(via Bicycle Dutch)

The Dutch are leaving no stone unturned in their effort to make cycling appealing to their population (all the while adding to the jealousy of many around the globe).  This time around, they have built the a fantastic bike parking facility in Utrecht that is a beauty to behold.. What I like about the facility is how functional, clean, airy, well lit and accessible it is (awesome design) for users. The lanes are clearly marked with easy to navigate aisles and lanes.  And what’s more? It accommodates all kinds of bikes, even the ones with the baskets upfront and the saddles in the back.  All this at an affordable price –  the first 24 hours of parking are free. After that it costs €1.25 per following 24 hours (€2.50 for larger bicycles).If you are a regular users, might as well consider getting annual subscription for €75/year.

Check out the video below to see how awesome it is and head over to Bicycle Dutch to read a thorough narrative that explains everything you may want to know about this facility.

The Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) seeks a Program Manager to manage its membership program and aspects of the annual conference. The position is located in Washington, DC. See www.ampo.org for information regarding AMPO.

Job Duties

Membership

• Manage membership program, working directly with over 200 MPOs and transportation consulting firms.
• Answer inquiries and build and maintain relationships with members.
• Maintain membership database.
• Work with bookkeeper to generate, send, and track membership invoices.
• Provide membership report to AMPO Board.

Annual Conference

• Responsible for the planning of AMPO’s Annual Conference, working directly with AMPO Technical Committee to develop program content.
• Manage all logistics onsite at the Annual Conference hotel.
• Solicit and secure sponsors and exhibitors.
• Work closely with the host MPO member organization to develop mobile workshops, organize volunteers, and other Annual Conference logistics.
• Assist executive director with managing and monitoring conference budget.

Communications

• Compile news from federal agencies, associations, MPOs, and policy and technical updates to include in a biweekly electronic newsletter, aMPO eMAIL.
• Edit transportation policy related documents from AMPO; including white papers, letters to congressional and executive branch offices, and updates to members.
• Update AMPO website, using Word Press.

Other

• Assist with organizing AMPO Board and Committee activities.
• Develop and implement annual awards program, honoring organization and individual leaders in transportation planning.
• Represent AMPO at industry meetings with federal and association partners and stakeholders.

Required/Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from four year college or university, with three to five years of work experience, preferably in an association or non-profit setting.
• Ideal candidate should have excellent written and oral communication skills, interpersonal, editing, and organization skills; takes initiative; meeting planning experience; knowledge of WordPress; and ability to work in a small, fast paced office.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications required.
• Occasional travel is required.

Salary and Benefits

AMPO offers a competitive salary, based on experience and qualifications. AMPO provides outstanding benefits (health, dental, disability insurance; retirement plan contribution; vacation and sick leave; pre-tax cafeteria plan; and transit benefit).

To Apply

AMPO is an equal opportunity employer. Please provide a cover letter describing your interest in the position and qualifications, resume, and a short writing sample (no more than 3 pages) to: staff@ampo.org. Place in the subject: Program Manager.

Applications can also be mailed to:

DeLania Hardy
Executive Director
444 North Capitol St., NW
Ste. 345
Washington, DC 20001

No phone calls please.

TRB 2015 Annual Meeting – Vehicle-Highway Automation Projects and Programs

Call for Abstracts – Special Poster Session 

Committee on Vehicle-Highway Automation (AHB30)

Committee on Intelligent Transportation Systems (AHB15)

Joint Subcommittee on Challenges and Opportunities of Road Vehicle Automation

Vehicle-Highway automation has generated strong interest within the past year, leading to the initiation of a wide variety of new projects and programs.  Because of the novelty of this field, many of the new activities have not yet advanced to the stage that they can present sufficiently definitive results that would pass the normal peer review criteria for a technical paper.  Nevertheless, the plans and focus areas of these projects and programs are likely to be of significant interest to the TRB Annual Meeting participants. This poster session provides exposure to a wide range of topics and activities in the field of vehicle-highway automation.

Abstracts are invited now. The following topic areas related to vehicle-highway automation are suitable for the poster session:

•  introductions to research centers or programs
•  research agendas
• prospective studies and work in progress
• qualitative research studies

Please note that abstracts will be peer reviewed.  A limited number of posters will be selected for presentation based on the following criteria:

• technical quality
• originality
• direct relevance to the field of vehicle-highway automation
•  appropriateness of the methodology
•  non-commercial nature of the content.

