Mineta Transportation Institute

What makes a livable city? Vancouver has it all figured out.

2010-06-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

What makes a livable city? It isn’t traffic congestion, that’s for sure. Gordon Price, former Vancouver city council member, offered a look at an alternative.

Using historic photographs of several American cities, he showed the differences in street use 100 years ago and today. “Streets had a lot of pedestrians who could use it when they wanted to,” he said, showing a photo of Detroit. The image included people walking freely among the few cars and a horse-drawn wagon. “Now streets are dominated by cars,” he said, switching to a photo of the same location today. “It’s all because of ‘Motordom’ – an alliance of auto clubs, dealerships, and manufacturers that created a socially reconstructed purpose for streets.”

Rather than allow streets to be convenient for people, the alliance repurposed them for vehicles. To do that, they began a campaign to publicize the number of people that could be killed, the number of accidents, the number of jaywalkers, and other statistics designed to worry the population. By the 1920s, streets were transformed as roadways for cars, and the cities were accommodating them.

Then in 1942, a Transportation Planning Handbook was published for transportation engineers. It laid out the standards for “designing an efficient, free, rapid flow of traffic.” It was all about allowing vehicles to move faster, without pedestrians in the way. This was the Utopian vision for the future.

A decade later, the Eisenhower Interstate System became the world’s biggest public works project. These highways were promoted by stating that a driver could go X number of miles without ever encountering a traffic light. In fact, he said, today you can drive from Tijuana up to the Canadian border without hitting light. “The first one is probably when you come into Vancouver,” he said.

With the car came suburbia, which was supported by a network of arterials, cheap energy, abundant service land, continuous safe water, low-cost insured money, and the technology to make it all work. Today, there’s only one real choice for moving around – cars. Urban planning is now automobile dependent, and urban form follows parking! Now, he said, we do sprawl big time.

Gordon challenged the audience to name one urban area where a multitude of cars can exist and still have free-flowing traffic. Have we ever reached that Utopia envisioned in 1942? The fact remains that creating car-dependent communities still has not produced one livable city.

But the city of Vancouver handled it differently. No freeways traverse its urban core, even though they were proposed many times and in multiple configurations. “But not having arterials running through Vancouver has not affected the city’s livability,” Gordon said. “Instead, we induced congestion and made it our friend. It’s not easy to drive around the city. People can do it if they wish, but it becomes so inconvenient that they prefer transit. Pedestrians, bikes, blades, and transit have a higher priority than the single-occupant vehicle.”

Vancouver wants to be pedestrian friendly. Streets move at a walking speed. There’s a transit network of streetcars. Along those trunk lines are jobs and housing. A few cities in the US have had similar success by building along streetcar lines, such as parts of Washington DC and Arlington VA.

To be successful in this endeavor, cities must incorporate sufficient density, a good mixed use with proximity, good design, and transportation choices. In the last five years, Vancouver saw a 13% drop in car use and a 55% increase in alternatives. Counter to what one would expect, commute times have actually dropped.

“We’ve bucked the national trend,” Gordon said. “And we did it without taking away people’s cars. We just gave them more choices.”

In fact, with the 2010 Olympics, Vancouver had a great controlled traffic experiment. Through efficient use of transit and discouraging car traffic in the central district, the city reduced that traffic by 30%, SkyTrain had 290,000 passengers (nearly three times more than the expected 100,000), and other transit systems saw similar spikes. “We blew everything away,” Gordon said. “We proved that Vancouver can be a successful post-Motordom city.”

The concept of Motordom drove out other choices and made cities vulnerable to the vagaries of fuel prices and other factors beyond their control. After the Deepwater Horizon explosion and the ensuing environmental disaster, where can we go? How much more will we sacrifice just to keep our cars running? That’s a question only we can answer as we make our personal transportation choices, as we vote for transportation policies, and as we make use of our public funds.

For more insight into Gordon Price’s ideas, go here

APTA president Bill Millar opens the Rail Conference in Vancouver

2010-06-08T12:28:00.000-07:00

After a stand-up continental breakfast, APTA president Bill Millar opened the general session to a packed ballroom at the conference hotel here in Vancouver. He provided a lively “state of the rail industry” address, noting that it was a challenging year – but that it was full of successes to balance it out. For one example, he pointed to the number of commuter rail line extensions around the US, and he praised President Obama for supporting high-speed and inter-city rail. “It’s very important to build links among the urban and industrialized areas,” he said.

He noted that transit ridership is down overall, but not by much. Sixty percent of commuter rides are work-related, and with the economy in trouble, there are fewer jobs. A recent APTA survey showed that 59% of responding businesses had to cut jobs, and that even more were still planning to do so.

Interestingly, Canada is having the opposite trend – transit ridership is up. I personally don’t know why that is so, but I sense that the Canadians haven’t built their economy on the automobile as much as Americans have. So in a time of energy conservation, they already have the transit infrastructure to carry them through. But if anyone has other thoughts, please feel free to post them here.

Bill also mentioned a new Senate bill (S3412) that will provide emergency funding for transit operations. However, it has a long way to go through the legislative process, and if it is passed, it may not end up as originally written.

In the end, APTA’s “Holy Grail” is another transportation authorization to follow the now-expired SAFETEA-LU. “It expired in September and then was extended until December 2010,” he said. “I really don’t expect any movement on a new authorization until next year.”

He would like to see $123 billion invested in public transit to expand and improve systems and to make it easier for people to use.

Mattie “MP” Carter, APTA board chair and commissioner of the Memphis transit authority, emphasized the importance of workforce development so new leaders can replace those who are set to retire in the next few years.

She also noted that British Columbia and the state of Washington have signed a memo of understanding (MOU) to create a cross-border high-speed rail (HSR) system. Already, Canada has expanded its commitment to rail, as evidenced by the cities of Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary (which has a wind-powered transit), and Vancouver (with its driverless SkyTrain).

Peter Rogoff, administrator of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), said that the key to HSR success is to connect the links so it becomes part of an integrated system, along with commuter rail, bus rapid transit, and other modes. “But we must ensure good maintenance as well as expansion of new systems,” he said. “We must provide good transit especially for those who must use it because they have no cars, they don’t know how to drive, they aren’t able to drive, or for other reasons. Without good transit, these people may lose their jobs, their places at day care centers, their schooling, and other necessities.”

He noted that there is a prevalence of transit-dependent populations in central urban areas. Will we respect all those citizens and their right to mobility?

Tomorrow, I'll ride the SkyTrain and report back.

Donna Maurillo Is Writing from the APTA Rail Conference

2010-06-07T16:53:00.000-07:00

Vancouver BC is the ideal city for a rail conference. This is a metropolis that loves transit, and I plan to ride the famous driverless Sky Rail tomorrow, which connects much of the city.

Yesterday I attended APTA's High-Speed Rail Committee meeting, which has been renamed the High-Speed and Inter-City Passenger Rail Committee to better reflect its focus on a network of urban transportation systems. The meeting attracted an overflowing crowd of more than 150, requiring that the movable walls be opened into the adjoining room.

Outgoing chair Rod Diridon Sr., who also is executive director of MTI, handed the gavel to the newly-elected board leaders. They include chair Jolene Molitoris, director of the Ohio Department of Transportation; vice-chair Chuck Wochele, a vice president with Alstom Corporation; and secretary Nazih Haddad, COO of the Florida Rail Enterprise, which is part of the Florida DOT.

Karen Rae, deputy administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), addressed the group, telling them that the FRA will focus on building rail capacity much faster and it will streamline its funding process.

APTA president Bill Millar, whose charisma and booming voice always command attention, thanked everyone for working to implement President Obama's simple request to keep high-speed rail (HSR) moving forward. Bill emphasized that HSR requires many ideas, groups and perspectives to carry it to successful implementation. Rod Diridon added that HSR is part of the President's goal to move the USA toward a green transportation policy and to promote environmental issues and sustainable transportation.

A World Congress on High-Speed Rail is set for Beijing from December 6-9 this year. The venue is adjacent to the most recognizable facilities from the Beijing Olympics.

MTI Expert Says Mumbai Derailment Could Have Serious Implications for Rail Security Worldwide

2010-06-04T10:38:00.000-07:00

India has suffered the most numerous attacks, but terrorists can take lessons from these and apply them in other countries.

San Jose, Calif., May 29, 2010 –Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) counter-terrorism expert Brian Michael Jenkins says that the Mumbai train derailment two days ago could point to a growing trend in India. But it also could have serious implications for other countries. Terrorists make note of methods, taking lessons from all attempts, whether successful or not. These lessons could be applied to other systems.

At the same time, transportation security and counter-terrorism experts must take their own lessons so they can create safer and more secure systems in their countries.

Sabotage of the rail line sent the Calcutta-to-Mumbai express hurtling off the tracks into the path of an oncoming freight train, killing more than 100 people and injuring scores of others. According to Indian police, a Maoist guerrilla group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Earlier in May, Maoist guerrillas in India’s Chhattisgarh State detonated a mine under a passenger bus, killing 44.

“The threat seems to be growing, with at least 30 deliberate derailments in India since January 2000, almost four times the number of derailments in the 1990s, and 15 times the number of incidents in the 1980s,” said Mr. Jenkins, director of MTI’s National Transportation Security Center of Excellence. “The death toll between 2000 and 2010 is 13 times greater than that in the 1990s, although, owing to two bloody incidents, it is only slightly greater than the 1980s.”

MTI will be examining this case and other recent attacks in India to see what lessons might be learned and how these may be applied to other countries.

According to MTI’s comprehensive database of attacks on surface transportation, this death toll makes the May 28 derailment India’s worst terrorist attack on passenger rail since 2006, and its bloodiest deliberate derailment in decades. On July 11, 2006 terrorists detonated seven bombs on Mumbai’s crowded commuter trains, killing 207 people and injuring hundreds of others. The last comparable derailment occurred in 1989, when sabotage derailed the Bangalore-Delhi Express killing 67.

A recent MTI report on deliberate derailments, Off the Rails: The 1995 Attempted Derailing of the French TGV (High Speed Train) and Quantitative Analysis of 181 Rail Sabotage Attempts by Mr. Jenkins, Bruce R. Butterworth, and Jean-François Clair, shows India’s rail system suffering the most terrorists derailments with 42 incidents or 23 percent of the total number of such incidents. According to MTI’s database, India also leads the world in the number of terrorist bomb attacks against train and bus targets with 387 incidents since 1970, or 17 percent of the total.

