Why I love @DDOTDC… and what other transportation agencies/organizations can learn from them

January 25, 2013 at 4:29 pm
English: District of Columbia Department of Tr...

English: District of Columbia Department of Transportation (d-dot) logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I’m a big fan of transportation agencies using social media to reach their customers & stakeholders.  But often you will find many of these agencies send out tweets and Facebook posts that are plain boring and borderline irritating.  Fortunately, some agencies do understand the importance of adding humor and fun to keep their messages appealing yet entertaining without looking too mundane.  Among a handful of agencies that do this so well is @DDOTDC (aka DC Department of Transportation). They always know how to mix up the seriousness of a bland transportation message with a little bit of humor to make it easy for the end-user to consume, esp. at the end of a long day.  The communications team at @DDOTDC has done a commendable job on many occasions and today is not an exception.

Like every time it happens, today DC metropolitan area got into panic-mode when snow flurries started hitting the ground. As folks left offices/workplaces early, the vehicle traffic started building up on the streets. So, to lighten up the mood and poke a bit of fun of the traditional behavior of DC metro residents, the @DDOTDC team pushed out a series of fun tweets titled Top 5 signs it’s snowing in DC”:

And you see my point? How refreshing is it to see a public agency do something like this instead of just sending out plain boring traffic congestion updates during an already crazy time on the streets?  If you happen to serve as a communications in-charge at any transportation agency, you will be thrilled to see such great levels of audience engagement from the community for each one of these messages (i.e., retweets, Favs, etc). So, if you get a chance, say “Thank You” to the @DDOTDC team for their fun yet sincere community service and all the hard work they put in to keeps us safe on the roads.

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Infographic: Where The Wild Things Shouldn’t Be – Visual Documentation of Animal Vehicle Collisions Factoids

January 11, 2013 at 4:13 pm

(Image Courtesy: veterinarytechnicianschools.com)

Every year, the United States spends billions in medical, road-repair and vehicle costs due collisions between vehicles and animals, not to mention the trauma of all of the human and animal lives that are lost. But is anything being done about this problem? The professionals use their expertise to help shrink the number of animal-vehicle collisions (AVCs) and the resulting horrific consequences. This infographic gives some background on the problem of AVCs and presents some of the solutions currently deployed to mitigate this growing problem.

Image Courtesy: Veterinarytechnicalschools.com

Image Courtesy: Veterinarytechnicalschools.com

Job Alert: Transportation Specialist, Office of Freight Management and Operations @ USDOT’s FHWA – Washington, DC

January 11, 2013 at 12:53 pm

Position Title: Transportation Specialist, GS-2101-13 / 14 CAH (Open to US Citizens)

Job Announcement Number: FHWA.HOP-2013-0010

APM Terminals, Portsmouth, VA.

APM Terminals, Portsmouth, VA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Open Period: Friday, January 11, 2013 to Monday, January 21, 2013

Duty Locations: Washington, DC, US

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen.

There is an open position for a Transportation Specialist assigned to the Office of Freight Management and Operations, in the Office of Operations of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

Within a team environment, the Transportation Specialist is recognized as a national expert in developing and delivering a freight-related programs and initiatives program. This includes working closely with the public sector at all levels of government and the affected industry sectors to conceptualize and implement this programs and initiatives. You will be considered an expert in the field of intermodal freight operations and will have the ability to manage technology-based programs; and will serve as lead for activities related to integration of freight into transportation infrastructure and operational improvements. You will serve as the lead for public sector freight transportation activities, programs and initiatives throughout the United States and with Canada and Mexico and our partners in other countries of the world.

The ideal candidate is a mid-career to senior professional with knowledge and experience in transportation and intermodal freight operations, with knowledge of supply chain logistics, the economic factors that drive industry liaisons and drive business relationships, and intergovernmental relations as conducted with other Federal, State, MPO and multi-jurisdictional entities. For complete information and to apply, click here.

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When s**t hit the roof .. In East Timor, the Prime Minister Gets On the Street To Direct Traffic and Ease Gridlock

January 7, 2013 at 12:23 pm

(Image Courtesy: European PressPhoto Agency via NBCNews)

Prime minister turns traffic cop after hitting East Timor gridlock Image Courtesy: EPA via NBC News

Prime minister turns traffic cop after hitting East Timor gridlock Image Courtesy: EPA via NBC News

How often you see the leader of a nation get down to the street and direct traffic flow?  The answer is NEVER. But that changed today. The Prime Minister of East Timor, Xanana Gusmao, turned traffic cop on Monday after his car got stuck in a traffic jam outside the presidential office in the capital Dili.

 

An emotional appeal against drunk driving…

December 4, 2012 at 7:21 pm

Came across this video of a dad advocating against drunk driving.. Mind you, this is not your average 2 mins. pitch. It leaves you with a haunting memory of a family that is trying to pick up its pieces after a horrific accident took away and shows you the lasting impact of a drunk driver on the society at large. Something about the man and his compelling but monotonous appeal still tugs my heart. Oh, please don’t think, even for a minute, that it is an isolated case.  Here are some statistics from Mothers Against Drunk Driving that will sober you to the reality:

  • In 2010, 211 children were killed in drunk driving crashes. Out of those 211 deaths, 131 (62 percent) were riding with the drunk driver.
  • In 2010, 10,228 people died in drunk driving crashes – one every 52 minutes – and 345,000 were injured in drunk driving crashes.