Abstracts are due by September 15, 2014.  Peer review decisions will be announced by October 15, 2014.

• Please submit your abstract by emailing to TRBposter.automation@gmail.com
• Abstracts should be limited to 300 words.
• Abstracts should include:
  • Name, affiliation, and contact information for all authors
  • A descriptive title
  • A short description (300 words) of the proposed poster content

Project Manager

Serve as Project Manager in the Transit Development Group within NYCDOT’s Division of Traffic and Planning. Manage key planning and implementation initiatives related to improving surface transit within New York City, including implementation of PlaNYC recommendations and the DOT strategic plan. Assist in the planning, design and implementation of Select Bus Service projects, as well as other transit priority and complete streets projects. Work closely with other DOT staff, with other City, State, and Federal agencies (particularly the MTA), and with the general public. Manage consultant work efforts and contracts, as well as capital grants. Create GIS maps, and perform other technical planning analysis. Work with community boards and other public stakeholders in public workshops, presentations, and other settings.

Outreach Coordinator

Serve as Outreach Coordinator in the Transit Development Group within NYCDOT’s Division of Traffic and Planning. Develop and execute plans for community outreach associated with Select Bus Service projects and other related initiatives. Organize community meetings, and serve as the point of liaison with community boards, elected officials, and other project stakeholders. Develop and manage contact lists for projects, and record and respond to community feedback. Prepare materials for online distribution, including regular updates of the Select Bus Service website and other Web 2.0 activities. Work closely with DOT External Affairs, Borough Commissioner offices, and NYCT Government and Community Relations as needed.

About us

The FIA Foundation for the Automobile and Society (Foundation) is an independent UK registered charity which supports an international programme of activities promoting road safety, the environment and sustainable mobility, as well as funding motor sport safety research.   The Foundation has consultative status with the Economic & Social Council of the United Nations, participates in various UN road safety and environment related working parties and is a member of the UN Global Road Safety Collaboration.  It also provides the secretariat for the Make Road Safe campaign, the independent Commission for Global Road Safety, and the Global Fuel Economy Initiative. The Foundation is also a member of the UN Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles.

Our objects are to promote public safety and public health, the protection and preservation of human life and the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment through:

• promoting research, disseminating the results of research and providing information in any matters of public interest which include road safety, automobile technology, the protection and preservation of human life and public health, transport and public mobility and the protection of the environment; and
• promoting improvement in the safety of motor sport, and of drivers, passengers, pedestrians and other road users.

About the role

The newly-created post of Research Officer, based full-time at the Foundation’s secretariat in central London, will deal with all research questions and projects in support of the Director of Environment and Research (See full description below)

In this you will provide seamless service both internally to colleagues and externally to the Foundation’s various statutory bodies, members and partners.

You will assist the Director of Environment and Research, as part of an integrated policy, programmes and communications team, on all aspects of the Foundation’s road safety, environmental and sustainable mobility research policies and activities, such as:

• conducting research projects (including economic analysis) and producing research outputs;
• supporting the Foundation’s Seminar programme;
• maintenance of databases and co-ordination of mailings to Foundation partners and members;
• preparation of briefings, advocacy and communications materials;
• speechwriting;
• production of material for relevant websites and social media; and
• representation at seminars and meetings.

About you

A confident self-starter and ideally equipped with a postgraduate qualification or equivalent, you should have work experience in a research role, ideally in a busy research/campaigns or advocacy environment.  Strong analytical, evaluation and writing skills demonstrating close attention to detail are a must as are excellent social skills, diplomacy and personal presentation.  You should have a solid knowledge of all common IT packages, such as Excel, SPSS, Word and Powerpoint.  Foreign languages would be an asset. Experience of issues around public health/injury research, sustainable mobility and/or international development would also be desirable, but not essential.

Please note that we are only able to consider applications from those with the legal right to work in the UK.

The closing date for applications is 20th June.