Mr. Jenkins flew to Mumbai in September 2009 at the invitation of Indian officials to discuss surface transportation security issues, and he will return to India later this year. MTI also briefed Indian officials visiting the U.S. in January 2010.

The report may be downloaded at no cost from this link.

ABOUT BRIAN MICHAEL JENKINS

Brian Michael Jenkins is an international authority on terrorism and sophisticated crime. He directs MTI’s research on protecting surface transportation against terrorist attacks. He is also a senior advisor to the president of RAND. From 1989-98, Mr. Jenkins was deputy chairman of Kroll Associates, an international investigative and consulting firm. Before that, he was chairman of RAND’s Political Science Department, where he also directed research on political violence.

MTI Presents “Funding the Transportation System of the Future"

2010-06-03T09:53:00.000-07:00

Mineta Transportation Institute Presents
“Funding the Transportation System of the Future: What's Possible in the Current Anti-Tax Climate?”

Friday, June 25, 2010
8:30am Continental breakfast
9-11am Panel discussion

Commonwealth Club
595 Market Street
Second Floor
San Francisco

FREE!! It also will be recorded for later broadcast on NPR Radio.

Moderator --
Hon. Rod Diridon Sr., Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute

Expert Panel --
- Dr. Asha Weinstein Agrawal, Director, MTI’s National Finance Research Center
- William Millar, President, American Public Transportation Association
- Hon. John Horsley, Executive Director, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
- Hon. Alan Lowenthal, California State Senator

Within the next two decades, the census bureau estimates that the U.S. population will increase by as many as 50 million people, including more than a 25% increase in California’s population alone. This population growth, combined with a growing backlog of overdue maintenance work on roads and transit systems, creates a need for significantly expanded transportation revenues. However, the current political climate is generally unfavorable to tax increases. Given these political realities, what new or expanded revenue sources could be generated for transportation? In particular, what options will be politically feasible in the short and medium term? Our panel of transportation experts, representing viewpoints from the national and state level, will discuss possible revenue options and their likely reception from the public and legislators.

For more information -- http://tickets.commonwealthclub.org/auto_choose_ga.asp?area=1&shcode=1775

Lessons from Hurricane Katrina

2010-04-09T16:46:00.001-07:00

Donna Maurillo, MTI's Communications Director, has been attending the 2010 conference of the American Society of Public Administrators, where she has been blogging.

I attended the morning session about lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina. This had less to do with the storm itself and more to do with planning and processes for recovery. With New Orleans still recovering five years later, there were many recommendations about how to do it better.

First, the best way is to mitigate beforehand. Communities that are prepared will suffer less and recover faster. The “social cost” is rarely accounted for – breakup of neighborhoods, losing family and friends, losing cultural identity, etc. And what are roles of NGOs such as the Red Cross? They are rarely included in government disaster plans, yet they play a significant role.

It was surprising to hear that New Orleans has not reached even the halfway point in its recovery. In part, this is because the city was not adequately prepared. The residents were accustomed to being displaced for 3-4 days, but not for weeks, months or years. FEMA disbursements have been slow, or they are given with restrictions that make little sense because government processes are too broad to fit specific situations. More flexibility would help significantly. Contractors also should be pre-screened for post-disaster work so decisions are not made at the last minute. Performance standards should promote accuracy; many contractor estimates were far below the actual cost. Disaster aid must be given rapidly and it should be outcome-based.

These recommendations, and many others, were given by those who had lived through Katrina or who had worked with the processes. This allowed the session to offer detailed and specific recommendations for improved recovery plans.

http://aspanational.wordpress.com/2010/04/09/lessons-from-katrina/

MTI’s Counter-Terrorism Expert Asks if a Moscow-type Transit Attack Could Happen in the U.S

2010-03-29T22:51:00.000-07:00

Public transit’s “open system” leaves it vulnerable, even though many planned attacks have been prevented, says Brian Michael Jenkins

San Jose, Calif., March 29, 2010 – Officials at the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) say that the deadly subway attacks in Moscow today underscore the inherent vulnerability of public surface transportation. MTI says that, while the U.S. understandably devotes most of its security resources to protecting commercial airliners, Americans must understand that terrorists do the bulk of their killing on trains and buses. The organization’s database currently documents more than 2,000 separate attacks on surface transportation – 1,223 involving bombs and incendiaries – since 1970. These attacks caused 6,190 deaths and approximately 19,000 injuries.

“In 2004, two female suicide bombers brought down two airliners in Russia, killing 88 people,” said Brian Michael Jenkins, a counter-terrorism expert who directs MTI’s National Transportation Security Center of Excellence (NTSCOE). “But since 9/11, terrorist bombers in Russia carried out 65 attacks on trains and buses, killing 273 people and injuring 649.”

Mr. Jenkins says that global statistics are even more dramatic. Available data indicates 125 deaths from eight attacks on airliners and commercial airports outside of war zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11. However, during this same time there have been nearly 700 attacks on surface transportation, causing 2,500 deaths and nearly 10,000 injuries. These figures derive from a new database that MTI’s NTSCOE is developing.

Could it happen here?

In 1997, New York City police interrupted a terrorist plot to carry out a suicide bombing on the city’s subway system. In 2003, authorities discovered a terrorist cell in Bahrain planning a chemical attack on that same subway system. Law enforcement also prevented attacks planned in 2004 to bomb the Herald Square Station in mid-town Manhattan, in 2006 for subway tunnels under the Hudson River, in 2008 for the Long Island Railroad, and just this year on the New York subway system.

“Easy access, confined environments, and large concentrations of people enhance the effectiveness of explosives and unconventional weapons,” Mr. Jenkins says. “That and the terror created by attacking city lifelines make public surface transportation an attractive target for terrorists who are determined to kill in quantity and without discrimination. These are not symbolic attacks meant as protests. They are lethal assaults meant to kill.”

He pointed out similar attacks on Madrid’s commuter trains, on London’s subways and a bus, and seven bombs on Mumbai’s commuter trains. In total, 452 people were killed and 3,000 were injured.

Mr. Jenkins says that public surface transportation is difficult to protect because it is an open system. Large volumes of passengers, the need to avoid long delays, and limited resources rule out imposing an aviation security model. In addition, surface transportation commands only a small fraction of what the federal government spends on aviation security. Cities, too, are strapped for cash.

Unlike aviation security, which is regulated and run by the federal government, Mr. Jenkins says, surface transportation security is a local matter. System operators have increased closed-circuit television surveillance, deployed more security personnel, and taken other steps in accord with local perceptions of threat.

“While 100 percent passenger screening is unrealistic, some systems have implemented selective passenger screening, where some randomly selected passengers voluntarily submit their bags and backpacks for brief inspection,” says Mr. Jenkins. “In a diverse society extremely sensitive to profiling and privacy protection, selective screening must be carefully planned and closely managed to maintain public acceptance. However, it remains a useful option where, as in the wake of the Moscow attacks, subway and train systems are taking security up a notch to discourage copycats and malicious pranksters and to reassure passengers.”

Mr. Jenkins says that passengers themselves can play an important role in protecting themselves on transit. First, they should not over-react. Public surface transportation remains safer than the most risky thing they are likely to do – drive an automobile. Passengers also have a right to expect security and a responsibility to respect security measures. Regular riders also recognize routine activities on their routes, and they know what doesn’t fit. They should promptly report packages, bags, and other objects left behind, as well as any suspicious activity. And they should be prepared to give an accurate description of suspects and events. Cell phone cameras can be especially useful.

How selective screening works is the subject of three recent MTI reports, Selective Screening of Rail Passengers; Rail Passenger Selective Screening Summit; and Supplement to MTI Study on Selective Passenger Screening in the Mass Transit Rail Environment. Each of these may be downloaded at no cost from the active links, or go to www.mti.sjsu.edu, click on “Research” and “Publications,” then scroll down for the reports.

ABOUT BRIAN MICHAEL JENKINS

Mr. Jenkins is an international authority on terrorism and sophisticated crime. He directs MTI’s research on protecting surface transportation against terrorist attacks. He is also a senior advisor to the president of RAND. From 1989-98, Mr. Jenkins was deputy chairman of Kroll Associates, an international investigative and consulting firm. Before that, he was chairman of RAND’s Political Science Department, where he also directed research on political violence.

He has a BA in fine arts and a Masters Degree in history, both from UCLA. He studied in Mexico and Guatemala, where he was a Fulbright Fellow and received a fellowship from the Organization of American States. Mr. Jenkins was a paratrooper and a captain in the Green Berets, serving in Vietnam and the Dominican Republic. He returned to Vietnam as a member of the Long Range Planning Task Group, receiving the Department of the Army's highest award for his service. He authored several articles, reports and books, including International Terrorism: A New Mode of Conflict and Will Terrorists Go Nuclear?

Mineta Transportation Institute Releases Report on Historic Resources Information Management in Large Transportation Agencies

2010-03-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

Research Associate Eric Ingbar has documented the ways to create uniform, enterprise-wide information management for cultural resources

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) has published A Case Study of Enterprise Historic Resources Information Management in Large Transportation Agencies. The study, conducted by information systems professional Eric E. Ingbar, defines how California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) district office information systems for historic resources can and cannot be used to create an agency-wide information management model for those resources. The results range from findings specific to Caltrans and its district offices to general findings that can apply to any transportation agency considering an enterprise-wide system for managing cultural resources.

Every transportation agency in the nation manages historic resources, including historic and prehistoric archaeological sites, buildings, structures, objects, routes, landscapes, and districts. The goal is to prevent damage and to mitigate unavoidable damage. To track known resources, transportation agencies often keep local files in many forms, rely upon external information sources (e.g. state-level historic preservation agencies), and depend upon local staff expertise.

"Enterprise systems are generally more efficient than individual office systems within the same organization," said Mr. Ingbar. "First, staff time and effort can be minimized because training, procedures, and workflow follow a single model. Agency staff can move from one office to another without re-training. Second, because information is stored and presented in consistent, appropriate ways, the work is more efficient. Unique pockets of information become more widely available, and redundancy is eliminated. Third, technical support time and costs can be reduced because a single infrastructure is maintained, rather than multiple computer systems."

