From the land of efficiency! This is how a rich German goes camping

August 5, 2013 at 11:43 pm

It screams efficiency (Image source: Imgur via Reddit)

It is only appropriate to see something like this from the land of engineering and efficiency.  Apparently someone caught this rich German (yeah, that’s a Porsche Boxster Spyder in the trailer below the boat) traveling in some part of Sweden (one heck of a comfy camping trip)

Perilous Journey – Wall Street Journal Video Summarizes Five Ways A Long Commute Is Ruining Your Life

July 31, 2013 at 9:10 pm

We have come across many studies over the years that dissected the ill-effects of long commutes. Add this to the collection.  This video from Wall Street Journal Live summarizes a lot of these big issues associated with long commutes. It sheds light on how hours spent driving can wreck finances, health, and marriage. Market Watch’s Quentin Fottrell joins WSJ Lunch Break to chat about the five ways commuting may be ruining your life.

Job Alert: Lead Transportation Specialist (Planner) – USDOT’s Federal Highway Administration @ Trenton, NJ

July 12, 2013 at 5:00 pm

Image courtesy: usajobs.gov

This is a planning, research, and environment team leader position within the New Jersey Division. You will lead a professional staff comprised of planners and environmental specialists. You will serve as the planning team leader and be the key staff officer to the Division Administrator for asset management planning, technical analysis, development, programming and implementation of Federal-aid projects. As the team leader,  you will be responsible for overseeing all activities in transportation planning and programming, transportation/air quality planning, research, data collection, congestion management systems, and intermodal coordination in a diversified, highly urbanized and highly populated State. You will be responsible for supervising the Division Office Planning, Research, and Environment staff in all technical and administrative matters. You will also provide leadership, coordination and authoritative advice to State, local, industry, academic and other Federal agencies and organizations concerning all functions within scope of responsibilities.

The ideal candidate for this position will be an experienced mid-career transportation or planning professional who has experience in transportation planning, asset management, research, and environment and one who would be comfortable representing the agency to state and local officials and the general public. The candidate will be a team player, a leader; and has good communications skills. This position is also good for a person who wants to be challenged, desires a Federal career and is seeking outstanding benefits.

 Duties:

  • Serves as the principal and technical authority to state, metropolitan, and rural agencies relative to securing sound planning programs for comprehensive transportation planning having a major impact on the agencies and communities (including all state, county, and municipal areas).
  • Provides technical guidance in the planning, coordination, and evaluation of the State’s research program of studies financed with Federal funds, which are carried out in-house by State researchers or through contracts with universities, consulting firms, and other government organizations.
  • Provides authoritative, administrative, and technical leadership, guidance and coordination to Division Office staff, the State and local agency officials and appropriate consultant personnel in the formulation, direction and execution of the environmental programs.  Assures compliance with Federal laws affecting the early phases of highway project development, planning, and public involvement leading to highway location and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) approvals.
  • Provides leadership and support to other disciplines in integrating transportation planning analysis and decision-making into other parts of the project development process.
  • Provides guidance and technical assistance to Division staff, and state Department of Transportation and MPO staffs on Federal planning requirements, policies, and procedures. Justifies, defends, and negotiates matters involving significant issues and major programs.
  • Serves as a team leader, and as such, sets and explains goals and plans and assigns work, develops performance standards and evaluates performance; approves hours of work, Telework arrangements and leave; signs time and attendance sheets and issues minor disciplinary actions and EAP referrals; and implements ways to improve production or increase the quality of the work directed.

Click here to learn more and to apply.

Note: The deadline to apply is Monday, July 22, 2013 11:59PM

Infograph: NYC publishes one month report card for its popular bikeshare program

July 1, 2013 at 6:44 pm

NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s twitter account shared this awesome infograph this afternoon, detailing the stats/numbers behind the Citibike Bikesharing Program as it completed its wildly successful 1st month.  At this rate, NYC can be assured that it is a smashing success and will remain a key part of the city’s transportation infrastructure for decades to come.  Check it out the infograph below (also check out the comments in the embedded tweet below)

Image Courtesy: twitter.com/mikebloomberg

And someone just posted this “Rush hour”  pic. on twitter

New NYC Rush hour (via Instagram.com/gudphoto)

Infograph: What if we burned all the fossil fuels we have?

March 18, 2013 at 6:13 pm

via Visual.ly

Here is a nice infographic that tries to answer one simple question reg. fossil fuels and their emissions..

What if we burned all the fossil fuels we have? infographic by OpenCanada.

 

Job Alert: Sustainability Analyst – WMATA @Washington, DC

March 18, 2013 at 4:44 pm

Reference 130316 or search for ‘Sustainability’ on WMATA’s career site

Note the 3/21/13 closing date.

Responsibilities:

This is a high level professional and technical position involving the development and analysis in support of Authority-wide sustainability planning, initiative development, and performance measurement. Incumbent uses innovative analysis, corporate/transit best practices, and in-depth evaluation. The incumbent analyzes current performance, identifies new business models and markets, develops implementation strategies and plans, and provides project management support.