Click here to learn more and to apply

[scribd id=228183289 key=key-smMdwhXMK3gagtIWZwL5 mode=scroll]

Job Req #: 140113-6

Basic Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent knowledge with 3 years of related professional experience. Proficiency in computer applications, especially Microsoft Word, Outlook, Powerpoint, Excel, and Access. Ability to solve varied and complex problems using originality and ingenuity. Ability to operate using appreciable latitude for independent judgment and action. Ability to work successfully in a team environment. Experience working in complex environments with a high degree of organizational effectiveness. Ability to develop relationships with co-workers and employees in other National Academies’ departments through effective communication. Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal skills with a proven ability to effectively interact with all levels of employees.

Description

The mission of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) is to promote innovation and progress in transportation through research. In an objective and interdisciplinary setting, TRB facilitates the sharing of information on transportation practice and policy by researchers and practitioners; stimulates research and offers research management services that promote technical excellence; provides expert advice on transportation policy and programs; and disseminates research results broadly and encouraged their implementation.

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 National Research Council is jointly administered by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. TRB’s varied activities—described below—annually engage more than 7,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest by participating on TRB committees, panels, and task forces. The program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation.

The Associate Program Officer manages programs/projects for multiple TRB Groups and Sections consisting of 35 to 60 standing committees Provides support in ensuring programs/projects meet their stated objectives. Serves as liaison between TRB and related external customers and organizations, including committee members, TRB sponsors and affiliates. Assists with the daily supervision of support staff. Assists three Senior Program Officers in the development of programs/projects. Coordinates program/project activities, handling inquiries, organizing sessions and meetings, and developing materials. Tracks relevant issues and compiles reports. Manages NRC and FACA required processes.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:

• Administers and manages program/project activities. Communicates with chairs of Groups, Sections, standing committees; other committee members and external program/project contacts. Facilitates the flow of information among committee members, consultants, TRB sponsors and affiliates, and staff. Prepares reports on activities. Represents the program/project areas within and outside of TRB.
• Identifies and gathers materials in support of programs/projects sponsored by Groups/Sections/committees. Synthesizes and edits findings and data. Prepares background papers and summaries of program/project activities.
• Organizes conferences, sessions, and meetings. Creates agendas, invites presenters and participants, oversees meeting logistics, and prepares written summaries. Manages the development and delivery of over 100 sessions for the TRB Annual Meeting, one to two meetings per year for each of the Groups/Sections/committees, and several conferences per year (100 to 600 attendees each). Accomplishes sophisticated and customized computer sorts, selections, formatting, report generation and other tasks in support of sessions, meetings, conferences, and other projects.
• Coordinates publication of materials, including peer reviewed papers, proceedings of conferences, and circulars. Manages the peer review of approximately 500 papers each year, leading to publication of approximately 150 papers annually.
• Performs financial and administrative tasks related to programs/projects of the assigned Groups/Sections/committees. Creates, maintains, and updates records, databases, and files. Oversees the rotation of member appointments for 15-20 committees per year. Authorizes expenditures, tracks spending, monitors budget, and projects future spending plans. Reviews contractual obligations and ensures that obligations are met. Serves as travel coordinator.
• Ensures consistent application of organizational policies and procedures. Manages compliance with National Academies’ procedures, format, and processes, including NRC and FACA, as they relate to assigned activities.
• May update and maintain web pages and prepare newsletters and other promotional materials.
• Assists with supervising staff. Assigns tasks and provides guidance and feedback to staff. Ensures required training is accomplished and participates in performance reviews. Serves as a mentor and resource to support staff.

Click here to learn more and to apply

The TIFIA Office is recruiting financial analysts to work on the Credit and Budget Team.   The individual(s) will review credit requests submitted to the TIFIA Office and analyze cashflows for the purposes of quantifying the assessed risk of the loan and calculating the subsidy cost to the Government as well as support budgetary, contracting, and audit related work performed by the Credit and Budget Team.

The ideal candidate is experienced in analyzing cash flows and revenue projections, and understands how to apply the principles and practices from transportation planning, economics, and finance to estimate and quantify risk.  The individual has experience with or can learn how to implement this skill set to work on Federal credit programs operating under the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990.

