Photo by Aimee Custis Photography

Position Title: Research Analyst

Number of Open Positions: One, full-time.

Hiring Organization: Mobility Lab, a program managed by the Destination Sales & Marketing Group, Limited on behalf of Arlington County Commuter Services.

About the Mobility Lab Program

Mobility Lab is a program of Arlington County, Virginia’s transportation demand management bureau, Arlington County Commuter Services (ACCS). The program has four main functions. One is hosting and co-sponsoring events related to transportation demand management (TDM) and transit-oriented development (TOD). The second is sharing news and information about TDM and TOD via the mobilitylab.org web site. The third is educating policy-makers about TDM.

The Research Analyst will help fulfill Mobility Lab’s fourth function, conducting research. At present, Mobility Lab’s primary research efforts focus on the following four categories:

1. Evaluation and measurement of other ACCS programs.
2. Public-opinion and other market research related to transportation.
3. Fulfilling data and information requests from ACCS programs, as well as groups outside of ACCS and Arlington County government.
4. Special projects.

Prior Mobility Lab research studies may be viewed at http://mobilitylab.org/research/mobility-lab-research-catalog/

Since TDM is an inherently public-facing transportation specialty and the companion elements of the Mobility Lab program are oriented towards outreach and communication, the research program must continuously strike a balance between serving the fast-paced, ever-changing needs for information from colleagues, and maintaining high standards of quality for projects that span many months or years. The program must also provide information to ACCS staff that is, technically sound, easy-to-understand, and actionable.

The research program is highly visible and receives considerable scrutiny from within ACCS.

Why are We Hiring for this Position?

The Mobility Lab Research Director and colleagues have identified a need to integrate program-evaluation-and-measurement research functions further into the day-to-day work of ACCS programs.

As one example, Mobility Lab will work with Arlington Transportation Partners (the business-outreach program of ACCS), to measure the impact of new transportation benefits or outreach on mode shift by analyzing small-scale pre- and post-intervention datasets in partnership with ATP staff as they engage employers regarding offering or expanding TDM benefits to their employees.

The research program will also enhance its integration with other ACCS programs by supporting information gathering for those programs. This will include providing regular written and oral synopses of relevant academic and public research to program staff, with key takeaways that the programs can use to enhance their work. The research program will also provide streams of regularly updated market information, such as demographic and transportation-related Census data, news of business relocations, and new residential construction.

In order to fulfill these new functions, Mobility Lab needs to expand its in-house capacity for collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing data and making informed, evidence-based, data-driven recommendations. The Research Analyst will add knowledge of quantitative-research data collection, statistics, and data management.

Adding in-house capacity will complement existing and future research work managed by Mobility Lab but conducted by consulting firms.

The Research Analyst will report directly to the Research Director. The Research Analyst will also interact with other Mobility Lab and ACCS staff.

Responsibilities

• Draft survey questionnaires for approval by Research Director and other stakeholders.
• Assist with programming and monitoring of internet-based surveys.
• Analyze survey data using descriptive statistics and significance tests, and compare that data with other spatial and non-spatial data.
• Summarize and present analysis findings through written, visual, and oral communication.
• Assist the Research Director and ACCS-program staff with analysis of contact databases, including query and report writing.
• Track and report on outside research relevant to ACCS programs, as well as employer, labor-market, transportation, and demographic data.
• Assist in the creation of a database for the collection of performance metrics for ACCS programs. Lead maintenance and updating of the database for reporting to the Commonwealth of Virginia and other stakeholders.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Strong critical-thinking ability and capacity to build evidence-based arguments.
• Excellent analytic and technical skills that support critical thinking and evidence-based arguments.
• General knowledge of common primary and secondary sources of data, as well as a curiosity for exploring, discovering, and using new sources.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent time management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to be proactive in identifying and offering solutions to problems.
• Proficiency with common statistics packages (such as SPSS, SAS, R, or similar), Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Access.
• One to three years of professional experience in research analysis.
• Proficiency with any geographic information systems (GIS) software is strongly preferred.
• Experience designing and fielding internet-based surveys and analyzing collected data using common statistical tests preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in geography, business, public policy, economics, sociology, psychology, computer science, statistics, or urban planning. Candidates with degrees in economics, business, sociology, psychology, computer science, and statistics, must demonstrate an interest in cities, transportation, and/or marketing. 

Salary and Benefits

Salary will be commensurate with experience, but in the range of $50,000 to $65,000 per year.