Drawbacks also exist. Because the nature of these systems is to make information more uniform, locally valuable data may be lost. Individuals may feel forced to abandon tried-and-true work methods to conform to a computer system. Changing the system may become more difficult as software and procedures become larger and less easy to alter. And enterprise systems can be jeopardized if long-term support for them declines or is removed. This is especially hazardous to enterprise systems that appear to offer little operational benefit.

The free report can be downloaded from www.transweb.sjsu.edu. Click "Research" and then "Publications." Scroll down to the report.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Eric E. Ingbar is a professional archaeologist and cultural resource specialist. He is a founding principal of Gnomon, Inc., a firm specializing in creating, implementing, and maintaining information systems for managing resources and infrastructure, including cultural resources, other natural resources, and proposed land uses. Mr. Ingbar and Gnomon, Inc. are primary IT consultants to many state historic preservation offices, creators of the successful large-scale pilot use of GPS and GIS within Caltrans, consultant to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for multi-agency data sharing and nationwide technical assistance, and recipients of multiple successful agency automation and study projects. He also advises two Federal Highways projects pertaining to cultural resources information automation and environmental streamlining. He earned his BA in social anthropology, with honors, from Swarthmore College in 1979, and his MA in anthropology, with honors, from the University of New Mexico in 1983.

Feb. 26, 1870: New York City Blows Subway Opportunity

2010-03-16T09:14:00.000-07:00

1870: Inventor Alfred Ely Beach opens New York City’s first subway line, a pneumatic demonstration project in a 300-foot tunnel under Broadway.

Beach first demonstrated pneumatic transit at the 1867 American Institute Fair, and sought to build a pneumatic transit system underground to relieve surface-level congestion with a system consisting of, in Beach’s words, merely "a tube, a car, a revolving fan!"

Beach obtained permission in 1868 to build a large package-delivery tunnel under Broadway, but secretly began work on a demonstration passenger-transit system, complete with a luxuriously appointed station and passenger car.

Read the rest of the story at wired.com here.

Mineta Transportation Institute Releases Emergency Management Handbook for State-Level Transportation Agencies

2010-03-15T15:39:00.000-07:00

Edwards and Goodrich provide specific guidance and management techniques to aid emergency planning staff to create DHS-compliant systems.

San Jose, Calif., March 15, 2010 – The Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) has published a Handbook of Emergency Management for State-Level Transportation Agencies. It addresses plans and systems mandated by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that may be applied to the state-level transportation agencies’ disaster response systems to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Specific guidance and management techniques are provided to aid emergency planning staff to create DHS-compliant systems.

State transportation agencies are required to have plans for continuity of government (COG) functions during any catastrophic disaster, as well as for continuity of operations (COOP) – continuing the essential services that they provide to citizens, government, other state agencies, and federal partners during response, recovery and mitigation phases of emergency management. These augment a state’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), which addresses “normal” emergencies.

“This research project was intended to lay the groundwork for establishing priorities that would lead to a mature management capability for emergencies, disasters and catastrophes,” said Frances Edwards, PhD, director of the Master of Public Administration program at San José State University. “While transportation agencies may have significant experience with ‘normal’ emergencies on the roadways, and they may work routinely with state police and fire agencies in disaster situations, this handbook will help them level up to meet DHS requirements.”

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) retained a team of emergency management research associates with significant professional experience in emergency management from the Mineta Transportation Institute’s National Transportation Security Center of Excellence. The team reviewed California’s first COG and COOP plans and advised Caltrans on additions and revisions to the agency’s COG and COOP plans. All this is in keeping with the latest federal guidelines and with the lessons learned from Caltrans’ participation in the 2008 Golden Guardian emergency exercises.

The handbook emphasizes that open, clear and safe roadways are essential so first responders and other emergency teams can reach their destinations. Sample chapters include “The Role of the Emergency Services Manager in a State Transportation Agency,” “The Role of the Department of Transportation Headquarters EOC,” and “The Hierarchy of Emergency Plans.”

The free handbook can be downloaded from www.transweb.sjsu.edu. Click “Research” and then “Publications.” Scroll down to the reports.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

FRANCES L. EDWARDS, MUP, PhD, CEM
Dr. Edwards is director of the Master of Public Administration program and professor of political science at San José State University. She is also a research associate of the Mineta Transportation Institute at SJSU, and she teaches emergency management in the Master of Science inTransportation Management program. In 2009 she was appointed U.S. chair for the European Union CAST Project for the development of unified training for first responders. Her most recent research has been in global supply chain security. She is recognized internationally as an emergency management and security expert. Dr. Edwards was director of the Office of Emergency Services in San José, California for 14 years, including one year as acting assistant chief, San José Fire Department. She has a PhD in public administration, a Master of urban planning, and an MA in political science (international relations).

DANIEL C. GOODRICH, MPA, CEM
Mr. Goodrich is an emergency preparedness coordinator for Lockheed Martin Corporation and an instructor and research associate for the Mineta Transportation Institute at San José State University, where he also teaches security for transportation managers. He was selected as a 2006 Fellow of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and studied Muslim terrorism in Israel at Tel Aviv University. He is a recognized expert in security and emergency response. Mr. Goodrich served in the US Marine Corps for ten years, including leadership positions in Security Forces. He holds a Master of Public Administration from San José State University and is a Certified Emergency Manager.

Mineta Transportation Institute Releases Study on Linking Highway Improvements to Changes in Land Use

2010-03-15T15:33:00.000-07:00

Funderburg, Nixon, and Boarnet study three California counties to develop a better forecasting tool for transportation decision making

San Jose, Calif., March 15, 2010 – The Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) has published Linking Highway Improvements to Changes in Land Use with Quasi-Experimental Research Design: A Better Forecasting Tool for Transportation Decision-making, which studies the ability of quasi-experimental matching techniques to address differing contexts associated with potential highway improvements and extension projects in forecasts of regional growth. This report incorporates popular regional growth forecasting models into a quasi-experimental research design that directly relates new highway investments in three California counties to changes in population and employment location, while controlling for no-build historical counterfactuals.

The strategy permits a comparison of the before-and-after tests for effects of investments on economic growth and land use in three regions that contrast how increased highway access affects development patterns. The study includes an urban center in Santa Clara County, an exurban region in Orange County, and a small town in Merced County. The need for forecasts to account for what would happen to land use in the absence of a project came to the forefront in 1997 when a U.S. District Court judge ruled that the Environmental Impact Statement for a proposed Illinois toll road was deficient because growth projections were the same in the build and no-build scenarios.

“We find that traditional forecast approaches, which lack explicit control selection, can lead to erroneous conclusions about an impact,” said Hilary Nixon, PhD, an assistant professor of urban and regional planning at San José State University. “Our forecasting tool should improve the quality and reliability of Environmental Impact Statements.”

The report’s central finding is that, while improvements in surface transportation tend to have large impacts on growth patterns, the nature of the effects is materially dependent on the context of the highway investment. The report’s models estimate that, on average, a statistically and economically significant 338 to 11,103 new Orange County jobs occurred within a typical census tract in the county’s formerly exurban region after gaining highway access when compared to no-build counterfactuals. On the other hand, the models predict a starkly different outcome as a result of a highway bypass built outside the small town of Livingston in Merced County, where the researchers found an economically and statistically significant 12 to 83 job losses per square kilometer that might be anticipated had the bypass not been built. They found no significant effects on population or employment growth that can be attributed to the new highway investments near the urban center of Santa Clara County.

Policy implications from this analysis are potentially significant, particularly as it relates to the environmental review process. The research results suggest that context is important and that the impacts on population and employment growth from infrastructure improvements are not necessarily consistent from one geographic region to another, nor from one type of project to another. As seen in the Illinois case (Sierra Club v. United States DOT, 1997), documenting the potential impact is an essential component of the review process, and better models are needed to forecast changes.

The free report can be downloaded from www.transweb.sjsu.edu. Click “Research” and then “Publications.” Scroll down to the reports.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

RICHARD G. FUNDERBURG, PhD
Dr. Funderburg is assistant professor of urban and regional planning at the University of Iowa. His research investigates an array of factors that attract economic activities to both developing and advantaged regions. He earned a PhD in planning, policy, and design from University of California, Irvine and he holds MPPA and BA degrees from California State University.

HILARY NIXON, PhD
Dr. Nixon is an assistant professor of urban and regional planning at San José State University. Her research and teaching interests in environmental planning and policy focus on the relationship between environmental attitudes and behavior, particularly related to waste management, and linkages between transportation and the environment. She has a BA from the University of Rochester in environmental management and a PhD in planning, policy, and design from the University of California, Irvine.

MARLON G. BOARNET, PhD
Dr. Boarnet is professor of planning, policy, and design and economics at the University of California, Irvine, where he has been on faculty since 1991. Previously, he was chair of the Department of Planning, Policy, and Design at UC Irvine. He earned a PhD from Princeton University. His research focuses on the inter- and intra-metropolitan distribution of economic activity, the links between transportation policy and economic development, local economic development policy, and land use. He is widely published and serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Planning Literature and Papers in Regional Science.

News Release

2010-02-23T15:39:00.000-08:00

Mineta Transportation Institute Releases Study on Motor Carrier Hazmat Transport Theft and Its Possible Use in Terrorism

Jenkins, Butterworth, et al studied the most effective ways that safety/security measures can be leveraged for anti-terrorism

San Jose, Calif., February 17, 2010 – The Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI), has published Report 09-03, Potential Terrorist Uses of Highway-Borne Hazardous Materials, which evaluates security risks created by truck-borne hazardous materials, particularly gasoline tankers. The Department of Homeland Security requested the report from MTI’s National Transportation Security Center of Excellence (MTI’s NTSCOE). It is authored by Brian Michael Jenkins and Bruce R. Butterworth, along with Douglas Reeves, Billy Poe and Karl S. Shrum.

MTI has also issued a companion report, MTI Report 09-04, Implementation and Development of Vehicle Tracking and Immobilization Technologies, a study by Brian Michael Jenkins, Bruce Butterworth, and Dr. Frances Edwards. It details specific developments in tracking and immobilization technology that can increase security.

“We consider gasoline tankers, and to a lesser extent, propane tankers to be the most attractive options for terrorists seeking to use highway-borne hazmat because they can create intense fires in public assemblies and residential properties,” said Brian Michael Jenkins, Director of MTI’s NTSCOE. “We strongly urge that DHS, State governments and the industry take a renewed look at flammable liquids and gases as a weapon of opportunity, and at a strategy to improve security measures and technology.”