Results provide refined critical information to enable effective organizational decision making, performance management, and leadership. Incumbent communicates regularly with executive staff and other Authority personnel. Incumbent conducts special studies to ensure efficient management of resources. Incumbent produces presentations that communicate Authority¿s stance and leadership in sustainability practice.

English: Washington, DC Metro logo

English: Washington, DC Metro logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

MAJOR DUTIES:

  • Develops, evaluates, and supports sustainability initiatives, programs, policies, and procedures for the Authority.
  •  Independently conducts analytical studies.
  • Serves as a project analyst and provides project management support to resolve problems and to meet PLAN objectives and Authority strategic goals.
  • Conducts special studies focusing on life-cycle costing, cost benefit analysis, and return on investment calculations for potential investments.
  • Researches and summarizes selected policy areas related to sustainability.
  • Prepares reports on transit issues such as sustainability best practices, impacts of transit on regional sustainability, and summarizes selected policy and technical areas related to sustainability innovations in the transit industry.
  • Researches and drafts responses to inquiries from members of Congress; federal, state, regional, and local officials; the Board of Directors; and the public.
  • Prepares and presents reports and recommendations for a variety of internal and external customers.
  • Attends meetings, hearings, high-level planning sessions, and other activities essential to the execution of the functional responsibilities of PLAN.
  •  Maintains effective working relationships with individuals and organizations with whom interface and cooperation are required.

The above duties and responsibilities are not intended to limit specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. It is not intended to limit in any way the right of supervisors to assign, direct and control the work of employees under their supervision.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

  • Knowledge of sustainable business practice and sustainable development.
  • Knowledge of and experience in leading interdisciplinary teams to facilitate effective policy and initiative planning, development, implementation, and support.
  • Knowledge of the principles and practices of strategic business planning, performance metrics, and innovation management.
  • Knowledge of financial analysis including: life-cycle costing, cost benefit analysis, return on investment calculation.
  • Knowledge of the sustainability and environmental policy context in which transit systems operate. Familiarity with sustainable design, green building, and energy planning in a transit context.
  • Knowledge of public transit principles and practices and the application of new technology and other innovations to transit agencies.
  • Demonstrated success in completing difficult assignments, displaying innovative solutions to complex problems.
  • Ability to acquire and maintain current knowledge of major transit systems and changes in the public transportation field that may be of benefit to the attainment of the Authority’s goals and objectives.
  • Ability to effectively analyze and present findings on various assigned studies.
  • Ability to prepare concise technical reports and engaging presentations for a variety of internal and external customers.
  • Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of management and organizations with who interface and cooperation are required.
  • Ability to communicate effectively at all levels of the organization.

The employee performs moderately difficult administrative and office management work assignments for the head of an entity whose staff consists of one or more subordinate branch management level persons who are responsible for key functions and/or programs. Incumbents in this class perform a full range of administrative support duties which affects the efficacy of work processes performed by others. Contacts are maintained with members of other departments with whom the Director level maintains working relationships. Some situations require the use of persuasion and tact to maintain the Director¿s viewpoint. Written guidelines are generally available, but require interpretation.

 

English: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit ...

To be considered for the position, you must meet minimum qualifications. It is, therefore, very important for you to include on your application any education/experience you have had that is described in the minimum qualifications. Incomplete information may delay the assessment process.

Qualifications

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in planning, public policy, business administration, or related field. A Master¿s degree preferred. A minimum of five (5) years progressively responsible experience in sustainable business practices, sustainable development, or related field.

MEDICAL GROUP:

Ability to satisfactorily complete the medical examination for this position. The incumbent must be able to perform the essential functions of this position either with or without reasonable accommodations.

High School Diploma or GED and a minimum of 5 years experience in office management activities that involved providing administrative/secretarial services within a diverse organizational entity. Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in word processing on the standard software currently in use by the Authority based on a computerized word processing skills evaluation which measures efficiency at various levels; demonstrate proficiency in communication and clerical skills based on a computerized skills evaluation which measures proficiency in spelling, punctuation, capitalization and grammar.

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation criteria may include one or more of the following:

  1. Education, training and experience
  2. Personal Interview
  3. Medical examination which may include alcohol and drug testing
  4. Performance attendance record
  5. Background check to include criminal, education, work and driver’s record

Closing Statement

Posted salary ranges and offers are subject to Union contract agreements and Metro salary administration guidelines. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is an equal opportunity employer, and encourages applications from minorities, females and persons with disabilities.

