Photo by tedeytan

• Job Title: Transportation Planner (T.D.M.)
• Requisition Number: JO-1506-2716
• Grade: 13
• Salary Range: $76,397.00 – $98,429.00
• Promotion Potential:
• Agency: Transportation, District Dept.
• Location: 55 M St SE (DDOT)
• Area of Consideration: Open to the Public
• Opening/Closing Date: 6/25/2015 – 7/25/2015

Job Summary

• Salary Range: $76,397.00 to $98,429 per annum
• CS-2101-13
• First screening date: July 9, 2015
• Number of Vacancies: One (1)
• Collective Bargaining Unit (Non-union): This position is not in collective bargaining unit.
• Duration of Employment: Career Service – Permanent

Transportation Planner (Transportation Demand Management / TDM) is the senior level position within the Transportation Planning Coordinator job progression. Develops and manages the transportation demand management program for the District of Columbia, with emphasis on a multi-modal approach to reduce travel demand.

Brief Description of Duties:

Develops and manages the transportation demand management program for the District of Columbia, with emphasis on a multi-modal approach to reduce travel demand, especially single occupancy vehicle demand during peak hours of  travel. Markets the transportation demand management program to employers, employees and residents of the District of Columbia through advertising, public relations, employers, direct marketing, the internet, and other means. Manages consultants that perform marketing activities. Reviews development plans to ensure appropriate transportation demand measures. Coordinates transportation demand policies and programs with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Business Improvement Districts, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and other groups to seek their commitment to implement transportation demand management policies and programs.

Qualifications

Knowledge and experience in the field of transportation demand management, including encouragement of transit, bicycle, and pedestrian travel, and land use and parking policies that reduce or change transportation demand. Knowledge of and experience in regional transportation planning and coordination. Knowledge and expertise in marketing transportation options to businesses, employees and residents. Knowledge and experience developing scopes of work for transportation/marketing programs and managing contracts. Ability to effectively communication orally and in written formats technical information pertaining to transportation planning studies, projects, program analyses, and to facilitate meetings and the coordination of related program.

Licensures, Certifications and other requirements

Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) membership is desired.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree – Bachelor’s Degree in planning, marketing, business, public administration, or similar field, or an equivalent combination of education or experience

 Work Experience

3 or more years of relevant experience.

 To apply, to go: http://careers.dc.gov/ts2__JobDetails?jobId=a0K1600000e8fPEEAY&tSource and send a resume to jim.sebasitan@dc.gov

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”:

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294905698196811776

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294906098425679873

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294906463334301696

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294906684915208194

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294906972103393280

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294905698196811776

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294906098425679873

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294906463334301696

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294906684915208194

https://twitter.com/DDOTDC/status/294906972103393280

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.

(Source: via the DC Department of Transportation Tweet)

As part of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty’s ongoing efforts to advance arts in the District of Columbia, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) selected tattoo artist Steed Taylor to paint a road tattoo entitled “Daughters and Sons Knot”. Mr. Taylor’s design highlights Washington DC’s relationship with war and loss by honoring metropolitan area soldiers recently killed while serving their country. The names of those soldiers’ children will be incorporated in the design. The design is a complex Celtic Knot with 6 loops, a symbolic number for harmony and alluding to the interdependence within a community as well as a family. The road tattoo is approximately 60 feet wide and 300 feet long and made with the help of local volunteers and neighbors.

Installation Begins Saturday July 24 through Sunday July 25 from 7AM – 7PM each day. A dedication ceremony will be held Sunday at 1pm after which the design’s outline will be painted by the community.

A road tattoo? If roads are considered the skin of a community, then a road has a similar relationship to the public body as skin does to the individual body, allowing roads to be marked as people mark their skin for commemoration, communication or ritual. View an example of how a road tattoo is created.  Gallery plan b is coordinating the installation with Mr. Taylor. Images and additional information can be found on their website.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO HELP PAINT! Help make an incredibly meaningful public artwork for our city and be a part of DC history! For questions or more information e-mail Gallery Plan b, 202-234-2711, or Steed Taylor.

Note: The project will require traffic and parking restrictions along the 800 block of Vermont Avenue, NW, from Friday after rush hour to Sunday evening. Participants are encouraged to arrive via Metro (The McPherson Metro Station-Vermont Avenue exit). Limited on-street parking is nearby.

(Source: Examiner, DC-ist)

City officials gathered Friday morning to open the new Union Station Bike Transit Center, the first secure bicycle parking facility of its kind on the East Coast.  The inside of the helmet-shaped facility includes secure parking for over 100 bikes, about 50 rentable lockers, a relatively spacious changing room, and a bike repair shop that is available to the general public, as well as members.

The Post offers more basic details: it’s 1,700 square feet, costs $100 per year for membership, and will contain changing rooms, personal lockers, and a bike repair shop.  All good things, though it’s a shame they couldn’t find a way to include some showers.

DC Department of Transportation Director Gabe Klein noted that 60 people had already signed up for memberships to the facility before it even opened today, as evidence of the potential demand for this kind of service in Washington.  Memberships currently cost $96 for a full year, or $12 per month. All members are additionally charged a $20 annual administrative fee. You can also purchase $1 daily passes in increments of $10 (in other words, 10 days worth of access for $10, 30 days worth of access for $30, and so on). You should normally receive your membership card in the mail about five business days after applying, though this early registration process could take a little longer. Membership cards allow users 24/7 access to the parking area.

The beautiful new facility elicited the following comments (courtesy of Examiner):

• The Washington Post’s Dr. Gridlock compares the Bike Station to a space ship that “took a wrong turn at the Mall and parked next to the train station.”
• The Washington Business Journal points out that the DC Bikestation is part of a nationwide network that includes 12 other stations and 200 expected within the next five years. That, perhaps more than this particular bike station, is a significant story that reporters ought to be following.
• DCist spoke with Andrea White-Kjoss, the CEO of Mobis/Bikestation who says the station “represents D.C’s big statement about what they want to do for bicyclists in the city.”

(Source: Examiner via Tree Hugger); Logo courtesy:  SmartBikeDc.com