The peer-reviewed reports came from a review of terrorist objectives, hazardous materials, and potential targets. The reports conclude that terrorists most often seek soft targets that yield significant casualties. They also prefer attacking public buildings and assemblies. Terrorists more often choose simple operations promising modest consequences rather than complex and uncertain operations promising catastrophic ones. Terrorists have also discussed substituting fire for harder-to-acquire explosives. Gasoline tankers have greater appeal because they can easily produce intense fires, operate in target-rich environments with predictable routes, and pose few security challenges.

The report urges that the government, which has focused more on hazmat that can cause catastrophic losses, also focus – as terrorists tend to – on the most readily available, least protected hazmat. The report calls for a clear strategy to increase and sustain security, and for resolving significant jurisdictional issues between federal and state authorities; strengthening hazmat security measures in the field; and implementing vehicle tracking technologies, panic alarms, and immobilization capabilities for vehicles carrying specific hazardous materials, including gasoline. These measures also offer safety and anti-crime benefits.

The free reports can be downloaded from www.transweb.sjsu.edu. Click “Research” and then “Publications.” Scroll down to the reports.

ABOUT THE PRINCIPAL AUTHORS:

BRIAN MICHAEL JENKINS, PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

He has a BA in fine arts and an MA in history, both from UCLA. He studied in Mexico and Guatemala, where he was a Fulbright Fellow and received a fellowship from the Organization of American States. Mr. Jenkins was a paratrooper and a captain in the Green Berets, serving in Vietnam and the Dominican Republic. He authored several articles, reports and books, including International Terrorism: A New Mode of Conflict and Will Terrorists Go Nuclear?

BRUCE R. BUTTERWORTH

Mr. Butterworth has had a distinguished government career, working at congressional, senior policy, and operational levels. With Brian Michael Jenkins he co-authored Selective Screening of Rail Passengers (MTI Report 06-07), published by the Mineta Transportation Institute in February 2007. He also co-authored a May 2007 study, Keeping Bombs Off Planes: Securing Air Cargo, Aviations Soft Underbelly with P.J. Crowley, senior fellow and director of Homeland Security at the Center for American Progress. Mr. Butterworth was awarded an MS degree from the London School of Economics in 1974 and a BA degree from the University of the Pacific in 1972.

Emergency Exercise for Train Rescues

2010-02-19T17:49:00.000-08:00

Dr. Frances Edwards, one of MTI's faculty members for the Master of Science in Transportation Mangement, wrote this item for the American Society for Public Administration's Section on Emergency and Crisis Management's professional newsletter, Emergency Management Dispatch.

"San Jose's two commuter railroads - ACE Train (Altamont Commuter Express) and Caltrain (serving San Jose to San Francisco corridor) - worked with San Jose Fire Department and the local ambulance provider to hold an emergency preparedness exercise on Saturday, December 12, 2009. The exercise was supported by the DHS Transportation Security Grant program.

"The scenario was a train collision, necessitating gaining emergency access to the cars using the emergency windows, and then triaging and treating patients in the cars, then extricating them through the windows and doors. The interior of the cars have narrow walkways, and some cars are two levels, creating rescue challenges. Patients then had to transported using rolling carts and skeds to the treatment and transportation area at street level, above the railroad embankment.

"Mineta Transportation Institute Research Associate Dan Goodrich provided consultation services during exercise development, and Dan and Frannie Edwards, MTI's Deputy Director for DHS' National Transportation Security Center of Excellence, served as observers during the exercise. Over 100 public safety personnel from San Jose Fire Department and several mutual aid departments participated. Volunteer victims came from the Fire Explorer program of San Jose Fire Department."

Critical Mass Ruling in NY Could Move West

2010-02-17T09:36:00.000-08:00

By: Mike Aldax
San Francisco Examiner
February 17, 2010

A court decision in New York City that may create strict restrictions on the Critical Mass bicycle event raises questions as to whether San Francisco could do the same.

A judge ruled Tuesday that New York City can force groups of 50 people or more on bicycles to get a parade permit, a process known to be cumbersome.

The legal battle stemmed from a clash between cyclists and police in 2004 during the Republican National Convention in which hundreds of bicyclists were arrested for alleged unruly behavior.

After the incident, the New York City Police Department sought stricter enforcement on Critical Mass, a group cycling event that clogs up busy city roadways on the last Friday evening of every month. The event started in San Francisco in 1992 and is now mimicked in cities around the world.

Participants argued restrictions infringed upon their First Amendment constitutional rights. However, the judge wrote in his ruling that “their lack of predictability and their tendency to try to stay together in a moving column, even if this means going through a red light … endanger other travelers and disrupt orderly traffic flow.”

Supporters of The City’s Critical Mass say they are wary that the legal decision in New York will inspire a similar push for restrictions here.

“There is always a chance that somebody is going to try to crack down,” said Chris Carlsson, a longtime San Francisco participant who co-authors a blog about Critical Mass.

Last month, police Chief George Gascón expressed dissatisfaction with the bike protest, saying he had been fielding complaints from drivers and bicyclists since becoming chief in August. The Police Department launched a review of the event, he said.

Mayor Gavin Newsom has repeatedly cautioned that the potential backlash from a major crackdown would not be worth the hassle.

The Mayor’s Office “hasn’t had a chance to review the [New York City] ruling to decide if it would apply here or whether we would even want it to,” Newsom press secretary Tony Winnicker said Tuesday.

Hugh d’Andrade, co-author with Carlsson and a longtime event participant, said new crackdown efforts would ultimately fail.

maldax@sfexaminer.com

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Traffic Fines as Cash Cow

2010-02-11T12:38:00.000-08:00

It may be a good way to raise revenue, but planners should think carefully before imposing outrageous fines for relatively minor violations.

LA Times Editorial, February 6, 2010

If you're caught running a red light in Los Angeles, be prepared to shell out $446, up from $271 eight years ago. Make a rolling right turn at a stoplight and the ticket comes to $381 -- more than double what it cost in 2008. Park at an expired meter, pay a $50 fine.

It's getting so a person can't even drive badly in this town anymore.

Officials have been jacking up traffic fines recently as a budget crunch encourages creative methods of raising municipal revenue. Not only are fines going up, but the city is considering ways to nab more people to pay them. Times staff writer Rich Connell reports that discussions are underway at City Hall to double the number of intersections outfitted with red-light cameras to 64. Meanwhile, L.A. and other cities are lobbying the Legislature to let them put the "boot" on cars when their owners have as few as three outstanding parking tickets, rather than the current minimum of five. By recovering more overdue ticket money, the city could raise an estimated $61 million.

The state wants a piece of the ticketing action too. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's budget proposal contains a novel scheme to adapt red-light cameras to bust drivers for speeding as well as running lights. Most of these systems have the ability to measure a vehicle's speed, but state law doesn't allow cities and counties to use them for speed citations. The governor wants to change that and send 85% of the ticket proceeds to Sacramento.

Raising traffic fines has become attractive to politicians because, unlike hiking taxes, it seldom attracts much opposition. That's OK by us, but it's possible to raise fines to the point that they're grossly disproportionate to the infraction. We're getting perilously close to that level in L.A., and in some cases have probably exceeded it.

As a matter of principle, it's usually smart to tax socially destructive behavior such as bad driving; not only are there social benefits (fewer accidents), but public services get an important source of funding, and people who object to paying can avoid doing so simply by driving more responsibly. But when punishments don't fit the crime, it encourages public cynicism and lawless behavior. For a low-income driver, a $500 traffic fine -- the cost of running a red light in L.A.

There's some evidence that red-light cameras improve safety at intersections, so we're not bothered by plans to put up more. And if the city can collar parking ticket scofflaws and raise needed funds by booting cars more often, then boot away. Planners should think carefully, though, before imposing outrageous fines for relatively minor traffic violations. when traffic school is factored in -- is a devastating expense. Some people will break more laws to avoid paying it.

Women, Transit, and the Perception of Safety

2010-02-11T10:45:00.000-08:00

(This article about MTI researcher Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris discusses her recent research report. It appears online at http://www.planetizen.com/node/42878)

11 February 2010
by Tim Halbur, Planetizen

Transit agencies are failing to bring women into the planning process, according to a new report from the Mineta Transportation Institute. We talked with UCLA's Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris, author of the study, about what she uncovered in her research and strategies for improving the perception of safety on transit for women.

Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris is no stranger to the issue of safety and transit. In 1998, she authored a study with her colleague Robin Liggett looking at 120 bus stops around Los Angeles and found significant links between environmental attributes and crime. But her latest study goes beyond the actual crime statistics to look at fear itself. What makes women riders feel unsafe, and thus decide not to ride transit? We talked to Loukaitou-Sideris about this fascinating study.

LOUKAITOU-SIDERIS: In many parts of the world, women rely on public transportation more than men. And women are more fearful than men being out in public spaces. This study looks at women's particular needs as transit riders, especially in respect to safety and security. What are they afraid of? What are the issue they are facing? But the other part of the study has to do with how these needs are being met, or not met. And then finally, are there any innovative solutions?

I did a number of surveys with national groups that are advocating for women's issues, and a nationwide survey of all transit agencies throughout the U.S. that have more than 50 public transportation vehicles. Almost every state was represented. And the findings were revealing: While 2/3rds of respondents believed that women travelers have some specific needs, only 1/3rd felt that transit agencies should really do something about it. The most shocking part of that survey was that only 3% of the agencies had any programs for women.

In terms of the interviews, women have significant concerns about riding transit, and there is a mismatch between the practices of transportation agencies and some of the wishes of women riders. For example, women are much more scared waiting at the bus stop or transit station than within the enclosed space of the transit vehicle. Yet most transportation safety resources are concentrated on the vehicle. Women were also not comforted knowing that there was a camera or CCT technology. They were not against it, but they felt that if anything happened to them the camera would only help after the event, not during. So they were much more in favor of more policing, human solutions rather than technological solutions. Yet the trend is towards more technology, not less. We found a lot of these sorts of mismatches between policy and what women want.

We also found that other countries are doing much more. Particularly I'm talking about the U.K., Australia and Canada, that have all incorporated women's voices into transportation planning. And the report talks about some of these efforts from the grassroots level to the institutional level that respond to women’s needs.

PLANETIZEN: It's not surprising to me that cameras aren't found effective when it comes to perceived safety. What were some strategies that you found are the most effective?

