Associate Transit Management Analyst  – Department of Subways – Performance and Expense Analysis Units

MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) is the largest public transportation agency in North America and one of the largest in the world, with 24/7 bus and subway service, and an average daily ridership of more than 7 million customers.  We are 46,000 diverse employees working in a variety of fields that include, but are not limited to: Architecture, Engineering, Finance, Enterprise Asset Management, Change Management and Human Resources, Telecommunications, Information Technology, Procurement, Safety, Security and skilled trades.

Photo by MTAPhotos

NYCT Department of Subways is seeking talented and ambitious individuals to join a dynamic team within their Performance Analysis Unit (PAU) and Expense Analysis Unit (EAU).  PAU is a new internal consulting group for the Department of Subways.  This unit will support various Subway Operating Divisions and improve performance by designing and conducting analyses to identify trends and root causes.  EAU provides financial support to the Department of Subways. This team prepares, allocates and presents the Department of Subways $3.8 billion operating budget. These career opportunities offer direct involvement in improved performance initiatives and financial planning programs that support NYCT effective operations and the continued vibrancy and prosperity of the Metro NYC region.

These positions offer a robust benefits package that includes: competitive compensation, comprehensive benefit plans and promotional opportunities.

Job Description:

The selected PAU candidate will coordinate agency wide performance initiatives, monitor and track status, evaluate effectiveness, and make recommendations.  The incumbent will seek out relevant data from across NYC Transit, make inquiries of Operating Division managers, and perform other fieldwork.  The selected candidate must develop a solid understanding of operations and become an expert on various subway performance metrics.  In addition, the individual will set up workflows to populate Subways central performance database with current and historic information from data stores across the agency.  The analysts may design and automate performance reports, and periodically disseminate data via reports, dashboards, slideshows, videos, and web-based tools for Operating Divisions.

The selected EAU candidate will be required to thoroughly understand the unique operations of each Subways Division and their fiscal needs through meetings, research, and field visits.  Working closely with the Operating Divisions, the selected candidate will respond to funding requests and reduction targets through analytic efforts to determine the most appropriate and cost efficient means of meeting stated objectives.  The analysts will be involved with functions pertaining to budget development, variance analyses, overtime analyses, and forecasting models, as well as work outside their core area in an effort to creatively problem solve and to support the success of the Unit as a whole.

Qualifications:

1. Assistant Transit Management Analyst I / II – A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college in Business/Public Administration, Public Policy, Transportation Planning, Urban/Planning studies or a related field and two (2) years of full-time related experience.
2. Associate Transit Management Analyst – A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college in Business/Public Administration, Public Policy, Transportation Planning, Urban/Planning studies or a related field, and three (3) years of full-time related experience, of which one (1) year must have been in the transportation industry; or
3. Satisfactory equivalent of education and experience.

Desired Skills:

• Experience and strong interest in rapid transit design and operations
• Works creatively and independently
• Organized and able to manage multiple projects
• Skilled with project management methods and systems
• Familiarity with analyzing large data sets
• Proficient with MS Excel, including pivot tables, lookup/index functions, and VBA macros
• Adept with MS Word, technical writing, and data analysis narratives
• Understanding proficient with MS PowerPoint and graphic presentation skills
• Experience with regression analyses and basic statistical concepts
• Proficient with MS Access and/or other relational databases and querying languages
• Knowledge of database design and maintenance; integrating/consolidating existing databases
• Basic understanding of computer programming and web development
• Familiarity with dashboards and visual presentation of data

To Apply, Visit our website:

http://web.mta.info/mta/employment/, Select Job Postings, Agree to the Privacy Statement, Select MTA New York City Transit and Search for Assoc. Transit Mgmt. Analyst, Performance and Expense Analysis Units, Subways, Job ID, 83344

The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission’s Division of Financial Management and Administration is seeking a Deputy Director to manage the implementation and execution of its newly created Taxi Improvement Fund (TIF).  The Taxi Improvement Fund was created to help medallion owners and drivers make certain improvements to better serve their passengers, including conversion to wheelchair-accessible vehicles.  This is one of the premier programs at the TLC, focusing on the City’s commitment to accessibility. Under the leadership of the Director of Special Projects, this position will manage all components of the fund. This position will interface across all internal divisions, including Policy, Licensing, Legal, Fiscal/Accounting and Management Information Systems (MIS), as well as with partner agencies TLC licensees and vendors. A successful candidate has a strategic lens and an ability to anticipate oncoming operational challenges.