Links to USA jobs are:

Merit Promotion: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/369503100

All U.S. Citizens: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/369506500

More info about the TIFIA program: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ipd/tifia/

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration has announced the availability of two positions to help support the use of second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) data. Duties for the Interdisciplinary: Operations Research Analyst/General Engineer include planning, initiating, promoting, coordinating, and monitoring SHRP 2 safety data dissemination and research activities including training, technical assistance, and tool development. Duties for the Interdisciplinary: Operations Research Analyst/General Engineer include creating data extraction specifications; and extracting and exporting datasets from larger databases such as SHRP 2 data. Both position announcements are open until May 27. Additional information on each announcement is available online at www.usajobs.gov or by using the links below. 

Position #1 – Interdisciplinary: Operations Research Analyst/General Engineer, GS-1515/801-13/14 
• https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/368928500 (Merit Promotion) 
• https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/368928200 (Public Notice) 

Position #2 – Interdisciplinary: Operations Research Analyst/General Engineer, GS-1515/801-12/13 
• https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/369270700 (Merit Promotion) 
• https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/369271700 (Public Notice)

via TRB E-Newsletter

Here is a quick summary of  the what, why, who and when:

During April 24th-26th, I was in Chattanooga, Tennessee attending the 5th Annual Vanguard Conference, an experiential urban leadership gathering of 40 of the best and brightest urban leaders under 40, hosted by the national non-profit media organization Next City.  Mind you, I’m probably the least accomplished of this excellent group of 40 promising leaders, all of them working to improve cities across sectors, including urban planning, community development, entrepreneurship, government, transportation, sustainability, design, art and media. We convened in Chattanooga for a three-day series of presentations, workshops and neighborhood tours. The Vanguard conference will culminate in the Chattanooga Challenge, an ideas competition sponsored by the Footprint Foundation and designed to jump-start civic local innovation through a $10,000 grant for the winning proposal.

Here are a handful of observations from this conference:

• In a nutshell, it was a life altering experience. I got to learn so many issues associated with urban development, such as housing and economic issues, while further understanding the linkages and the crucial role of transportation systems in building a better urban environment.

Image Courtesy: metrojacksonville,com

• Met some of the best and brightest in the country and was in awe from the time I arrived till I left the city (even now I’m in awe of how much knowledge was exchanged and free flowing in that setting).

Image Courtesy: metrojacksonville.com

• When you adopt an unconference format, discussions flow freely and people are at ease to share their ideas. Moral of the story: do not host events featuring powerpoint presentations.  The conversations were engaging, stimulating and at times downright wild (particularly those conversations over the beers and coffees were excellent).

Image Courtesy: Metrojacksonville.com

Image Courtesy: metrojacksonville.com. A lot of beverages consumed and tons of knowledge exchanged.

image courtesy: metrojacksonville.com. Did I tell you it was wild and fun?

Image courtesy: metrojacksonville.com. Opening night party on the premises of the Aquarium building.

• People in the government at local levels work together and even when they work together to solve problems they are constrained by institutional biases and money shortfall.  The city owns a strategic piece of digital infrastructure – Chattanooga offers the fastest Internet connections in America through the city-owned fiber-optic network.
• City of Chattanooga is a great place and certain parts of it, like in most urban areas, has bad things going on.   As part of the Vanguard Conference’s Chattanooga Challenge, we were all divided into four groups and sent to explore different corners of the the city (East, West, North and South) by foot, bikes and transit.  I was part of the walking tour (Team West) that hit the West side and got to see up close the economic disparities that exist on either side of a major elevated highway (U.S. 27) that literally bifurcates the communities more details on the West Side tour in a different bullet below).

Image Courtesy: metrojacksonville.com. Team West, posing for a picture, moment before announced as Winners of the $10k Chattanooga Challenge.

• City of Chattanooga has a great bikeshare system, fantastic aquarium and an excellent set of touristy things like the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel (pictured below), great restaurants and watering holes across the town.