Participation in DS&MG’s 401(k) plan, health insurance (including dental and vision), short- and long-term disability, as well as direct payment of transit/vanpool costs up to $130 per month (up to $1,560 per year) OR bike-commuting costs at $20 per month ($240 per year), and payment of annual Capital Bikeshare membership fees ($75 per year). A “compressed” work schedule that allows employees to take every-other Friday as a day off after six months of employment per supervisor approval. Total paid time off for vacation and illness of 128 hours (16 days) per year. An additional 10 paid holidays per year.

Note that this is not a position with Arlington County Government.

To Apply

Please send a letter of introduction, resume, three professional or academic references, and one writing sample that demonstrates your ability to communicate quantitative information. One sample of any work that demonstrates your ability to communicate quantitative information through visuals is also welcome, though not required.

Send materials in PDF format to stephen.crim@mobilitylab.org. Please include the phrase “Mobility Lab Research Analyst” in the Subject line. No phone calls please.

Photo by Elvert Barnes

The Special Projects Officer will assist with the implementation of Metro’s approved Public Participation Plan (PPP) to improve two way communication to boost inclusiveness of the public for all major initiatives.   This position will develop communications plans as well as plan and host opportunities for riders, the public, community organizations, advocacy groups, and special interest groups to provide feedback on major service, capital projects, and policy initiatives under consideration at Metro.

This position will schedule, coordinate and track public activities and ensure outreach is conducted in the appropriate service areas.  Traditionally hard-to-reach populations must be engaged.  This position will also serve as a brand ambassador for Metro at a wide variety of events and meetings, which includes setting up events, giving presentations, taking surveys and other communication strategies.

The ideal candidate is a self-starter and well organized. Has experience working with community groups and non-profits; understands minority, ethnic and religious populations and possesses a high level of cultural sensitivity.  Candidate also has excellent presentation skills, is comfortable in front of large and small crowds and has the ability to simplify complex information based on the audience.  Additional preferences include bilingual, flexible work schedule (evenings, weekends, and early mornings), valid driver’s license and ability to lift 25lbs.

www.wmata.com/careers  JOB ID: 141282

Image courtesy: IEA.org

Some interesting nuggets from IEA:

• Since 1990, the domestic transport sector has accounted for the largest share of total final energy consumption, more than 30%, in the 24 OECD countries.
• Within the sector, road transport dominates energy consumption, at 90% in 2011, as shown in this chart above based on the IEA energy efficiency indicators database.
• Further disaggregated data by segment and vehicle type indicate that consumption by passenger cars is a key driver (64%) for road transport, and thus for global energy consumption trends.

Click here to learn more.

Program Manager for a new Global Designing Cities program

The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) is seeking a Program Manager for a new Global Designing Cities program, a multi-year initiative that will develop a global street design guide and provide technical assistance on street and public space design to cities around the world. Applicants should demonstrate past experience and leadership in the fields of city planning, design, and public policy, with background knowledge in transportation, land use, urban development, and other city issues in an international context. For this position, NACTO is looking for a strong communicator with a keen eye for understanding the design of city streets as part of an overall campaign to improve cities and traffic safety in general.

The Global Designing Cities Program Manager will be assisting with the development of street design content that connects best practices from global cities with the international realm over the next several years, as well as conducting trainings and outreach with partner organizations. The position works closely with NACTO’s Executive Director and Global Streets Design Director as well as steering committees to ensure the effective implementation and dissemination of the initiative’s core goals. The Program Manager must be highly self-directed, and willing to accommodate a schedule with occasional travel to national conferences, trainings, and other meetings. The ideal candidate will have
experience and standing in city street design at a national or international level.

Core activities for the Program Manager include:

• Original content production for street design targeting the international market, with significant writing and graphic production.
• Contributing original ideas for graphic styles of streetscape renderings, imagery, presentations, and layout that communicate content most effectively.
• Work closely in a team environment on the development and dissemination of Global Street Design principles that provide the key principles of world-class street design, while also providing a platform and the means to translate these principles to the local conditions of select focus cities and countries.
• Assistance with coordination of oversight committees and peer-to-peer activities during development of content and dissemination, working closely with partners.
• Support in training and outreach in select focus international cities in partnership with local organizations and governments.
• Assistance with project management, including support for fundraising and grant management, program budgets, and working with grant-making partners.
• Fostering relationships with partners, city staff in target communities, leadership, and partners.