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Plugging a giant hole – Researchers Develop an Innovative Inflatable Plug to Stop Flooding of Tunnels

November 20, 2012 at 6:31 pm

via NY Times

After seeing the devastating impacts of torrents of water on New York City subways and highway tunnels during Hurricane sandy, one would be curious to know – how do you stop rushing waters from entering your highway and transit/subway tunnels? Researchers from my alma mater, West Virginia University, have been at it for a while and they have come up with this brilliant solution – an inflatable plug.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FawTqHpjs_g&hd=1 ‘]

Learn more about it here.

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Job Alert: Transportation Specialist, GS-2101-13 / 14 – Federal Highway Administration (USDOT) @Washington, DC

November 15, 2012 at 5:37 pm

 

SALARY RANGE: $89,033.00 to $136,771.00 / Per Year
OPEN PERIOD: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 to Friday, November 23, 2012
SERIES & GRADE: GS-2101-13/14
POSITION INFORMATION: Full Time – – Permanent
PROMOTION POTENTIAL:

14

DUTY LOCATIONS: 1 vacancy – Washington, DC, USView Map
WHO MAY BE CONSIDERED: Open to all U.S. Citizens

 If you are a status employee or VEOA eligible, you may wish to apply under FHWA.HOP-2013-0003

 This position is a Transportation Specialist assigned to the Freight Analysis and Research Team within Office of Freight Management and Operations (HOFM) of the Office of Operations of the Federal Highway Administration(FHWA).  The Office is responsible for analyzing trends and developing policies concerning multimodal freight transportation,

APM Terminals, Portsmouth, VA.

APM Terminals, Portsmouth, VA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Within a team environment, the Transportation Specialist is responsible for providing expertise in data, modeling and analytical techniques for  analyzing  and forecasting freight activity and its economic and environmental consequences, to support FHWA headquarters, FHWA field components, state DOT personnel, and professional staff of Metropolitan Planning Organizations and other stakeholders in establishing a comprehensive program for improving freight operations within the country’s transportation network.supporting freight transportation planning and project development at all levels of government through information and professional development programs, enforcing vehicle size and weight laws, and promoting improvements in freight operations and technology.  Its mission is to provide programs, policies, research, and technology transfer that promote efficient and effective freight flow on the highway system and its intermodal connectors within the United States and across its international borders.

The ideal candidate is a mid-career or senior professional with experience in analyzing freight activity and its economic and environmental consequenses.

DUTIES:

As a Transportation Specialist, you will:

  • Provide technical and program support to the FHWA headquarters staff, field components and state personnel, and other partners in private industry and local and regional government, on the utilization of the freight economics and operations data and analytical tools developed by the Office of Freight Management (HOFM).
  • Provide substantive technical guidance and support to HOFM’s analysis and research team on policy and analysis related to economics, international and domestic trade, forecasting methods, the structure and productivity of the transportation industry, public and private financing, use and performance of the transportation system, and transportation planning/project development.
  • Foster close coordination and collaboration with other Department of Transportation (DOT) elements, and other federal agencies that maintain data and analytical tools which aid in the understanding of freight transportation system performance, freight economics, public finance, economic forecasting methods, and the structure and productivity of the transportation industry.
  • Provide expert knowledge and demonstrated expertise of transportation economic analysis and forecasting methods, the economic consequences of transportation and multimodal freight operations at the national, regional, and project levels.
  • Provide expert knowledge and demonstrated expertise in transportation and freight system performance measurement, management and analysis used by public and private sector, with advanced knowledge of data sets, analytical techniques and visualization.
  • Provide technical and program support to the FHWA headquarters staff, field components and state personnel, and other partners in private industry and local and regional government, on the utilization of the freight economics and operations data and analytical tools developed by HOFM.

Click here to learn more and to apply.

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NPR reviews South Africa’s High Speed Rail – $3B in costs; Cuts travel time between Joburg and Pretoria; and squeaky clean

November 6, 2012 at 6:39 pm

via NPR 

Heard this nice review of the “fastest train in whole of Africa” on NPR.

Job Alert: Coordinator, Statewide Mobility Management Programs – Massachusetts Dept. of Transportation

November 6, 2012 at 4:19 pm

via YPT Boston

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This is Why Post-Sandy New York City Should Seriously Consider Bus Rapid Transit (and all things Transit)

October 31, 2012 at 5:33 pm

Saw this picture below tweeted out by joanna coles @JoannaColes Editor-in-Chief Cosmopolitan Magazine. She shot this gridlocked thoroughfare from her office (located on the 38th floor of the building where Cosmopolitan mag. is located).  With its subway system crippled by Sandy, this pic. shows how badly NYC needs to reconsider its transportation strategies and prioritize implementing any/all strategies that moves people away from cars.  It is going to be once heck of a recovery until the subway limps back to normal!   

View of a Gridlocked New York City

 

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