LOUKAITOU-SIDERIS: Well, when you're dealing with issues of crime or the fear of crime, there's not one solution. It's a combination of things, ranging from where you choose to locate your bus stops – so that they are in settings that enable natural surveillance, that they have good lighting – but also how you connect the different parts of your transportation system.

For example, you have a station platform that is well lit and there are a lot of people around. But if you have to park at the park-and-ride lot and walk to the platform, the walk may be dark. Oftentimes, women are scared of parking lots. So they range from locational issues and design issues to policy issues like having dedicated spaces for women drivers nearby security kiosks. Some other countries have "request stop" programs at night, where women can ask the bus driver to stop where it is safer for them instead of just at the designated bus stop.

I’m not against technological solutions. Buttons that one can press to summon police or connect to 911 if one feel victimized are useful. Women talked about trying to minimize the time when they wait for the bus, so "next bus" or "next train" signs are good. There's a combination of things that transportation agencies should use.

PLANETIZEN: There is obviously a difference here between actual crime statistics and what this report looks at, which is fear and feelings of safety. Did you look at the difference between the two?

First of all, it is two different things. But ultimately what matters for transportation agencies is if people, both men and women, are fearful. If people perceive an area as dangerous, they won’t take the bus or the train, no matter what the hard statistics say. So perception of fear, in my view, is as significant as the reality.

Second, there is a tremendous underreporting of crime from women on sexual harassment and assault. So the hard data about crime don't show the whole story. And I'm not talking necessarily about what the FBI calls "type 1" crime, which is the most serious crime. What oftentimes scares is a whole category of crime that involves groping and sexual harassment. Women are quite intimidated to report these kinds of crimes, it is difficult to report, and there is a perception that there is not much that the police can do. And these types of crime really intimidate women transit riders, and leads them to avoid certain transit modes or use them only during specific times of the day or only when they are accompanied. If you only look at the hard data, you don’t see that.

And transit agencies have to do something about this, because after all, 51% of their users are women. So even from the standpoint of expanding the transit market, it is a real issue.

PLANETIZEN: Did you also look at the demographics of the transportation agencies themselves? I assume they are overwhelmingly male.

LOUKAITOU-SIDERIS: The people we asked to survey from the transportation agencies were the general managers and the heads of security, and 75% of the respondents were men. Which I would say is indicative of the field, and certainly at higher administrative levels you find more men than women. This may be one of many explanations of why transit agencies here in the U.S. have not really looked at this issue. If you look into Japan, or Mexico, Brazil, the countries I mentioned before, this issue is being dealt with much more systematically than here in the U.S.

PLANETIZEN: Your "whole journey" approach is fascinating, that transit agencies need to plan not only for the vehicle and the station, but the parking lot and the surrounding approach to the station or stop.

LOUKAITOU-SIDERIS: There are studies in Chicago that find block-by-block that more crime tends to happen in the vicinity of the station than within the station, and my own studies show the same. And that's something more transit agencies need to look at. It's admittedly more difficult to implement, it's easier to protect the enclosed vehicle or the enclosed station. But there are so many components to today's transit stations, like park-and-ride lots, escalators, elevators. They really need to look at all of these components and how they link to the rest of the city, because a lot of the crime happens in these in-between spaces.

PLANETIZEN: So imagine I'm a transportation planner, and I'm reading your interview right now on Planetizen. What would you urge me to do?

LOUKAITOU-SIDERIS: To incorporate women's voices into the planning process. I was asked to speak at a conference recently specifically on women's issues and transportation, and there were some women transportation planners there who were saying, "Well, we have to look only to universal needs." I respectfully disagree, because there are specific needs. Transportation planners really need to look at women's fears in transportation settings and know that there are things that they can do to if not completely eliminate but reduce these fears. These solutions involve policy, design, policing, and outreach and education.

Of course, this costs money. But my work and the work of others has shown that crime comes at hotspots: not every area is equally unsafe. Transit agencies do audits every year, and they know where these hotspots are. So when we talk about limited resources, they could concentrate their resources on these areas.

The full report can be downloaded from http://www.transweb.sjsu.edu/MTIportal/research/publications/summary/mti0901.html

Photo is courtesy of Flickr user net_efekt http://www.flickr.com/people/wheatfields/

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Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris is a Professor of Urban Planning in the Department of Urban Planning at UCLA. She is the co-author of the book Urban Design Downtown: Poetics and Politics of Form (University of California Press, 1998), the co-editor of the book Jobs and Economic Development in Minority Communities (Temple University Press, 2006). Her latest book, Sidewalks: Conflict and Negotiation over Public Space (Urban and Industrial Environments), about the social uses of sidewalks was published by the MIT Press in 2009.

Bay Area has some catching up to do for high-speed rail stimulus cash

2010-02-05T18:20:00.000-08:00

By Mike Rosenberg, San Mateo County Times

February 4, 2010

The state may expand its high-speed rail engineering team in the Bay Area as the region began racing Thursday against Southern California and the Central Valley for $2.25 billion in stimulus funds.

California High-Speed Rail Authority board member Rod Diridon said after a San Diego board meeting that of the four corridors eligible for the federal cash, the Los Angeles-to-Anaheim section was clearly leading. He said the corridor is about 18 months ahead of the San Francisco-to-San Jose section in terms of planning.

"We're going to have to catch up (in the Bay Area)," said Diridon, one of two Bay Area representative on the board, which is in charge of divvying up stimulus funds. "That doesn't mean shortcut — shortcuts are deadly."

The two other corridors eligible for stimulus cash are Fresno to Bakersfield and Merced to Fresno. The board decided it will give the most money to sections that can begin and finish construction the quickest.

Diridon said the authority has enough money to add to the engineering force responsible for building the San Francisco-to-San Jose section along the Caltrain tracks.

At the very least, he said they would "put a lot of pressure" on the Bay Area engineering team to maintain its schedule. In the Bay Area last year, the state extended a public outreach process by 30 days and its critical report on track alignment, originally scheduled for completion in December, now will be out in March.

The larger staff would not necessarily accelerate the process past checkpoints, only ensure planners don't fall behind schedule while holding all the public hearings they promised, Diridon said.

But many officials and residents in the Peninsula and South Bay have pushed for the opposite, hoping to slow down the process to make sure each detail is tirelessly examined. They already fear the White House stimulus grant awarded last week will spark the authority into a mad dash that could result in oversights and critical errors. The state needs to enter a construction contract by September 2012 or lose the federal money.

To make matters even trickier, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said last week the federal government would give $400 million in stimulus funds to San Francisco's Transbay Terminal. But the authority does not yet know whether that will come out of the $2.25 billion total.

Also at Thursday's board meeting, the authority announced it expects to have a $458 million budget for the next fiscal year, which begins in July. Diridon said the authority worked out the finances with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's office in anticipation of his May revise budget, but the Legislature will still need to approve it.

About half the money will go toward environmental planning and corridor studies while the rest will be invested in the protection of land subject to development along the planned route, he said.

Lastly, the authority board agreed to set the pay for its incoming executive director at $250,000 to $375,000. It expects to hire a replacement for outgoing Executive Director Mehdi Morshed by the end of March.

"That's obviously way above most state salaries, but we all recognize that this is the largest construction project in the nation's history," Diridon said.

Backers of maglev train say Chinese bank prepared to fund project

2010-02-03T15:28:00.000-08:00

By Richard N. Velotta

Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

The proponents of a maglev train line between Las Vegas and Southern California say a Chinese government-controlled bank has agreed to loan up to $7 billion to help build the high-speed transportation system.

But the California-Nevada Super Speed Train Commission still has several hurdles to clear before it could move ahead with plans to develop the project between Las Vegas and Anaheim, Calif.

The commission late Monday announced that the Export-Import Bank of China, which has 14 domestic offices and three overseas offices, said it would provide a direct loan that would require the backing of the U.S. government as well as cooperation with Chinese enterprises.

“It is a very positive development for Nevada’s employment picture and very telling that the financiers who are stepping up to bat are the Chinese, the people most familiar with Transrapid Maglev technology,” Neil Cummings, president of the American Magline Group, said in a press release announcing the loan.

American Magline has contracted with the commission to build the system and is partnering with Transrapid, a German company that built a maglev system operating in Shanghai and has since developed upgrades to the technology that are proposed for the Nevada system.

“In China, it has been operating flawlessly for six years, carrying 20 million passengers over 4.1 million miles,” Cummings said.

In an interview today, maglev spokesman Mark Fierro said the Chinese bank’s backing of the project is an employment game-changer for the hard-hit Southern Nevada economy.

Maglev backers view the project as a massive stimulus package for Southern Nevada, with an estimated 90,000 jobs that could be created.

Fierro said development of the project could be one of the most significant economic events in Las Vegas history, because the city would become a virtual suburb of Los Angeles if trains could make the trip from Anaheim to Las Vegas in just more than an hour.

“People in Los Angeles could come to the Las Vegas Strip for dinner,” Fierro said. “This couldn’t be a more perfect technology for the kind of visitor we’re going to attract.”

Fierro said the commission has been in negotiations with the bank — known in the industry as “China Eximbank” — for about a year. He said the bank was unclear about what type of assurances it would need from the federal government to back the loan.

Support from the Chinese bank would help the maglev team’s efforts after the group hit a stumbling block last week. Nevada was left off the list of high-speed rail projects receiving a total $8 billion in federal stimulus funding.

Commission officials viewed the rejection as a double loss for Nevada, because not only was the project not funded, but Florida received $1.25 billion for a rail project that would help Las Vegas’ biggest rival for attracting meetings and conventions — Orlando.

The largest portion of the stimulus funds, more than $2 billion, went to California for a traditional steel-wheels-on-rail project with which the proposed DesertXpress — a Las Vegas-to-Victorville, Calif., line — would link.

U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the California project eventually would benefit Las Vegans because the Victorville end of the DesertXpress line would be connected to the California system at Palmdale.

Another problem for the maglev is credibility.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said after the stimulus funds were announced that the reason the maglev project was rejected was because it failed to apply — a claim maglev leaders deny.

In a video released by Reid’s office, LaHood said, “Nevada did not submit any paperwork, any proposal for high-speed rail.”

LaHood also said the California-Nevada Super Speed Train Commission was not eligible to submit a proposal because it was not sanctioned in California.

The commission responded that not only did it file an application, but it has received correspondence from the Federal Railroad Administration, the clearinghouse agency for the high-speed rail proposals, five times in the last 10 years.

