Job Alert: Policy Associate – Transportation for America @ Washington, DC

June 8, 2015 at 10:21 pm

Transportation for America is seeking a highly skilled and proactive team member with knowledge and interest in local, state and federal transportation policy to serve as Policy Associate. This person will report directly to the Policy Director and work closely with Transportation for America Consulting — a mission based consulting service — as well as with our members and stakeholders to help achieve progress on our priorities at all levels of government.

Transportation for America 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. We advocate for transportation reforms including increased local control of transportation planning and increased investments in infrastructure that boost long-term regional prosperity, and policies that improve the performance of the transportation system. This includes collaboration and support for local elected officials, chambers of commerce, businesses, and regional leaders in providing the tools and resources to allow them to complete their transportation priorities.

Responsibilities:

  • Present and discuss transportation policies and local implications with stakeholders including mayors, state representatives, state DOTs, regional chambers of commerce, transportation planners, businesses and equity advocates.
  • Represent Transportation for America and our key transportation policies before local councils, state legislatures, and on Capitol Hill.
  • Prepare legislative and policy documents related to local, state and federal transportation decisions.
  • Manage transportation policy programs to deliver resources and tools to elected officials and transportation practitioners throughout the country.

Qualifications:

  • Proactive, team-player
  • Excellent interpersonal communication and writing skills
  • Bachelor’s degree
  • At least two years of experience in legislative advocacy
  • Experience with state and/or local transportation policy
  • Experience with federal regulations and Congress is a plus, but not required.

Transportation for America offers a competitive salary commensurate with skills and experience plus excellent benefits. This position is located in Washington, D.C. To apply, send a resume and cover letter to Joe McAndrew atjoe.mcandrew@t4america.org with the subject line “Policy Associate application”

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.

Transportation for America also prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities and will reasonably accommodate applicants with a disability, upon request, and will also ensure reasonable accommodation for employees with a disability.

Job Alert: Legislative Director for National Transportation Reform Campaign (T4America) – @ Washington, DC

November 3, 2010 at 7:14 pm

Transportation for AmericaThe Transportation for America (T4America) Campaign is looking for an experienced, highly skilled individual with knowledge and interest in federal transportation policy and the federal legislative process to help develop and implement the Campaign’s government relations strategy.The T4America Campaign is a national advocacy campaign working to ensure that the next generation of transportation investments helps to make our country more competitive globally; improves mobility options for people of all ages, incomes and geographic areas; maintains our existing transportation assets in good and safe working order; and helps our nation reduce its carbon footprint.The campaign represents a broad coalition of housing, aging, environment, community development, business, planning, urban design and transportation interests. The Legislative Director works with the Campaign’s Director and other members of the Campaign’s leadership, and supervises other members of the Legislative Team.

  • The Legislative Director must possess detailed knowledge of Capitol Hill, the relevant committees, and the legislative process. This position develops and directs the legislative strategy for the Campaign, including building strong relationships with Congressional leaders and their staff members.
  • The Legislative Director will develop the Campaign’s Legislative work plan which would include such elements as an assessment of federal policy makers on relevant committees, or key districts, draft legislation, research on relevant previous bills or amendments, and Congressional briefings and outreach strategies.
  • The Legislative Director will also provide assistance, as needed, to the Field and Outreach team in strategies to engage and coordinate state and local partners. While this team’s priority will be the federal transportation authorization bill, it will also engage with related bills such as those addressing climate change, energy, and appropriations.

Minimum of 5 years experience on Capitol Hill, with a government relations firm or non-profit engaged in government relations work is required, with legislative program management experience strongly preferred. An advanced degree ishelpful, as is experience with transportation policy. Also strongly preferred is experience working in a campaign environment. The applicant should possess excellent communications and research skills. Knowledge of the legislativeprocess is essential, as well as the ability to think strategically and in a bipartisan manner.The position is full-time and available starting August 2010. Salary is commensurate with experience, and includes benefits. Please send a cover letter and resume to Lea Schuster, Deputy Director at lea.schuster@t4america.org. In the subject line write T4America Legislative Director Position. For more information about us please visit our website www.t4america.org.

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Sprinting for “green” stimulus dollars, plug-in hybrid manufacturer brings vehicles to Washington, DC; invites law makers to test drive

April 20, 2009 at 6:52 pm

(Source: New York Times)

AFS Trinity

The chase for stimulus dollars now includes a sprint up Capitol Hill, quite literally.

The stimulus package has $2.5 billion for batteries and hybrids, and one of the many companies seeking a slice, AFS Trinity, arrived in Washington on Sunday with two Saturn Vue S.U.V.’s — “crossover” vehicles that General Motors sells as hybrids, but which AFS Trinity has extensively modified as plug-in hybrids.

The company is inviting members of Congress and their employees to drive them, and a favorite stretch is a steep hill up Constitution Avenue on the north side of the Capitol building.

AFS Trinity, of Bellevue, Wash., added two kinds of batteries to the Vue: A bank of lithium-ion batteries with 16 kilowatt-hours of usable storage (enough to go more than 40 miles), and a small bundle of ultra-capacitors — devices that hold only a little bit of energy, but can deliver or accept it very quickly.

The ultra-capacitors smooth out the start-and-stop flow of that comes with everyday driving, buffering the main batteries in a way that extends their lifetime. And they deliver real “vroom,” even though the electric drivetrain is silent.

The original Saturn comes with a four-cylinder, 170-horsepower gasoline engine. As a plug-in, normal practice would be to charge the battery overnight and drive around without the engine for the first 40 miles or so, but AFS Trinity put a button near the cigarette lighter. Push it, and the electric motor kicks in, creating a 370-horsepower street rod.

The vehicle can also run in gasoline–only mode. And it can run in something called “charge-depleting mode,’’ in which it uses electricity from the battery to assist the gasoline engine. In that mode, it gets 68 miles a gallon, the company said, and it can operate that way for 60 miles — far longer than most peoples’ daily drive. 

From the outside, the prototypes look like ordinary Saturn Vue’s, except for the big lettering on the side that announce them as 150-mile-per-gallon vehicles (that number assumes the owner drives it in all-electric mode most of the time).

Edward W. Furia, AFS Trinity’s chief executive, is looking for $40 million to build 100 cars, probably for use by a government agency like the Postal Service, then $200 million for the next thousand vehicles. Eventually he would like $1.3 billion to re-tool a GM factory to produce hundreds of thousands of plug-in hybrids. The company’s long-term plan is to produce vehicles with a price premium of $8,000 above the cost of the regular, nonhybrid version. If it could reach that point, the consumer’s extra investment might be quite small, after federal and state tax credits.

Registration Now Open for ITS America’s 2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition

March 3, 2009 at 7:24 pm

Registration for the 2009 Annual Meeting and Exposition of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) is now open. The three-day conference, held June 1-3, 2009 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland (just inside the Washington, DC metropolitan area), provides the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) industry with a forum to learn about and share insights on the latest advancements in ITS technologies.  Don’t miss this opportunity to find answers to your toughest transportation challenges, meet your legislators on Capitol Hill, see ITS solutions in action, and take home ideas for implementation, and learn from your peers. Be sure to take advantage of the early-bird registration rates which are available through March 31. Click here to register at the early bird rate or here for more information on the 2009 Annual Meeting.ITS America Annual Meeting 2009