Please join us for Session 651, The Six-Minute Pitch: Transportation Start-up Challenge

Tuesday, January 14, 2014 3:45PM – 5:30PM, Marriott Salon 3

Sponsored by the TRB Young Members Counci

In this exciting session, young professionals pitch their ideas for the “next big thing” to a panel of successful transportation industry entrepreneurs and investors in just 6 min or less. Following each pitch, the panel will provide immediate feedback on the market potential, business model, and the incorporation of innovative technologies or techniques and the latest research in the pitch. An honorary winner will be declared at the end of this fast-paced, interactive session.

Event Date & Time: January 15, 2:30PM-5:30PM

Venue:
Organization of American States
Padilha Vidal Meeting Room (Terrace Level)
1889 F Street NW
Washington DC 20006

GTFS in the World, a follow-up to the GTFS for the Rest of Us event in November 2013, kicks off on January 15th during the Transportation Research Board annual meeting week, and you’re invited to take part. Everyone is welcome and this is a free event.

To facilitate entry into the building, please RSVP, arrive a little early, and bring ID.

At the event’s end, we will continue conversations at an establishment close by TBA.

Click here to RSVP

TransitCenter seeks a dynamic Program Analyst to join its staff of two in its New York office. The successful candidate will be an integral member of a growing organization and assist in conducting research, developing and implementing programs and projects related to improving public transit, as well as building organizational capacity. Learn more about the organization, its mission and staff at http://www.transitcenter.org.

Responsibilities

As part of a small core team, the Program Analyst will research issues, develop opportunities, and execute projects for TransitCenter initiatives that promote sustainable urban mobility, with oversight from the Executive Director and Director of Research & Development. Some projects may be executed through the use of program consultants with specialized subject matter expertise.

The initial primary area of focus will be the field of transportation demand management, and in particular workplace-based programs that assist employers in shifting their employees to non-auto commuting practices. Though the workplace-based program is an initial focus, a successful candidate will have avid interest and versatility to work on other transit-related subjects as assigned and his/her portfolio will likely expand in the near future.

The Program Analyst will initially be responsible for developing options for TransitCenter in transportation demand management including the evaluation and promotion of workplace-based, employer-sponsored programs and the government programs that fund some of them. Once a useful summary of the existing state of the field is compiled, the Program Analyst will put forward options for potential roles TransitCenter could play, present them for consideration by senior management and the Board of Directors, and ultimately oversee implementation of programs.

The Program Analyst will also share responsibility for communicating TransitCenter’s initiatives through articles, blog posts, and social media.

TransitCenter is in effect a start-up so the Program Analyst will also be expected to play a hands-on role in operations and shoulder a portion of the organization’s administrative duties as assigned.

The position is based in New York City, out of the Center for Social Innovation in Chelsea. The salary range is $55-70,000 commensurate with experience, with a competitive benefits package.

Requirements

The successful candidate will have:

• Fundamental understanding of the principles underpinning sustainable urban mobility and an intuitive appreciation of the role that transportation plays in contributing to urban vitality. While technical knowledge of transportation can be a plus, it is not a requirement, and is secondary to natural curiosity and passion for the mission.
• Keen ability to scan developments in research or case studies, make connections across disciplines, and draw hypotheses and/or conclusions.
• Research capacity to build a case through solid evidence. General knowledge of common primary and secondary sources for issues related to urbanization and transportation.
• Excellent writing and presentation skills and a strategic communications mindset. Because our work intends to change or shift policy, design, practice, and culture, how something is communicated is nearly as important as what is being presented.
• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills will be useful in project implementation.
• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in a field related to urban planning, public policy, development, business, or economics; if his or her bachelor’s degree is in some other field, a master’s degree in one of these fields is required. Related work experience will also be considered to balance out the education profile.
• At least 2-4 years of professional experience in an organization related to urban planning and development, civic activism, transportation, the environment, and/or public policy.
• Technical facility with at least one of the following will be favorable: Adobe Creative Suite, GIS, social media, or web publishing.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to form connections with people of diverse backgrounds, flexibility and a sense of humor to accommodate the organization as it evolves.

To apply:

Send a letter explaining your interest, a C.V., and one writing sample to dbragdon@transitcenter.org by 12:00 Noon on Wednesday, December 25, 2013.

TransitCenter is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, political orientation or any other characteristic protected by federal state or local law.

The Central Maryland Transportation Alliance seeks qualified applicants for the position of Director of Policy and Programs.  This is a full-time, salaried position with benefits.

Desired Start Date:  week of Jan. 6, 2014 or a.s.a.p.