The commission also said its plans were jointly submitted with the Nevada Department of Transportation.

Federal Railroad Administration representatives did not return calls on Tuesday.

MTI Hosts Fact-Finding Group from Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority

2010-01-28T11:20:00.001-08:00

Delegates met with MTI experts to continue discussions about security and crisis management best practices for their city’s new metro system.

San Jose, Calif., January 28, 2010 – The Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) hosted representatives from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), who continued discussions with MTI experts about security and crisis management for their city’s new metro rail system. The ambitious project calls for three new elevated rail lines totaling nearly 40 miles, along with a monorail. Considering Mumbai’s historic possibilities for accidents, terrorism, and other incidents, the Indian delegation was on a fact-finding mission to the United States.

“Mumbai has a very large rail and bus system, moving about 11 million people each day,” said Brian Michael Jenkins, director of MTI’s National Transportation Security Center of Excellence (NTSCOE). “It’s no longer adequate to serve a growing metropolitan area that now has 22 million people. Therefore, the city is facing a huge problem with mobility. But it also wants to ensure safety and security for its passengers, especially because Mumbai and the surrounding region have lost nearly 1000 people to terrorist attacks in the last decade.”

Mr. Jenkins had met with MMRDA a few months ago while in India as an invited expert discussing counter-terrorism. He invited representatives to come to the U.S. on a fact-finding mission to see how this country builds crisis strategy and security preparations into the transit systems.

MMRDA delegates were Vijaya Lakshmi, additional chief, Transport and Communications Division, and Anil Wankhade, deputy metropolitan commissioner. They were accompanied by Ronald Boenau, a senior transportation systems manger for the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, and Satish Kastury, a principal engineer with Environmental Consulting & Technology in Florida. Earlier this month, they attended the Transportation Research Board’s conference in Washington DC before making on-site visits to Washington Metro, Amtrak, San Francisco area’s BART, and other sites.

MMRDA wishes to include a security strategy, along with training, policies, and procedures that will help to protect its transit network. While at MTI, they met with Dr. Frances Edwards, deputy director of MTI’s NTSCOE, who discussed options for creating a transportation security and emergency management certificate program; Rod Diridon, Sr., MTI’s executive director, who covered topics related to high-speed rail systems; Chief Rob Davis of the San Jose Police Department; Dan Goodrich, emergency preparedness coordinator for Lockheed Martin Space Systems, who covered the role of transportation in emergency planning; Dr. Wenbin Wei, MTI research associate and San Jose State University professor, who discussed rapid transit and light-rail systems; and John Schiffgens, manager of operations for Amtrak at Diridon Station.

MTI Participates in Homeland Security Science and Technology University Network Summit

2010-01-28T09:51:00.000-08:00

The Department of Homeland Security's research arm, the Science & Technology Directorate (DHS S&T), invites you to the fourth annual DHS University Network Summit sponsored by S&T's Office of University Programs, March 10-12 at the Renaissance Hotel, 999 Ninth Street NW, Washington, D.C. Registration is free but space is limited. (http://www.orau.gov/dhssummit)

This year's agenda and theme, STRONG! Science & Technology for Intelligent Resilience, will allow scores of homeland security research initiatives to be tackled and discussed in many breakout sessions.

The Summit has invited notable keynote speakers. These include the Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, the new Under Secretary for Science & Technology, Dr. Tara O'Toole, NY Governor George Pataki,, and authors Gary Berntsen (Jawbreaker: The Attack on bin Laden and al-Qaeda; Human Intelligence, Counterterrorism and National Leadership: A Practical Guide) and Steve Flynn, President of the Center for National Policy and author of The Edge of Disaster: Rebuilding a Resilient Nation.

In addition, retired Lieutenant General Russell Honoré, best known for serving as commander of Joint Task Force Katrina, will also give a keynote address.

All DHS S&T University Centers of Excellence* will provide speakers and panel members who are specific subject matter experts. Students are heartily encouraged to attend the Summit if they have any interest in its themes, or in the topics listed below. The draft agenda for the Summit is here: http://www.orau.gov/dhssummit

There will be over 30 discussion panels on specific focus areas, including disaster preparedness, infrastructure protection, emergency response, and natural hazards mitigation. These panels highlight the collaborative efforts among the thirteen DHS Centers of Excellence and their over 200 academic partners in support of the DHS S&T mission.

In addition, there will be exhibits showcasing university-developed tools, technologies and training; workshops; live demonstrations; and information about S&T educational opportunities.

For information, go to http://www.physorg.com/wire-news/26137252/homeland-security-science-and-technology-university-network-summ.html

Transportation Workforce Development Summit

2010-01-27T09:37:00.001-08:00

Here's a reminder that MTI will be co-sponsoring a transportation workforce development summit in Long Beach, Calif. on Monday-Tuesday, February 1-2, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. It's open to anyone, but registration does close at 5pm Friday, January 29. For more information, go to www.workforcesummit.org

Why a Transportation Workforce Development Summit?

The Challenge
Experts predict that by 2050, California’s population will double from what it was in 2000. Those people will need mobility. If the state’s transportation infrastructure does not keep pace, it risks a meltdown. California will need a new generation of professionals to address those issues - people in transportation planning, engineering, finance, transit operations, maritime and aviation technology, goods movement, construction, agency management, community relations, and many other areas. This mobility crisis will be complicated by the growing number of Baby Boomers reaching retirement age, leaving employment gaps to be filled by a new wave of properly educated professionals.

But the State cannot wait until 2050 to act. Change is already underway. New legislative priorities at the State level may require transportation engineers to learn to calculate carbon footprints within the next few years. New technologies have changed the skill sets needed of front line transit technicians. Planners need to learn human resource management tools to address the organizational change that is happening now.

The Opportunity
The METRANS Transportation Center and the Mineta Transportation Institute are presenting “Ensuring the Growth of California’s Transportation Workforce: Developing the Right Workers for Today’s Challenges and Tomorrow’s Jobs.” This two-day professional summit, in partnership with Long Beach City College, will address those issues. Anyone who hires, trains, educates or wishes to become a transportation professional is encouraged to attend. Expert panels will address career development, skills gaps, training strategies, outreach, best practices, and more. Participants will also meet educational service providers and industry representatives in a Showcase Hall. Showcases will demonstrate effective programs already underway while allowing participants to meet potential partners and talk to people who have gone participated in effective workforce development programs.

The Result
This is one of several regional summits around the country – sponsored by University Transportation Centers – that will culminate in a national summit in Washington DC in autumn 2010. Data and recommendations from each regional summit will become part of the national summit and influence the development of the nation’s future transportation priorities.

Public Discussion: High Cost of Free Parking – February 24, 2010 – San Jose, California

2010-01-19T09:18:00.000-08:00

UCLA Professor Donald Shoup, author of "The High Cost of Free Parking," will discuss how parking reforms can reduce vehicle travel, traffic congestion, air pollution, energy waste, and greenhouse gas emissions while increasing the supply of housing and improved public services. The free event is Wednesday, February 24, 6:30 - 9:00pm at San Jose City Hall, 200 E. Santa Clara Street, San Jose; Council Wing Rooms 118-120. Download an event flyer at www.greenbelt.org/downloads/regions/southbay/Shoup_2_24.pdf.

Co-sponsored by the Mineta Transportation Institute, Great Communities Collaborative, Greenbelt Alliance, Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, TransForm, City of San Jose, and San Jose State University's Urban and Regional Planning Department and Urban Planning Coalition. Contact Justin Meek 831-430-6796 or justin.meek @gmail.com

Afghanistan: A marathon, not a prize fight

2009-12-04T11:06:00.000-08:00

By Brian Michael Jenkins

President Obama's decision to send 30,000 additional troops to

Afghanistan

reflects a nation deeply divided on the war. There are compelling arguments on both sides.

Sober-minded observers see al Qa'ida, the reason the

U.S.

came to

Afghanistan

in the first place, as a spent force whose leaders are now in

Pakistan

. And the Taliban, while a hateful horde, are not

America

's problem. These war critics further point to the corruption of the Afghan government, the reluctance of

America

's allies, the strain on already stretched armed forces, and the added costs of the war on a distressed economy. All these are valid points.

Skeptics also correctly point out that large-scale deployments risk increasing local resentment, which the Taliban are quick to exploit. But above all, critics fear that the

United States

cannot achieve anything that looks like victory in

Afghanistan

, and will instead become entangled in an open-ended imperial mission. In their view, the

United States

should start winding down now.

Today, however, the president apparently sided with the equally thoughtful analysts who warned that leaving an undermanned U.S. force to flounder in Afghanistan, or ordering a full withdrawal, would be portrayed as a U.S. defeat. It would hurt American diplomacy elsewhere.

America

's jihadist foes would be buoyed by their victory, their determination strengthened -- an encouragement to further terrorist attacks. Perceptions count.

But more importantly,

U.S.

military withdrawal would leave

Afghanistan

in chaos, in which al Qa'ida and its allies, always resilient and opportunistic, would flourish. If further terrorist attacks did occur once

U.S.

troops were out, it would be even more difficult for them to return.

Pakistan

, meanwhile, would likely abandon its campaign against its own Taliban insurgents and instead seek new deals.

The troop reinforcements Obama ordered today are necessary to check Taliban advances, signal America's continuing commitment, keep allies on board, and exploit opportunities created by

Pakistan

's efforts on its side of the border.

But this debate has been unwisely distilled down to the number of troops Obama is willing to send to

Afghanistan

. Too much weight has been placed on this figure, as if there were precisely a right number. Any number greater than zero indicates a conviction that the

United States

can ultimately prevail. Obama has met that hurdle. The real question is how he can achieve victory with the troops he has committed..

The president can hope that by sending reinforcements now, commanders in the field will be able to turn a bad situation around fast, before political calculations inevitably necessitate a troop drawdown. But more troops mean more American casualties, more money, and expectations that

Afghanistan

can be "fixed" any time soon. A large

U.S.

deployment comes with a time table. It may not be a realistic one. A long contest is a given.

The

U.S.

time horizon must compare with that of the Cold War, not that of World War II. That will not go down well domestically. Americans' natural instinct is to go in big, get it done, and get out. But a slow, patient strategy, with limited aims, is the better bet – for America, and for Afghanistan.

However many more troops are deployed, the

United States

will not likely be able to drive the Taliban out of Afghanistan, their native land. At the same time, the Taliban cannot take over

Afghanistan

as long as

U.S.

and NATO forces remain there. Their strategy is to erode our will to stay.