Please apply before: 03/21/2013

Reference 130316 or search for ‘Sustainability’ on WMATA’s career site

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Shot in the Arm! White House Proposes Creation of Energy Security Trust to Fund Clean Energy Research

March 16, 2013 at 12:18 pm

America’s energy security gets a boost from the White House. President Obama proposed the creation of Energy Security Trust during his visit to the Argonne National Research Lab to talk about American energy security. The Energy Security Trust, a$2 Billion investment over 10 years, uses revenue generated by oil and gas development on federal lands to support new research and technology that will shift our cars and trucks off of oil for good.  Below is an infographic that outlines how this works:

Energy Security Trust via Whitehouse.gov

Energy Security Trust Infographic via Whitehouse.gov

Here is an excerpt from the White House Blog:

So how does it work? The Energy Security Trust will invest in research that will make future technologies cheaper and better – it will fund the advances that will allow us to run cars and trucks on electricity or homegrown fuels, and on the technology that will enable us to drive from coast-to-coast without a drop of oil.

Over 10 years, the Energy Security Trust will provide $2 billion for critical, cutting-edge research focused on developing cost-effective transportation alternatives.The funding will be provided by revenues from federal oil and gas development, and will not add any additional costs to the federal budget. The investments will support research into a range of technologies – things like advanced vehicles that run on electricity, homegrown biofuels, and domestically produced natural gas. It will also help fund a small number of real-world experiments that try different transportation techniques in cities and towns around the country using advanced vehicles at scale.

If it is worth something, President Obama has indicated his desire to use the executive powers to curb climate change impacts should Congress fail to act.  According to Bloomberg, the president is also thinking of using a Nixon-era law, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1970, to instruct all federal agencies to consider the impact of climate change when approving “major projects, from pipelines to highways.”  Of course, this can have some serious implications for large scale projects and some constituencies in the business sector are already freaking out over this mandate.

While we are busy discussing this issue, I’d like to share with you an address by President Obama from March 2011 in which he outlined his goals for reducing American energy dependence, heavily emphasizing new technology and alternative sources in addition to “safe and responsible” offshore drilling. A lot of what he outline in his blue print for change is already starting to take effect and I can only say that we are poised for a big change in the way we power our vehicles and industries.  Fossil fuels are definitely beginning to see a slow demise (but it will be decades before they are completely phased out in the transportation sector).

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International Women’s Day Special – Parking The Pony Express: A vintage photo from El Paso, Texas shows parking in ~1939

March 8, 2013 at 5:37 pm

This vintage photo dates back to 1939 and was posted on the new Tumblr blog, FOUND, created by National Geographic in honor of its 125th anniversary.

A cowgirl puts a nickel in an El Paso parking meter to hitch her pony, October 1939. PHOTOGRAPH BY LUIS MARDEN, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

As Mashable.com reports, the non-profit has joined Tumblr to showcase “FOUND,” a collection of rare photos from the National Geographic archives. According to the site, most of the photos have never been published, and were rarely seen by the public until now. National Geographic hopes digitizing the archive will also help identify the original date or location of the photos, since many are missing that information.

(Source: Natgeofound.tumblr.com)

Do you have any vintage Transportation pictures that you would like to share? Drop me a note in the “Comments” section below and I’ll reach out to you.

War on (Hybrid) Car! Virginia Drivers Start An Online Petition Urging Governor Bob McDonnell To Stop Hybrid Tax

March 1, 2013 at 7:29 pm

via WUSA9

The latest transportation bill from Virginia legislature (HB2313), signed by Gov. Bob McDonnell has got a lot of Hybrid vehicle owners miffed. Under the new regulations, drivers of hybrid vehicles would have to pay a $100 annual fee.  So, the irate hybrid owners and other opponents of this measure have have started an online petition urging the governor to veto the fee now has more than 4,000 signatures (hoping to get to 10,000 by end of March) .  WUSA9’s Monika Samtani has done a nice report covering this issue. Check it out.

Critics are pointing out that :

The Hybrid Tax is unfair.  There are many non-hybrid vehicles that get better MPG than hybrids.  They don’t pay the tax.  This indiscriminately picks on one technology.

Hybrid owners already pay their fair share.  Hybrids already cost 10% more than other cars and there is no personal property tax phaseout for vehicles worth more than $20,000.

The Hybrid Tax will barely generate revenue.  There are only 92,000 hybrids in Virginia – 1.3% of the entire vehicle fleet.

The Hybrid Tax picks on Northern Virginia.  83% of Virginia clean fuel plates are registered in Northern Virginia.  This is one more example of Northern Virginia being used as a statewide piggy bank.

Hope this will prompt Gov. Bob McDonnell to reconsider penalizing the hybrid vehicle owners.

 

Internship Alert: Transportation Design Intern – Toole Design Group, LLC @ Washington, DC

February 26, 2013 at 11:20 am

Toole Design Group LogoToole Design Group, LLC is hiring a Transportation Design Intern for our office in the Washington, DC area. The ideal candidate will be a person with a strong commitment to sustainable transportation, looking to work with a skilled team of co-workers on projects throughout North America.

Toole Design Group strives to provide outstanding services to every client we serve, whether the project is big or small. Our mission is to build communities where people of all ages and abilities can walk, bicycle, and use transit safely and efficiently. Our office is a dynamic environment that challenges each person to learn and grow professionally.

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