The Central Maryland Transportation Alliance is a non-profit coalition of business, philanthropic, non-profit and institutional organizations.   Our commitment is to create a forward-thinking, innovative, realistic, usable transportation system.   We advocate for better transportation that will provide access and opportunity for housing, jobs, education, services, goods and recreation to all residents throughout the region.  The Transportation Alliance is an initiative of the Baltimore Community Foundation.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct research to support the Transportation Alliance’s initiatives. This includes, but is not limited to, our ‘Let’s Get to Work’ initiative to enhance service on MARC commuter rail, improving access to regional jobs via alternatives to driving alone, transit-oriented development, transportation funding, and benchmarking the region against national peers;
• Design and execute a comprehensive organizing plan that brings together hundreds of stakeholders to call for advancing the Transportation Alliance’s objectives;
• Assist with development activities including creating and executing a fundraising strategy and grantwriting;
• Develop and maintain knowledge and expertise in diverse areas of transportation including transportation planning, alternative funding methods, transit-oriented development, and related topics to inform conversations with colleagues, partners, and stakeholders;
• Cultivate meaningful collaborations with businesses, institutions, non-government organizations, and government agencies to advance the Transportation Alliance’s mission and vision;
• Assist in the preparation and delivery of presentations for audiences comprised of elected officials, economic development professionals, business leaders, other non-profit advocacy organizations, etc.;
• Assist with drafting various documents and materials such as the organization’s newsletter, social media content, letters to the editor, letters to elected officials, etc.;
• Represent the organization at meetings;
• Other duties as assigned.  In an office environment with a small staff, all personnel, including the Director of Policy and Programs, are asked to be flexible about covering various duties as they arise.

Qualifications:

• Masters degree or commensurate experience in public policy, environmental science,  geography, urban planning, or related fields;
• Familiarity with transportation and its connection with economic development, urban planning, and environmental issues;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly with word processing and spreadsheets;
• Experience with advocacy campaigns, organizing, and coalition building is preferred;
• Experience with data and quantitative analysis, particularly reviewing and analyzing budgets, is a plus;
• Proficiency with social media such as Twitter and Facebook and web outreach is a plus.

To Apply:

The Central Maryland Transportation Alliance offers a competitive salary and benefits package.  To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to Brian O’Malley, bomalley@cmtalliance.org.  The first review of letters and resumes will take place after Monday, December 9, 2013.

The Central Maryland Transportation Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and seeks a diverse pool of candidates in this search.

We all know our “developed” societies have way too many cars and often choke up our streets and take up valuable space, resulting in terrible congestion and chronic bottle necks.. If a lot of people chose to leave behind their cars and instead opt for public transportation, it will be a perfect anti-dote for the chronic congestion that plagues our streets. So, how do you tell this story effectively? Here is one way to do it.. I call this the mother of all sustainable transportation images (courtesy of The Atlantic)

Let me tell ya.. The amount of road space saved when a few dozen people switch from driving cars to riding the public transport is ENORMOUS.

Additional information about Parsons Brinckerhoff’s strategic consulting group may be found athttp://www.pbworld.com/capabilities_projects/strategic_consulting/.

Here is a link to the job posting. Candidates can also go to PB’s website (www.pbworld.com) and search job #19267.

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.

On The Telegraph’s website, you can check an awesome gallery of vintage cool photos from the London Underground, shot during the 1970s/80s.  The ones below  are a what struck me the most and it has a sense of class and crazy retro cool that is unmatched.

Transit systems and the people who rode them back in the day are always so nice to look at. It is like a glimpse of  the city’s colorful past, conveyed silently through the pictures of people who were on the trains. Makes it a bit more endearing knowing someone has put in some serious effort to document all this in an era when there were no smartphones with megapixel cameras and no Flickr accounts.

Click link above or the pic below to see the entire gallery.

Not wanting the party to end, a couple of ladies head home with their drinks. Image Courtesy: Bob Mazzer via The Telegraph

Some strange things happening below the surface – Image Courtesy: Bob Mazzer via The Telegraph

A new study from the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) led by Georgia Institute of Technology is looking at how transit agencies can use web-based tools including online polls and surveys, social media, mobile applications, and crowdsourcing to gather feedback from customers and other stakeholders. The project team is inviting transit operators to participate in a survey about their current and future uses of web-based feedback.

The survey is open to all transit agencies regardless of size or transportation modes offered. Even if the agency does not have a web-based presence, agencies insights will be valuable to the research effort. The final survey results will be incorporated into a report that will be published by the Transportation Research Board. This is a web-based survey that should take 10-15 minutes to complete and the survey deadline is May 31, 2013.

For queries please contact

Kari Watkins, the PI, by phone at (404) 385-4213 or email at kari.watkins@ce.gatech.edu.

Human subjects inquired can be directed Melanie Clark, Georgia Institute of Technology, at (404) 894-6942.

Here is the link for the survey http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1190592/5ac76b6bebb0