The Taliban and al Qa'ida will likely welcome the commitment of 30,000 more

U.S.

troops, as well as another 5,000 from other countries. But they would likely be dismayed by a credible commitment that the

United States

will, if necessary, stay another 40 years.

It will take decades to develop national institutions, build effective Afghan army and police, raise the standard of living and change the pervasive culture of violence. Meanwhile, the metrics, milestones and timetables so appealing to American notions of management will serve only as markers for domestic partisan maneuver.

Americans must also be realistic about what they can expect from the Afghan government. Clearly it does not meet our standards, but the

United States

should decouple its military commitment from Afghanistan's political progress. The

United States

is in

Afghanistan

primarily for its own reasons – to prevent al Qa'ida and its jihadist allies from taking over. Democracy and good governance must be goals, not preconditions, of the

U.S.

presence.

The Afghans have their own skin in the game – literally. According to a recent poll, one in six say they or relatives have been the victims of violence or crime in the past year alone; 78% support democracy, but 51% are still afraid to vote. The

United States

should push for political progress while accepting imperfections.

The war will not be over in the 18 months the president has indicated for the beginning of a troop withdrawal, but reducing the American footprint in Afghanistan as soon as possible makes sense strategically. American forces have learned a great deal about counterinsurgency since 2003, but they are still not the best for the job, because however skilled, they are foreigners. The pacification of

Afghanistan

must ultimately be carried out by Afghans.

The United States can accelerate the slow process of building an Afghan national army by embedding allied soldiers in Afghan units, which they are doing, and by integrating Afghan and allied units. To get more Afghan soldiers quickly, the

United States

should simultaneously build up local and tribal defense forces, which require less training and can be fielded even faster. This is a traditional task for Special Forces and Marines.

These are irregular forces. Using them involves risks, revolts, betrayals. That is the nature of tribal warfare.

Tribal forces are opposed by the Afghan government and, until Iraq, unloved by American commanders. But from the

Philippines

to the Middle East, the

United States

has effectively mobilized indigenous irregulars to help defeat native insurgents.

Vietnam

, where I served with Special Forces, several thousand Americans recruited and managed an irregular self-defense force of 50,000 fighters – a ratio of roughly 25 to 1. We armed them, paid them, and took care of their families. Most of them came from the region's mountain tribes. Many of them were former Viet Cong guerrillas. They were highly effective because they fought on their own turf.

In Iraq, the key component of success was not simply the modest increase in American forces. It was a fundamental shift in strategy that included the recruitment – often for cash – of more than 100,000 Iraqi fighters, many of them former insurgents.

In Afghanistan,

U.S.

political and development officers could be embedded into local military teams, or military officers could be trained to take on additional development tasks. They would also be in the business of dispensing rewards to cooperative locals and outbidding the Taliban to recruit fighters. It is certainly cheaper and better to buy off the insurgents than to try to keep them from shooting at Americans and terrorizing Afghans.

There is nothing to negotiate with fanatics who subscribe to al Qaeda's brand of jihad, but the Taliban is more complicated than that and includes local chieftains with whom some political accommodations may be possible. The "terrorist" label should not prevent creative and pragmatic dialogue.

President Obama's decision does not end the public debate about

America

's goals and strategy. He has a hard sell. Americans believe “good” wars are short and lack patience for protracted entanglements. The president must explain that long-term commitments and pragmatic, limited strategies may defeat al Qa’ida where over-ambitious, hasty ones will certainly fail.

Brian Michael Jenkins, author of Will Terrorists Go Nuclear? (Prometheus, 2008), is director of the Mineta Transportation Institute's National Transportation Security Center of Excellence. He also is senior advisor to the president of the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decision-making through research and analysis.

Will Federal Stimulus Money Spark a High-Speed Rail Renaissance in the U.S.?

2009-11-23T16:18:00.000-08:00

By Larry Greenemeier, Scientific American

The drive for energy conservation coupled with the recession has the U.S. switching policy tracks with its push to develop a high-speed rail transportation network. But does it have enough engineering expertise to do it right?

Although so-called bullet trains in France can travel at speeds approaching 575 kilometers per hour, their adoption in the U.S. has been more local than express. Now, 140 years after the transcontinental railroad's nearly 2,900 kilometers of track first connected both U.S. coasts, a number of states are hoping for a second golden age of rail, this time fueled by the Obama administration's pledge of billions of stimulus dollars for high-speed railway development.

To read more, go to Scientific American at www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=high-speed-rail

2009-11-20T10:02:00.000-08:00

Asia Light Years Ahead of the US in Clean Tech Investment - Financial and Economic Consequence

Asia is investing hundreds of billions of dollars more than the US in clean technology, according to a new report by two research institutions. In the future, the US may be importing trillions of dollars of needed clean technology (and losing countless jobs to Asia) as a result.

In total, the report showed that China, Japan, and South Korea will invest about $509 billion in clean tech over the next 5 years, whereas the US (with our greenest President in decades, maybe ever) is only expected to invest $172 billion (about 3 times less) — this is assuming the climate and energy legislation in Congress passes.

If the US were to invest the same percentage of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as South Korea, it would invest almost $140 billion per year ($700 billion over this five year period)! Compared to China, the anticipated per-GDP investment ratio is 1:4 (US to China).

To continue reading, click on...
http://cleantechnica.com/2009/11/20/asia-light-years-ahead-of-the-us-in-clean-tech-investment-financial-and-economic-consequences/

2009-11-18T13:34:00.000-08:00

Riding the Rails in Tokyo Is Overwhelming, But Easy
by Dave Demerjian, Autopia

With 882 stations on 14 lines, Tokyo’s amazing subway system is one of the largest — and busiest — in all the world. The system map is a twisted mass of squiggles that resembles a Jackson Pollock painting, and conditions on its trains give new meaning to the word "crowded." It all had me more than a little nervous as I headed to Tokyo for a business trip. [Read more at the link below.]

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2008/11/riding-the-rail/

Job Opportunity

2009-11-02T16:45:00.001-08:00

The NEXTRANS Center (Region V Regional University Transportation Center) is currently seeking applications for the position of Managing Director (MD).

Position Title:
NEXTRANS Center Managing Director (0901129)
Purdue University Discovery Park

Location:
West Lafayette, Indiana

Job Description:
The NEXTRANS Center Managing Director (MD) implements the Center's strategic plan by overseeing the delivery of its research, education, and outreach programs and activities. The MD provides day-to-day supervision of Center staff, equipment and facilities. S/he serves as an operational liaison to the Center's executive committee, advisory council, affiliated faculty, external sponsors, internal business and academic units, and institutional and programmatic partners. The MD develops annual budgets, monitors finances, expenditures and cost-share reporting. S/he coordinates the research selection process for proposals and the development and execution of educational programs, outreach events, and sustainability initiatives. The MD is responsible for monitoring and collecting various data and information to ensure timely delivery of required publications, reports and performance indicators. S/he represents the Center at events and activities when delegated by the Center Director and performs other duties as assigned.

Required:
• Masters Degree in Engineering, Science, Business or allied fields
• Five or more years of professional experience
• Significant experience serving in a managerial role, and experience in a transportation-related field

Preferred:
• Ph.D.
• Experience with academic (faculty and administration) environment

Additional Information:
• FLSA: Exempt (Not Eligible for Overtime)
• Retirement Eligibility: TIAA/CREF Contributions Immediately

Apply for this position
http://purdue.taleo.net/careersection/wl/jobdetail.ftl?lang=en&job=83460

Learn more about the NEXTRANS Center
http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans

2009-10-14T15:12:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting article, with a link so you can continue reading...

Bush DOT Chief Discusses Reauthorization

By Lisa Caruso, National Journal

Mary Peters served as President George W. Bush's secretary of Transportation from 2006 to 2008 and as the head of the Federal Highway Administration from 2001 to 2005. During her tenure she proved an advocate of market-based approaches to transportation problems. An Arizona native, Peters returned to her home state in 2008 and is currently consulting for Zachry American Infrastructure, which promotes private investment in infrastructure projects, and the engineering firm HDR. She spoke this week with National Journal about how best to pay for the infrastructure improvements the country needs.

NJ: The surface transportation law expired at the end of last month, and Congress only extended it for 30 days. How much longer should it be extended in order to complete reauthorization -- until the end of the year, as House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar, D-Minn., has urged, or 18 months, which the administration and the Senate favor?

Peters: I would endorse where the administration and the Senate have been. If this is really important, we need to get it right, as opposed to rushing something through. We need to focus a little further out into the future so that we can get widespread agreement on what we need to do with the next program.

(To continue reading, go here: http://insiderinterviews.nationaljournal.com/2009/10/post-1.php)

Dubai Adds Its First Metro

2009-09-30T22:47:00.000-07:00

We take the metro for granted, but in Dubai, it's a novelty. Note how excited the people are to have this kind of public transportation.

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Traffic_and_Transport/10347699.html

Career Resource for Transit Professionals

2009-09-22T16:26:00.000-07:00

TransitTalent.com is a career resource for public transportation professionals, as well as a source of news and commentary relating to the world of public and private buses, passenger rail and other mass transit modes. The site includes. . .

• Job Listings
• Job Alert Feature
• Resume Database
• Listings of Solicitations (RFPs, IFBs, etc.)
• Daily News Updates
• Transit Commentary
• Annual Salary Survey

Employers can post job listings for just $75 for five weeks. For more information, visit http://www.transittalent.com/post_job_new.cfm or contact Kristen Force (address below).

You also may be interested in subscribing to TransitTalent's weekly newsletters. . .
• Transit Intelligence
• School Bus Intelligence
• New Jobs in Transit

Read recent newsletters and sign up for a subscription at www.transittalent.com/newsletter_archive.cfm

Kristen Force
Marketing Manager
TransitTalent.com
kristen.force@TransitTalent.com
(310) 375-6413

World's Greatest Bullet Trains

2009-09-17T08:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to an interesting article, with photos, about the world's most notable bullet trains.

http://kathika.com/information/20090917-006439/

2009-09-14T14:53:00.000-07:00

Mineta Transportation Institute Publishes Study on Recruiting Candidates into Transportation Careers

Researchers Agrawal & Dill investigate factors that could lead planning and engineering students to specialize in transportation-related work.