Non-City Employees Applicants must apply via www.nyc.gov/careers and search the Job Opening Number. Please search Job ID # 191243

Transportation for America is hiring a Research Fellow to help produce research and produce reports, identify innovative transportation concepts, and support a mission-based consulting service to produce the best outcomes for clients’ transportation investments.

The fellow will join Transportation for America’s policy team conducting original research that advances local, state and federal policies. This is an opportunity that features a great deal of responsibility, direct collaboration with our partners and valuable hands-on experience with transportation thought-leaders throughout the country.

Description

The ideal fellow is a proactive, savvy researcher with exceptional writing and editing skills and plugged-in to developments surrounding transportation policy at the local, state and federal, levels. The successful candidate will be able to use all these skills to create original research for Transportation for America’s partners and the public.

Fellows should be dependable team players that can perform regular duties when asked, while also being proactive self-starter who can independently research and offer and implement new research areas that support Transportation for America’s policy efforts. Fellows will be conducting research and writing assigned issue briefs and longer reports, but will also be counted upon to support the President of Transportation for America’s newly-created mission-driven consulting service.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Researching, writing and editing original research that supports local, state and federal transportation policy efforts of Transportation for America. This includes short (3-10 pages) issue briefs and lengthier research assignments when necessary.
• Identifying research trends and gaps to develop scope for new research.
• Managing oversight and quality assurance of data collection.
• Assisting policy team in researching local, state and federal policy, and producing content for Transportation for America’s members
• Supporting mission-driven consulting service by researching and writing reports and memorandums, and billing responsibilities.
• Providing general research support for the organization and our partners.

Requirements

All Transportation for America fellowships require a self-motivated, detail-oriented person with excellent writing, oral communication and organizational skills, as well as the ability to think creatively and work independently with adequate supervision. Candidates should have a strong interest in transportation, economic development, smart growth or related areas.

Specific to the Research Fellow candidate, Transportation for America is looking for those who can fulfill the following requirements:

• Proactive, team-player
• A bachelor’s degree in public policy, planning, sociology, demography, economics or other related field.
• Experience with qualitative and quantitative transportation and economic development research.
• Highly computer literate
• Excellent communication and writing skills
• Working understanding of Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator) and GIS a plus.

Recommended candidates include:

• New professionals, especially policy, transportation, planning and economic professionals.
• Candidates able to demonstrate the capacity for independent study or research.

The position is full time (40 hours per week) and requires a six-month commitment. Some former fellows have joined our full-time staff. Transportation for America Fellows receive a stipend of $1,500 per month. This position is based in our offices in Washington, DC.

To apply, please send these materials to info@t4america.org with “Research Fellow” in the subject line:

• A short cover letter that includes a 50-word description of the assets you would bring to this position
• A current resume with references
• Recent research examples

Applications will be accepted immediately on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Equal opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental principles at Transportation for America. Employment and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law.

About T4America

T4America is an alliance of elected, business and civic leaders from communities across the country who are united to ensure that states and the federal government step up to invest in smart, homegrown, locally-driven transportation solutions. Learn more at http://t4america.org

AMTRAK in Washington DC is looking to hire a new Senior Manager, Service Planning and Costing. Click here for a direct link to the application and additional information.

Photo by Loco Steve

This position is responsible for leading the route and service change evaluation process and the development of state corridor payment forecasts and charges. It directly supervises a Lead Service Planner and two Senior Service Planner positions that assist in these efforts. The position manages cross-functional and inter-department teams to develop accurate cost and contribution impact forecasts. It also provides, both in written and presentation form, evaluation results and recommendations to senior management and external customers.

To qualify, you must have a Bachelor’s degree in Planning, Economics, Transportation, Business, Public Administration, Accounting or related field and 10 years of related work experience or an equivalent combination. Prefer: Master’s degree in Planning, Economics, Transportation, Business, Public Administration, or related field or other related advanced degree.

Amtrak offers a competitive benefit package and salaries commensurate with experience. Submit your application online atwww.amtrak.com/careers.

Amtrak is committed to equal employment opportunity for all qualified employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other protected characteristic.

These graphs below via Qz.com paint a compelling picture of air quality in India. In most western media discussions/stories about environmental pollution is often China-centric. One would expect China to be topping the charts when it comes to pollution, given the country’s ginormous population, its economic clout and the manufacturing prowess which earned it the “factory of the world” label, . But in reality, ‪#‎India‬ is the worst offender and it deserves far more scrutiny than China. 14 of the top 20 most polluted cities are in India and a not a single Chinese city made it to this list. Govt. of India should take urgent steps to combat this issue because of the risks it pose to public health. 

