, but should not consider the resume a substitute for the application form itself.

Applications must be complete by the closing date and time listed on the job announcement.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, national origin, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition (cancer-related), genetic information or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.

The BART Human Resources Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination process to accommodate persons with disabilities or for religious reasons. Please advise the Human Resources Department of any special needs in advance of the examination by calling (510) 464-6112.

Qualified veterans may be eligible to obtain additional veteran’s credit in the selection process for this recruitment (effective Jan. 1, 2013). To obtain the credit, veteran’s must attach to the application a DD214 discharge document or proof of disability and complete/submit the Veteran’s Preference Application no later than the closing date of the posting. For more information about this credit please go to the Veteran’s Preference Policy and Application link at www.bart.gov/jobs.
Other Information
Please be prepared to present documentation in support of any required licenses, degrees, or certifications upon request.

Note
When you have successfully applied for this position you will receive an auto reply e-mail acknowledging that your application was received for this position. Please retain a copy of the e-mail for your records. If you receive an auto reply that does not specifically reference this position, please call the Employment Help Line at (510) 464-6112 for assistance.

To verify submission of your application, click on the ‘My Career Tools’ link at the top of the ‘Careers Home Page’ after submitting your application to view the list of applications you have submitted (including application date and status). If you have further questions, please call the Employment Help Line at (510) 464-6112, between the hours of 8:15am – 5:00pm, Monday- Friday.

Program Manager for a new Global Designing Cities program

The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) is seeking a Program Manager for a new Global Designing Cities program, a multi-year initiative that will develop a global street design guide and provide technical assistance on street and public space design to cities around the world. Applicants should demonstrate past experience and leadership in the fields of city planning, design, and public policy, with background knowledge in transportation, land use, urban development, and other city issues in an international context. For this position, NACTO is looking for a strong communicator with a keen eye for understanding the design of city streets as part of an overall campaign to improve cities and traffic safety in general.

The Global Designing Cities Program Manager will be assisting with the development of street design content that connects best practices from global cities with the international realm over the next several years, as well as conducting trainings and outreach with partner organizations. The position works closely with NACTO’s Executive Director and Global Streets Design Director as well as steering committees to ensure the effective implementation and dissemination of the initiative’s core goals. The Program Manager must be highly self-directed, and willing to accommodate a schedule with occasional travel to national conferences, trainings, and other meetings. The ideal candidate will have
experience and standing in city street design at a national or international level.

Core activities for the Program Manager include:

• Original content production for street design targeting the international market, with significant writing and graphic production.
• Contributing original ideas for graphic styles of streetscape renderings, imagery, presentations, and layout that communicate content most effectively.
• Work closely in a team environment on the development and dissemination of Global Street Design principles that provide the key principles of world-class street design, while also providing a platform and the means to translate these principles to the local conditions of select focus cities and countries.
• Assistance with coordination of oversight committees and peer-to-peer activities during development of content and dissemination, working closely with partners.
• Support in training and outreach in select focus international cities in partnership with local organizations and governments.
• Assistance with project management, including support for fundraising and grant management, program budgets, and working with grant-making partners.
• Fostering relationships with partners, city staff in target communities, leadership, and partners.

Minimum Qualifications: Graduate Degree in Urban Planning, Transportation Engineering, Urban Design, Public Policy or a related field and 3 years of experience, or a Bachelor’s Degree and an equivalent amount of experience; strong writing skills, graphic production skills in Adobe Creative Suite, proficiency in GIS.

Additional Desired Qualifications: Experience working with national, state or city standards in street design; experience working on the built environment in an international policy context; proficiency in 3-D modeling software such as SketchUp.

Salary Range: $65,000 – $80,000

Email a cover letter, resume and work samples to the Global Street Design Director at hr@nacto.org. Deadline for applications: December 1, 2014

The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit association that represents large cities on transportation issues of local, regional and national significance. NACTO views the transportation departments of major cities as effective and necessary partners in regional and national transportation efforts, promoting their interests in federal decision-making. We facilitate the exchange of transportation ideas, insights and best practices among large cities, while fostering a cooperative approach to key issues facing cities and metropolitan areas. As a coalition of city transportation departments, NACTO is committed to raising the state of the practice for street design
and transportation by building a common vision, sharing data, peer-to-peer exchange in workshops and conferences, and regular communication among member cities. We believe that by working together, cities can save time and money, while more effectively achieving their policy goals and objectives.

