Despite the bold predictions (75% of vehicles on road will be autonomous by 2040!!!), the infographic below visually captures some of the benefits of autonomous vehicles..
From: Bankrate Insurance’s InsuranceQuotes.com
The Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) seeks a Geographer to join our team. RITA coordinates the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) research programs and is charged with advancing rigorous analysis and the deployment of cross-cutting technologies to improve our Nation’s transportation system. This position is located in the Office of Geospatial Information Systems (OGIS), which is part of RITA’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The OGIS develops quality geospatial transportation data and applications and advances its effective use in transportation decision making.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
RITA is offering and opportunity for a seasoned public-service driven professional who is motivated and self-reliant. This individual must be able to share their experiences in providing geospatial information services. These experiences should include: (1) preparing high quality maps that showcase transportation information; (2) performing geospatial analyses involving transportation networks and facilities; (3) developing, maintaining, and distributing geospatial transportation data; and, (4) providing technical support directly to the Office of the Secretary of Transportation and the Office of Emergency Transportation.
If you or someone you know has the experience and a demonstrable record of proven results, I encourage you or them to apply to this Washington, D.C.-based position. We are looking for a diverse pool of qualified candidates.
The vacancy announcements can be found at:
(Merit Promotion): https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/333541400 – Open Period- Thursday, December 13, 2012 to Monday, December 24, 2012
(All Sources): https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/333537000 – Open Period – Thursday, December 13, 2012 to Monday, December 24, 2012
Union of Concerned Scientists (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), the leading science-based organization at the center of today’s most exciting and important policy debates, seeks an individual to work with a top-notch, multi-disciplinary team in our Clean Vehicles Program to advance sound transportation policy to cut oil use and protect public health. UCS is seeking a senior engineer/scientist to conduct research and analysis and serve as a lead spokesperson focused on solutions that save oil and reduce climate emissions, fuel economy, electric vehicles, and related technology and policy issues. Candidates must have a strong background in vehicle and fuel technology and transportation policy and excellent written and oral communication skills.
Responsibilities
The Senior Engineer/Scientist will help lead UCS efforts to evaluate potential transportation sector policy and technology solutions to cut projected US oil use in half within twenty years and significantly reduce transportation related pollution.
The person in this position will
Desired Skills & Experience
Qualifications and experience
This position requires five to seven years of related experience for candidates with masters or equivalent experience, including background in research and policy development and analysis. Candidate must have experience communicating technical issues to a non-technical audience through written products and presentations. Candidate should have knowledge of the transportation field, including vehicle and fuel technology, infrastructure, and industries. Candidate should have familiarity with current oil and transportation issues and their political/social/environmental/economic ramifications. Position requires an understanding of public policy aspects of transportation and related climate and oil issues and the role of technical analyses and advocacy in shaping public opinion and policy debates.
Applicants must have strong quantitative and research skills; strong writing and verbal skills; proficiency with spreadsheet and word processing software; ability to write well for scientific and general audiences; familiarity with economics and public policy; and a team orientation. Experience with project management, policymakers and the media a plus.
At UCS, comparable training and/or experience can be substituted for degrees when appropriate.
The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading U.S. science-based nonprofit organization working for a healthy environment and a safer world. Founded in 1969, UCS is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and also has offices in Berkeley, Chicago and Washington, D.C. For more information, go to www.ucsusa.org.
Compensation, Hours and Location: This is a full time position based in either UCS’s Washington, DC or Berkeley, CA office. For candidates who meet all position requirements, the salary is in the high $70,000s. UCS offers excellent benefits and is an equal opportunity employer continually seeking to diversify its staff. Information about UCS is available at http://www.ucsusa.org
To Apply: Please submit a cover letter, a technical writing sample and a general audience writing sample, salary requirements, how you learned about the position and resume via email to jobs@ucsusa.org and include “Senior Engineer/Scientist” in the subject line. Email materials in Word or PDF format only. No phone calls please. Deadline: December 14, 2012 or until filled.
Posted: November 28, 2012
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Ever wondered what happens to a driver behind the wheel of a vehicle traveling at 60mph on a highway when he/she is bombarded with information pouring out from the electronics suite on his/her dashboard? We all know how distracted driving can lead to crashes that can kill or main road users and the vehicle occupants. Today’s driver is constantly enveloped in data about not just the car’s operational elements but also from the infotainment systems that aim to bring to you the latest and greatest information via social media tools such as Twitter, facebook, etc. many argue that these internet-connected drivers (and cars) are often a detriment to driver safety but the truth is far from it. Auto companies want to make sure that they are not just providing a better driving experience for the driver but also a safer trip while in their vehicles. Here is an interesting walk and talk through the bowels of Ford’s advanced research facilities with Ford’s CTO Paul Mascarenas that shows what Ford is doing to mitigate the dangers of distracted driving.
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.
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Via Atlantic Cities
How do you tell the story about big agenda issues like environmental impact and emissions in a city like New York? One way to do this is by taking all the relevant data you can get and stitching it together in a graphic format that visually demonstrates the scope of the problem. Let’ s see how its done. Let’s start with the problem.
Carbon Visuals and the Environmental Defense Fund created an animation showing giant blue balls standing in for New York’s greenhouse-gas emissions in 2010 (the last year data were available). Each sphere represents one ton of carbon-dioxide vapor. Added up, they represent 54 million metric tons of climate-toasting chemicals, which is the amount of emissions that NYC recorded in 2010. It is quite arresting when you visually see a huge mountain (Everest-sized) of blue balls blanketing your entire city. Check it out.
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| 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. (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.
As a Transportation Specialist, you will:
See on Scoop.it – Transportation Today
So, the adults have a beer bike but what do the kids have? They got the bike bus to school!
The Dutch are bicycle fanatics. Almost half of daily travel in the Netherlands is by bicycle, while the country’s bike fleet comfortably outnumbers its 16 million people.
Built by Tolkamp Metaalspecials, and sold by the De Cafe Racer company, the bicycle school bus (BCO in Dutch) is powered entirely by children and the one adult driver (although there is an electric motor for tough hills). Its simple design has eight sets of pedals for the kids (ages 4 to 12), a driver seat for the adult, and three bench seats for freeloaders. The top speed is about 10 miles per hour, and features a sound system and canvas awning to ward off rainy days.
See on www.fastcoexist.com
How do you capture on tape history as it unfolds in remote wilderness of a desolate icy desert? The video below shows the extent people will go to document this once in a lifetime opportunity. It has a lot of breathtaking, amazing shots of melting polar ice and the people who caught all that one camera. In two words: Stunningly beautiful. BTW, all climate-change deniers will now shut up and watch this in awe. This is not some magic that happens every few thousand years or so..This is a changing planet that is giving away signs that are more and more ominous..