Image Courtesy: Quartz I Qz.com

Image Courtesy: Quartz I Qz.com

For what it is worth, the transportation sector is one of the major culprits, accounting for a significant portion of the overall emissions. While congestion in major cities continues to grow worse, the vehicle sales continues at a torrid pace and doesn’t show any signs of a slow down. To put this in perspective, I am borrowing the following points from the ICCT fact sheet:

• India’s vehicle population has grown from 50 million in 2003 to 130 million in 2013.
• Vehicle PM10 emissions have fallen 14% since 2003, but emissions will return to 2003 levels by 2017 due to vehicle population growth if new controls are not mandated

Another major source of pollution in India related to the transportation sector is the noise pollution, which requires a dedicated blog post by itself. So, one of these days I’ll get around to doing some research on that topic and write it up.

Related articles

• India’s air pollution is so bad it’s reducing life expectancy by 3.2 years
• Beijing’s Mayor Declares City To Be Unlivable Due To Life-Choking Smog
• Air Pollution Decreasing Life Span in India, Study Says

The images below are from Pew States (most of them), tweeted out as part of the #StuckinTraffic Twitter chat featuring U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx and House T&I Committee Chair Schuster.  Please note that most of the images have embedded URL links pointing to a webpage/report. So, feel free to click on the ones that pique your interest to learn more.

P.S: Pardon any shoddiness as you scroll down. This post is a quick hack/harvest of compelling charts from the #StuckINTraffic twitter feed to show the landscape of transportation funding issues and why it is important to get the reauthorization done ASAP.

Image Courtesy: Pew States – US transportation funding 101—& why fed, state investment is declining:

Image Courtesy – Pew States – DYK? Transportation infrastructure funding stems mainly from states:

Image Courtesy: Pew States – Fed, states facing funding challenges as gas tax revenues stall: h

Image Courtesy: Pew States – US #transportation fed grant funding dips 9% from ’08 to ’14:

Image Courtesy: Pew States – New Pew report spotlights surface DOT funding declines, overall down $27B in real terms since 2002

Image Courtesy: Pew States – 66% of fed transportation revenue stems from gas tax—why it matters:

Image Courtesy: Pew States – Fed Highway Trust Fund—major source of state, local funds—running low

Image courtesy; Pew States

Image courtesy: Wonkblog via @TransportDems – 1 in 4 US bridges is deficient. #StuckinTraffic

Image Courtesy: @BikeLeague – What role do transit, bike and pedestrian projects play in local economies?

The simple math of owning a car vs. not owning one marks the paradigm shift in attitudes among generations. What was once not feasible – living without a car – has now become easy (at least in many cities across the US), thanks to location-based, on-demand transportation solutions such as Uber and Lyft. In a Business Insider article, Katherine Krug, summarizes her car-free life in San Francisco.

Since giving up my car (in Oct’ 2013) , I now spend an average of $572 per month on transportation, which comes to $11,352 per year in savings. On top of that, I get back my time, the most valuable thing of all. I save an average of 6.5 days per year — almost a full week! — to focus on the things I want to be doing, rather than serving my car.

What caught my attention is the last sentence – Katherine’s elation about not “serving” her car. If this is how the youngsters feel about automobiles there is no way anyone can make an argument for owning a car. Maybe we have turned a new page in America’s love affair with the automobiles (which, at times, seems untrue when you read about booming auto sales)?

In the backdrop of how not owning a car helped manage her mobility needs while also saving her a ton of cash, you would be astonished to see Sarah’s average monthly expenditures (and time associated)  when she owned the car (see table below). Read more here

Image via Business Insider

via Citylab

This interesting chart was a part of a CityLab article that analyses how Germany is less car dependent than the United States by looking data from comparable cities in each of these nations.  What caught my attention, among the many things, is the difference in the carbon footprint.  In the US, Transport sector alone accounts for 32% of our overall CO2 emissions whereas in Germany it is only 19%.  If we ever get around to implementing a carbon tax, it could fall precipitously but I don’t see that happening anytime soon, given the current political discourse.

The data come from a recent comparison of German and U.S. planning approaches led by transport scholar Ralph Buehler of Virginia Tech. Drilling down to the city level, Buehler and collaborators find more of the same driving trends in an analysis of two large metros from each country: Washington, D.C., and Stuttgart.