Want a chance to work on some of the most innovative regional transit policy and funding issues? Your analytical and communication skills is needed at the premiere transit organization in Northern Virginia.

As part of its Transit Fellows program, the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) seeks a Policy Fellow, full time for a term of six months, renewable for up to a year. This fellowship provides a professional development opportunity for mid-career t

A PRTC OmniRide bus in Arlington, Virginia operating the Lake Ridge express route. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

ransportation specialists as well as college graduates and graduate students. Successful applicants will gain in-depth knowledge of transit policy and funding issues and will serve a key role in tracking and analyzing federal and state policy including legislation, policy and planning. The Policy Fellow will draft issue briefs, prepare presentations, as well as write policy memorandum, newsletter articles, web content and special reports for the Commission and its stakeholders. Specific activities include: supporting briefings of policy makers on key transit issues, analyzing legislation related to transit and the Commission, participating in the planning and execution of NVTC’s annual briefing of the General Assembly and NVTC Commission Meeting in Richmond in February, and staff support of the Executive Director. The responsibilities will include local travel and some evening commitments.

MINIMUM AND PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• College graduates, graduate students or mid-career professionals
• Bachelor’s Degree in policy, government, journalism, transportation planning, public administration, economics, policy or related area
• Demonstrated interest in public transportation or transportation planning and policy development
• Strong writing and analytical skills
• Ability to work in a small office/team oriented environment

Duration of the appointment is six months and is a renewable for six months. Priority will be given to applicants who can begin their fellowship quickly.

WHO SHOULD APPLY:

Fellowships are awarded to professionals with a strong understanding of transportation policy, finance and transportation funding and/or public outreach. Graduate students and mid-career professionals are encouraged to apply.

COMPENSATION:

The Fellow will receive compensation consistent with compensation guidelines of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation and will be eligible for transit benefits.

HOW TO APPLY:

Send cover letter, resume, and a brief writing sample to Colethia Quarles at transitfellows@nvtdc.org. The cover letter should describe the applicant’s objectives in pursuing the fellowship. Please highlight particular skills, knowledge or interests as it relates to a demonstrated interest in the Commission’s work, familiarity with federal or state legislative and policy issues, and experience or knowledge in public outreach. Please note your availability at the top of the cover letter.

Applications can also be mailed to:

Colethia Quarles
​Transit Fellowship Program
​2300 Wilson Blvd., Suite 620
​Arlington, VA 22201

DEADLINE:

Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until a candidate is selected.

ABOUT NVTC:

NVTC has a small staff located in offices in the vibrant Court House area of Arlington. NVTC is a leading expert on performance metrics and transit finance, coordinates regional planning studies and evaluations, partners with other regional entities including the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. NVTC encompasses six cities and counties, a commuter rail service, six bus systems including MetroBus, Metrorail and the Vanpool Alliance.

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

#Manspreading much? LOL. For the uninformed, “Manspreading,” is the term coined for this: when men take up excess space by sitting with their legs far apart in buses and trains (and this has long been a pet peeve for fellow riders, particularly women). Off late there has been a lot of discussions on this topic, which I suspect was what prompted this brilliant cartoon.

Image courtesy. The New Yorker, via Twitter

And here is the New York MTA campaign poster advising folks to keep their legs together:

Image courtesy: NY MTA

This graphic puts the use of space by each surface transportation mode in perspective.. and it is quite obvious that cars eat up a lot of space in our urban environments.

Automobile, defined: a really poor use of space to move people thru the city. (Like, the worst.) h/t @jen_keesmaat pic.twitter.com/ZwgdCPvWbv

— Taras Grescoe (@grescoe) December 29, 2014

Google gets a taste of what it is like to ride the slow lane, literally. Volunteers from the group SumOfUs put Google buses in the slow lane to demand Google support Net Neutrality, and say no to Internet slow lanes around the world! It was a gentle nudge to the internet giant to come out in support of the Net Neutrality issue. Clever campaign indeed. The group’s website says SumOfUs is a global movement of consumers, investors, and workers all around the world, standing together to hold corporations accountable for their actions and forge a new, sustainable and just path for our global economy.  Check out their call to action here: www.callongoogle.net

Related articles

• A World Without Net Neutrality Already Exists
• Net Neutrality, Obama, and Why You Should Care
• Internet’s civil war spreads to Europe as Merkel speaks against net neutrality
• Google Still Doesn’t Want to Talk About Net Neutrality –

Check out this infograph from Pembina Institute that clearly lays out the case for public transportation (i.e., Rapid Transit) and shows how much money can be saved..

Source: Pembina Institute.

MTA-NYCT is hiring a Principal Transportation Planner in the Operations Planning Division. Applications are due by May 5, 2014.

The position will be responsible for helping to plan long-term changes to the NYC bus route network.  The incumbent will develop and maintain a database of service and ridership information for planning purposes, prepare reports recommending new or restructured bus routes and services, including ridership projections, customer and operations impacts, and operating costs.  The position may also assist in the analysis and management of various long-range planning studies, such as Alternatives Analyses and Environmental Impact Statements and coordination with other NYCT departments, other MTA agencies, and external contacts.  The successful candidate is expected to do field work throughout New York City and to represent NYC Transit at public meeting, sometimes not during normal business hours.  A NYS driver’s license is required for this position.

Education & Experience:

Bachelors degree in Engineering, Urban Studies, Geography, Transportation Science, Urban Planning, Economics, Business, Public Administration, Political Science or related field and five years of full time paid experience in transportation operations planning, schedule or operations.

Desired Skills:

Excellent writing, communication and graphics presentation skills, proficiency in technical writing and data analysis are required.  Knowledge of the New York City Transit system and New York City are highly desirable.  Previous experience in transportation planning for a large, multimodal transit agency is highly desirable.  Knowledge of transportation planning software such as TransCad, ArcView, MapInfo and Auto-Turn.

Apply here or search listings at http://web.mta.info/mta/employment/employment_out.html

via YPTransportation

Related articles

• NYC Job Alert: NYCT Principal Transportation Planner
• Mta Plans To Reduce Subway Deaths 2013
• MTA announces enhanced weekend service on Manhattan, Queens bus routes
• MTA NYC Goes Digital

NOTE: There is also a paid transit marketing internship that pays about $10- $12/hr.  Click here to learn more.

Central Maryland Regional Transit Agency seeks one paid Transportation Planning Intern to support their Planning Department in the ongoing performance analysis and development of a multi-jurisdictional public transit bus service which extends throughout the Central Maryland region.   This position is a learning opportunity for an individual seeking to grow their knowledge of planning and data analysis in the public transportation industry.

The Intern will assist the Planning Department in building relationships with partner organizations, conducting research, maintaining its transit database, and preparing presentations and other materials.

Candidates should possess excellent written and verbal skills and have a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Access, Excel and Word. In addition, a working knowledge of ArcGIS is required.

Aside from working with the Planning Department, the Intern will also work closely with the agency’s marketing program serving as a community transportation advocate promoting accessible and affordable transportation options. This may include attending functions, seminars, events, fairs, etc. to communicate directly with end-users to gather data and receive feedback on the progress of transportation in the CMRT service area.

Ideally, candidates should be enrolled at an accredited educational institution and should have had or be currently enrolled in coursework related to Urban and Regional Planning, and/or Transportation Planning and have a desire to learn about the transit industry.

To express interest in this opportunity email cover letter, resume and/or portfolio to HR@cmrtransit.org or by mail to CMRT HR, 312 Marshall Avenue, Suite 1000, Laurel MD 20707.  CMRT is an Equal Opportunity Employer.