Image Courtesy: Metrojacksonville.com. Click image to see an entire set of image from a fellow Vanguard, Ennis Davis at Metro Jacksonville

• The city’s low-income residents, particularly those in the West side neighborhoods such as College Hill courts, are somewhat caught in a bad situation. These communities, slated for redevelopment within a decade or so, live quite close to the economic heart of the city. But they do not have a meaningful direct access where they can walk to their jobs and they are cut off by a major thorough fare. This has resulted in poverty and the usual accompaniments of crime and lack of education.  I was part of the Team West in the Chattanooga Challenge that visited these communities and pitched a strong proposal to connect the divided communities.  Our team, bolstered by three strong local young leaders, gained very illuminating insights that helped  us understand the situation at hand.  We suggested that the City of Chattanooga offer free Wi-Fi service to a public housing community on the city’s west side and develop a new pathway to connect the city’s downtown to the highway-marooned neighborhood.  I’m borrowing the narrative from Next City to explain how this is laid out: Right now, area residents, (shown in image below total population of 2481 with a median income of $9277) many of whom are children and downtown workers commuting from public housing developments to school or jobs in other parts of the city, must trek by foot on a dirt path and across highway ramps to reach the city’s center. Where the path enters their neighborhood, residents must pass through a hole in a chain-link fence.  Our teammate Marlon Brown, a city councilman from Mason, Michigan put it succinctly “the neighborhood is physically divided from the downtown at the same time as it is digitally divided from opportunities there. You have to remember, a city is only as strong as its least connected neighborhood. ” These next two images below came from our teammate John Bilderback, who quickly generated them to show how this community  is strategically located and yet remains far removed from better opportunities. What’s better – our winning idea will get a $10,000 boost from the local Footprint Foundation and the City will get to implement the proposal. And the local newspaper did an excellent article covering our winning proposal.  Yay!

• 

  Image Courtesy: John Builderback. Picture1 – Westside – Where the Resources are.

•  Last but not least I got to ride a bicycle after almost 15 years.  I am a regular transit user living in Washington, DC metropolitan area, where we are blessed with better transportation alternatives and a fantatistic world-class bikesharing system.  But I never had a reason to ride a bike because of my living and commuting options. Thanks to Chatanooga and my fellow Vanguards, I got to commandeer a bicycle one afternoon. It was a lot of fun and I reached my destination without embarrassing myself and an exciting story to tell (yeah, our group got yelled at by an older gentleman in a pickup for occupying a full lane on a main thoroughfare).  Sadly, despite the presence of a bikeshare system in the city, the number of bicyclists on the city streets were relatively low.

• 

  Image courtesy: http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/. Click image to see an entire set of image from a fellow Vanguard, Ennis Davis at Metro Jacksonville

Image Courtesy: Metrojacksonville.com

OFFICE OF PERFORMANCE: SR. PERFORMANCE ANALYST (#140519)

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
WMATA provides transit services in the National Capital Region covering a 1,500 square mile area  (5 million residents) including Washington, D.C.,  two suburban counties in Maryland, and three counties and three cities in Northern Virginia. WMATA operates the second largest heavy rail transit system, sixth largest bus network and fifth largest paratransit service in the United States.

The Office of Performance was established in 2009 to bring a performance-based management approach to the agency, increase Metro’s accountability and transparency and respond to the national focus on performance measures. The office serves as an internal consulting team working across the agency to develop tools that turn data into information, tackle areas facing performance challenges and effectively communicate results. The Office of Performance has also developed external performance material including the Vital Signs Report and scorecard to track progress towards WMATA’s strategic goals (Scorecard).

Sr. Performance Analysts Responsibilities
As a member of the Office of Performance, this position will assist in the formation of a range of performance products to expand the use performance information to guide decision making, promote WMATA’s benefits in the region and to unify employees toward achieving the agency’s strategic goals. The Senior Analyst will serve as the primary liaison between departments responsible for delivering and maintaining rail, bus and paratransit services. The incumbent will be responsible for collecting, analyzing, documenting, and communicating performance information in cooperation with other departments. Through cross-agency collaboration, the overall purpose of this position is to improve the safety, reliability and quality of WMATA services. The Senior Performance analyst will operate with broad latitude and independent judgment under the guidance from the Director of the Office of Performance.

We are looking for someone who can effectively work in an unstructured fast paced environment by applying strong analytical and communication skills with strategic thinking.

Salary Range
$88,700 to $133,000; plus excellent benefits package.

TO APPLY
Please see WMATA website for full information and to submit an application and resume

Via @YPTransportation