Fellow

• Start Date: As soon as possible
• Duration: 6-month Fellowship
• Salary: $2,500/month

The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), a non-profit association which represents large cities on transportation issues of local and national importance, seeks a recent graduate or current graduate student in the field of urban planning, sustainable transportation, architecture, urban design, or public policy for a six-month paid fellowship. The fellow will work on geographic and statistical projects related to urban street design and bike share in a national and international context.

Responsibilities will include:

• Conduct statistical and geospatial analysis to assist with the creation of NACTO’s Bike Share best practices guide, Transit Streets Design Guide and Global Streets Design Guide.
• Collect and write up case studies on sustainable transportation topics.
• Data collection and research on transportation issues, including direct outreach to cities.
• Production of visually clear, concise graphics to communicate information.

The desired candidate is self-motivated with experience finding and analyzing data sets, creating data
maps and charts, and conducting research around issues of sustainable transportation and major trends in
urban planning, design, and policy.

Qualifications:

• Graduate Degree (preferred) or Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Urban Studies, Public Policy, Urban Design, Transportation Systems, or Architecture with a demonstrated interest in sustainable transportation.
• Relevant internship, graduate-level research, or work experience in sustainable transportation, urban development, and related fields.

Competencies Desired

• Mapping: ArcGIS or open-source GIS applications
• Graphics: Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator), SketchUp
• Data Analysis: Access, Stata, SPSS, or similar
• Experience with data visualization tools and 3D modeling, some knowledge of programming languages used in interactive graphics or web development a plus

Cover Letters and Resumes should be sent to hr@nacto.org by November 26th, 2014.

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) is one of six major divisions of the National Research Council—a private, nonprofit institution that is the principal operating agency of the National Academies in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Board’s mission is to provide leadership in transportation innovation and progress through research and information exchange, conducted within a setting that is objective, interdisciplinary, and multimodal.

JOB SUMMARY:

Coordinates and oversees the work of support staff handling clerical, administrative, and logistical aspects of meetings. Compiles and summarizes information for the development/revision of a variety of documents. Participates in research efforts. Serves as liaison between program or board and related external customers, members, sponsors, and organizations on clerical and administrative matters.

Proceeds on own initiative in compliance with policies, procedures, and practices, but receives guidance or expertise from supervisor or higher-level staff when needed. Incumbent may establish processes/procedures to ensure the effective and efficient operation of routine clerical and administrative functions.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:

1. Organizes and coordinates overall administrative facets of programs/projects, including identifying workflow needs, developing procedures and recordkeeping systems, and ensuring administrative aspects of programs/projects are successfully executed.

2. Oversees logistical arrangements for meetings, including compilation and production of agenda books and briefing materials, coordination of travel and lodging arrangements, and selection of venue, menu, and support services. Invites presenters and participants. Oversees support and administrative activities during meetings, including providing assistance and resolving issues. Prepares written summaries.

3. Communicates with committee, forum, and workshop members and other external program or project contacts. Facilitates the flow of information among members, consultants, program or project sponsors, and staff. Researches and responds to inquiries from staff, members, sponsors, etc.

4. Performs literature searches. Gathers references. Participates in research efforts including collection, assembly, and tabulation of data and summarizing literature.

5. Compiles and summarizes information for the development/revision of a variety of documents. Performs administrative tasks including writing and editing correspondence, coordinating mailings, and creating and maintaining records and databases. May serve as Timesheet Coordinator.

6. Provides assistance to senior staff in the response to review and participates in dissemination activities.

7. Formats text and publications and enters revisions into text. Collaborates with printers/publishers on the publication and distribution of materials.

8. Performs administrative-related Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) compliance tasks and ensures administrative activities are in compliance.

9. Performs financial tasks related to assigned programs/projects. Prepares vouchers and reviews and approves travel expense reports. Tracks and monitors spending.

10. Updates applicable databases and systems on a timely basis and ensures documents and files are accurately maintained and archived. Maintains email and distribution lists.

11. Updates and maintains web pages and prepares newsletters and other promotional materials.

Click here to learn more and to apply

Click here to apply

Young motorcyclist pops a wheelie on his high-powered sports motorcycle gets caught red handed by horse-mounted policemen.. When you see the video below you can’t help but laud the way the police handled the youngin’. If you got a few minutes to spare, see the comments posted on this YouTube video..