Minimum Qualifications: Graduate Degree in Urban Planning, Transportation Engineering, Urban Design, Public Policy or a related field and 3 years of experience, or a Bachelor’s Degree and an equivalent amount of experience; strong writing skills, graphic production skills in Adobe Creative Suite, proficiency in GIS.

Additional Desired Qualifications: Experience working with national, state or city standards in street design; experience working on the built environment in an international policy context; proficiency in 3-D modeling software such as SketchUp.

Salary Range: $65,000 – $80,000

Email a cover letter, resume and work samples to the Global Street Design Director at hr@nacto.org. Deadline for applications: December 1, 2014

The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit association that represents large cities on transportation issues of local, regional and national significance. NACTO views the transportation departments of major cities as effective and necessary partners in regional and national transportation efforts, promoting their interests in federal decision-making. We facilitate the exchange of transportation ideas, insights and best practices among large cities, while fostering a cooperative approach to key issues facing cities and metropolitan areas. As a coalition of city transportation departments, NACTO is committed to raising the state of the practice for street design
and transportation by building a common vision, sharing data, peer-to-peer exchange in workshops and conferences, and regular communication among member cities. We believe that by working together, cities can save time and money, while more effectively achieving their policy goals and objectives.

Fellow

• Start Date: As soon as possible
• Duration: 6-month Fellowship
• Salary: $2,500/month

The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), a non-profit association which represents large cities on transportation issues of local and national importance, seeks a recent graduate or current graduate student in the field of urban planning, sustainable transportation, architecture, urban design, or public policy for a six-month paid fellowship. The fellow will work on geographic and statistical projects related to urban street design and bike share in a national and international context.

Responsibilities will include:

• Conduct statistical and geospatial analysis to assist with the creation of NACTO’s Bike Share best practices guide, Transit Streets Design Guide and Global Streets Design Guide.
• Collect and write up case studies on sustainable transportation topics.
• Data collection and research on transportation issues, including direct outreach to cities.
• Production of visually clear, concise graphics to communicate information.

The desired candidate is self-motivated with experience finding and analyzing data sets, creating data
maps and charts, and conducting research around issues of sustainable transportation and major trends in
urban planning, design, and policy.

Qualifications:

• Graduate Degree (preferred) or Bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning, Urban Studies, Public Policy, Urban Design, Transportation Systems, or Architecture with a demonstrated interest in sustainable transportation.
• Relevant internship, graduate-level research, or work experience in sustainable transportation, urban development, and related fields.

Competencies Desired

• Mapping: ArcGIS or open-source GIS applications
• Graphics: Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator), SketchUp
• Data Analysis: Access, Stata, SPSS, or similar
• Experience with data visualization tools and 3D modeling, some knowledge of programming languages used in interactive graphics or web development a plus

Cover Letters and Resumes should be sent to hr@nacto.org by November 26th, 2014.

Young motorcyclist pops a wheelie on his high-powered sports motorcycle gets caught red handed by horse-mounted policemen.. When you see the video below you can’t help but laud the way the police handled the youngin’. If you got a few minutes to spare, see the comments posted on this YouTube video..

via The Daily Mail

No doubt. Eurostar is impressive all around and the infograph below captures it all succinctly.. What’s more exciting? The upcoming direct connection between London and Amsterdam starting 2o16? Imagine catching the train with your bike in London and riding around Amsterdam all day in your own bike. Drool!

Image Courtesy: the Daily Mail

Check out the Daily Mail article here.

Source  www.dronestagr.am via pddnet.com

For more information visit www.dronestagr.am.

Now that the mid-term election is over and everybody is debating the performance of candidates, it is time to take a look at how the public reacted to a slew of transportation ballot measures across the country.  Our friends at AASHTO has pulled together a nice summary of articles that explain how these transportation issues played out. One important item that caught my eye was the defeat of Nick Rahall, a top Democrat (from West Virginia) on the transportation committee, lost his seat after 38 years. These midterm election results are plain c

Photo by hjl

razy! Anyways, check out the list below:

• Wisconsin Voters Approve State Transportation Fund Amendment
  Link to article in the Journal Sentinel
• Maryland Voters Approve Transportation Lockbox
  Link to article in The Baltimore Sun
• Traffic-Tied Texans Tap Oil and Gas Taxes for Transportation
  Link to article in Governing
• Voters in Austin, Texas Defeat Urban Rail Transportation Bond
  Link to story on KXAN-TV
• Transportation Measures in San Francisco, Alameda County Win Support
  Link to article in the San Francisco Chronicle
• Seattle Voters Approve Public Transit Package, Reject Monorail Extension
  Link to article in the Puget Sound Business Journal
• Atlanta Transit Expansion Overwhelmingly Approved
  Link to article in The Hill
• Mass Transit Initiative in Tampa Bay Area Fails
  Link to article in The Tampa Tribune
• Transportation Tax Soundly Defeated in Alachua County, Florida
  Link to article in The Gainesville Sun
• Forsyth County, Georgia Voters Approve Transportation Bond Referendum
  Link to article in Forsyth County News
• Driver Cards Rejected by Wide Margin in Oregon
  Link to article in the Statesman Journal
• Cleveland, Maple Heights Voters Smack Down Red-Light Cameras
  Link to Northeast Ohio Media Group article
• Rep. Nick Rahall, Top Democrat on Transportation Committee, Loses Seat After 38 Years
  Link to article in The Hill

Related articles

• Seattle voters approve public transit package, preschool funding
• Austinites defeat urban rail transportation bond
• Highway funding gets overwhelming support from voters

Deadline: Applications accepted until the position is filled.

NABSA is a member association of bikeshare system owners, managers, operators and service vendors. The purpose is to provide collaboration, sharing of experiences and best practices, enhanced communication, and guidance to the new and fast growing industry of bikesharing. NABSA was formed in summer 2014 and seeks to move bike share forward by driving innovation and improvement of bike sharing systems, creating a forum for system owners and providers to collaborate, establishing a voice for bikeshare on federal legislation, and providing information and education on topics not covered in other forums. The organization hosts an annual member meeting, conference and trade show aimed at assisting bike share industry professionals. In addition, NABSA develops best practices and research papers to assist its members and further the development of the bike share industry.

ABOUT THE POSITION

NABSA is seeking an experienced project manager to work on a contract basis to help oversee all bike  share related projects of the newly formed North American Bike Share Association. The contractor will assist with fundraising, foster relationships with bike share professionals, participate in the coordination of member-driven initiatives, and provide administrative support to the board of directors, including completing the formation of the organization. The contractor will report to the president of the board of directors with accountability to board members on a project basis.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES/SCOPE OF WORK

Organization Formation

• Help complete the formation of the organization including finalizing the application for federal tax exemption.
• Assist accountant with set up of financial systems including implementing sound accounting practices.
• Establish and maintain a communication system to create transparency, support an “information clearinghouse” and minimize burden on bike share system managers to respond to surveys and information requests.
• Assist with website content development, review and maintenance.
• Establish and maintain databases of existing and potential members.
• Set up organizational infrastructure for future growth.

Administration

• Provide support for board meetings including helping to set agenda, create and disseminate materials and oversee completion of follow-up tasks.
• Serve as primary point of contact and information clearinghouse for member organizations.
• Provide task management for work of board members, consultants and volunteers.

Fundraising

• Support fundraising by creating database of potential funders, cultivating potential funders, and writing grant proposals.

Project Management

• Coordinate logistics for annual meeting, conference and trade-show.
• Conduct in-depth research on all aspects of bike share to ensure NABSA is an information clearinghouse.
• Facilitate national sponsorship and advertising opportunities for member systems
• Work with partner organizations to support federal legislative initiatives on bike share
• Assume responsibility for projects as they arise.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A Bachelor’s Degree or advanced degree in urban planning, public policy, social sciences, business or non-profit management
• Excellent project, planning and time management skills including project prioritization and multi-tasking in a fast-paced organization.
• Strong knowledge of bike share planning and implementation.
• 5+ years professional work experience.
• Independent, results-oriented, highly-organized, engaging self starter.
• Demonstrated excellence in fundraising from a variety of sources including foundations, grants, corporations and individuals.
• Outstanding active listening skills.
• Focused on results through a process of engagement.
• Sophisticated interpersonal, communication and relationship-building skills.
• Strong computer literacy skills and comfort with technology: Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint. GIS and web-based programs helpful.
• Passion for cycling.

TERMS

Initial contract term will be for six months with an estimated 30 hours per week. Compensation is $30 /hr or commensurate with experience. The contractor can be based in a variety of cities. Some travel expected.

It is the policy of the NABSA that no person shall be discriminated against based on race, religion, color, sex, marital status, family status, national origin, age, mental or physical disability, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or source of income.

To apply, send a resume and cover letter to NABSABoard@gmail.com.

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• Capital Bikeshare Ridership Up 31 Percent in 2014, New Stations Planned
• Bike Sharing, Social Justice, and Urban Villages