San Jose, Calif., September 14, 2009 – The Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) has published Report 08-03, Paving the Way: Recruiting Students into Transportation Careers. This report examines the factors that lead civil engineering undergraduates and urban planning masters’ students to specialize in transportation, as opposed to other sub-disciplines within the two fields.

“As Baby Boomers reach retirement, the transportation industry faces a growing shortage of professional engineers and planners,” said Dr. Asha Weinstein Agrawal, a principal investigator for the study. “One key strategy in solving this problem will be to encourage more civil engineering and urban planning students to specialize in transportation while completing their degrees. This way, employers will have a larger pool of quality recruits.”

However, very little is known about how these students choose a specialization. This report addresses that knowledge gap. The primary data collection methods were web-based surveys of 1,852 civil engineering undergraduates and 869 planning masters’ students. The study results suggest several steps the transportation industry can take to increase the number of civil engineering and planning students who wish to specialize in transportation.

Some of the report’s primary recommendations include broadening the students’ view of the transportation profession; developing course modules that highlight the interdisciplinary nature of transportation
planning; providing more and better publicized scholarships and research assistantships; changing women’s perception of the transportation profession as unwelcoming to them; having women transportation planners as guest speakers and mentors; and several other recommendations.

Besides Dr. Agrawal, the other principal investigator for the study was Dr. Jennifer Dill.

The free document can be downloaded from http://www.transweb.sjsu.edu/. Click “Research” and then “Publications.” Scroll down to the report.

Ernesto Chavez, Mineta Transportation Institute Graduate Student, Wins American Public Transportation Foundation Award

2009-08-24T14:06:00.000-07:00

The Anaheim resident is a planning manager with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

San Jose, Calif., August 19, 2009 – Ernesto Chavez has won the American Public Transportation Foundation (APTF) Donald C. Hyde Memorial Essay Award. He is a Master of Science in Transportation Management student at the Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) at San Jose State University and a transportation planning manager with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. He will be honored at an October awards program at the American Public Transportation Association’s annual conference in Orlando, Fla.

In May, the Anaheim resident was chosen to represent MTI at the annual Eno Transportation Foundation Leadership Development Conference in Washington, D.C. This conference brings transportation graduate students to the nation's capital for a better understanding of how U.S. transportation policy is made and implemented.

Yvette E. Conley, director of development for APTF, described Mr. Chavez as “a much deserving young professional.”

In his essay, he described his career path in public transportation and how he views transportation planners as consensus builders with the community. “Transportation solutions that are ultimately implemented are the result of a consensus building process,” he wrote. “My goal is to develop as a professional who can facilitate the transportation debate and help improve life in our cities.”

The mission of the APTF is to increase and retain the number of young professionals entering the public transportation field as a career in order to sustain growth and improvement throughout the industry.

A Personal View of Japanese Train Systems

2009-08-06T16:38:00.000-07:00

by Nina Rohlich, MSTM '09
Mineta Transportation Institute, San Jose, California

The time I spent living in some of the big cities in Japan—Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo—and experiencing the public transit system there are what originally got me interested in learning more about transportation issues here in the U.S. Ultimately, that interest led to my pursuit of a career and degree in the field.

What did I like most about the train systems in Japan?

After graduating from college, I joined the workforce in Japan and became one of millions of public transit daily commuters. What impressed me the most was the quality of the public transit systems, from the timeliness and frequency of the trains to the efficiency and clarity of the station designs, along with the comfort, cleanliness, and safety of the rail system. The information available to passengers both within train cars and at stations is extremely detailed and helpful. I especially liked how easy it was to navigate the complex subway systems. The signs clearly displayed where, when, and how to transfer between lines.

For example, the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line diagram showed the name of each stop on the line, including the number of minutes between other stations, the lines for transfers (represented by different colored circles), as well as the station number for each station (T-18).

Tozai Line Diagram:

Some diagrams inform which train car in to board so the riders are closest to their desired exits for transferring to another line or going to a specific location at a station. This type of information assists passengers to use their time efficiently, and it makes a smoother commute. One of the most useful features on the Yamanote Line train cars in Tokyo is the display screen in each car above the doors. Here's a video link on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGaiPKj9j0w. Notice it displays the entire loop line with the time it takes to get to each station (both English and Japanese), as well as transfer information for upcoming stops, any delays or incidents for the different lines, even which side the doors will open at the next stop. Given the number of people who use the system, every little bit of information helps passengers reach their destinations faster.

How was the rush hour commute?

One of my first memories of the morning commute in Tokyo was waiting for the train at Kasai Station, closest to my apartment on the Tozai Line. I was waiting on the platform for the train only to find that it was packed when it arrived. I saw on the display sign that there was another train coming in two minutes, so I decided to wait rather than squeeze my way onto the train with the other commuters. I wondered why the other passengers didn’t just wait for the next train because this one was so packed. Two minutes later, the next train arrived even more crowded than the previous one. I waited for the next train, and two minutes later it was the same thing.

It turned out that the trains on the Tozai Line run over capacity during rush hour. I learned that it’s best just to squeeze your way in even when you see only a few inches of floor space. The Tozai Line is one of the most crowded lines in Tokyo because it runs through the center of the city and connects directly to almost every other subway line in the Metro system. Interestingly enough, my station did not have the legendary station attendants who help to cram passengers on the train.

Did I ride the bullet train?

It seems odd to talk about Japan and transportation without mentioning the Shinkansen bullet trains. Below are a couple of pictures and notes about my most recent visit to Japan in December 2007. As a Christmas gift, I received tickets to ride on the newest Shinkansen train, the N700 Series. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N700_Series_Shinkansen. Again, I was amazed by the number of trips offered daily, the comfort, and the speed— it’s truly incredible.

Shinkansen today:

In addition to experiencing the newest that Japan high-speed rail has to offer, I took a trip to the Japan Railway Museum http://www.railway-museum.jp/en/index.html for a historical perspective and saw one of the first Shinkansen models from 1964. Amazing, isn’t it? That represents 45 years of high-speed rail!

Old Shinkansen at the Museum:

What do I miss most?

With the exception of the over-crowded trains, my experiences commuting in Japan were very positive. I miss the fast, reliable, clean, safe, and overall high-quality experience that the public transit systems in Japan offer. While it’s important to strive for similar service for public transit systems in the U.S., I know from my MTI classes that a number of factors make it challenging and even illogical to have comparable (not to mention profitable) systems here. As discussed in the Transportation Planning and Development class, there are historical, cultural, political, geographical, and economic reasons that make it difficult to create and maintain such systems in the United States. Additionally, the Transportation Funding and Finance class illustrated to a further degree the challenges of paying for public transportation.

Regardless, it’s important to learn from other transit systems around the world, to gather ideas and inspiration, and to see how we can make aspects of those public transportation systems work here in the U.S. y

Interview with MTI student Matt Sandstrom

2009-07-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

One of our students, Matt Sandstrom, worked at Ford Motor Company before coming to MTI to study transportation management. Considering the radical change underway at the Big Three, I sat down with Matt to get his take on the industry and find out how the Master of Science Transportation Management (MSTM) fits in to his career plan.

David Dias: I understand you worked for one of the Big Three automotive companies before coming to MTI. What kind of work did you do?
Matt Sandstrom: I worked at Ford Motor Company in Global Marketing, Sales, and Service. After nine months in Dearborn, Michigan, I was transferred to a field assignment in the Pacific Northwest. As a point of contact for dealerships in Portland, Seattle, and Alaska, I worked with dealership managers to launch marketing programs, resolve customer service issues, and improve sales processes as designated by Ford’s Customer Service Division. Later, I moved to California to work as a Fleet Zone Manager for Ford’s Commercial Vehicle Operations. In this role I spent my time with Ford’s largest fleet customers assisting fleet managers with dealer disputes, technical issues, technical training needs, back ordered parts, and warranty issues.

DD: Alternative fuel vehicles are all the buzz in the news lately. Did you do any work with alternative fuel or hybrid vehicles while working in the industry?
MS: Federal legislation requires that many municipal governments and utility companies operate a large percentage of their non-emergency vehicles on alternative fuels. Working with large municipalities, state highway patrol, and utility companies, I spent much of my time responding to concerns with biodiesel and other alternative fuels.

DD: While at Ford, did you suspect the Big Three were in serious trouble?
MS: There was definitely great fear that if the economy were to take a turn for the worse, very big problems would arise. It struck me as strange that a company as large as Ford or GM might not have the cash reserves to survive during a normal economic slowdown. On top of that, competition from foreign manufacturers was incredibly fierce. If you look at Big Three’s market share in California, it’s scary. I also remember going through multiple restructuring efforts. But, when CEO Alan Mulally took over for Bill Ford Jr. there was definitely a positive change in the company. Before Mulally, it was normal to hear executives urge dealers and employees to oppose any new CAFÉ standards. I find it a little ironic to see CEOs from the Big Three now supporting nationwide acceptance of California’s tougher emission standards in 2012. Honestly, the industry is face-to-face with many of the challenges it avoided for far too long. It hurts a lot more now that they have to face these challenges all at once. That might just be the difference between Ford and GM and Chrysler. Ford began facing its problems and digging its way out before the economy slipped into recession.

DD: Where and when did you develop your interest in Transportation Management?
MS: Having never lived outside the Midwest, I was awestruck by the progressive urban landscape in both Seattle and Portland. I came to wonder how Portland and Seattle could be so different from my Midwestern hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. In particular, while I worked in Portland I had a lot of fun learning about its transportation system and land use policies. I suppose my interest got the best of me and turned to MTI for guidance and to find a new career path.

DD: As far as I know, you are the only student enrolled in the MTI program from the Auto Industry. Why did you choose the program and what do you hope to accomplish with the degree?
MS: Sometimes I think people have a hard time understanding why I left Ford to study transportation management, as if they’re not related. Automobiles are the reason we have the Interstate Highway System, local streets and roads, and a host of transportation policies and programs. If you’re an executive at one of the Big Three, transportation policy can have a huge impact on the business. Whether it’s HOV lanes or emission requirements, it’s crucial that Detroit is paying attention to what Washington is doing. Things are really changing now and I think it’s a really exciting time to be studying transportation management.

DD: What kind of work are you doing now?
MS: I left Ford Motor Company in 2008 to work for the County of San Mateo. I’m still in a sales and marketing role, which is great. I’m working in economic and workforce development and it’s really rewarding work. Interestingly, there is a big tie to transportation and I’m able to incorporate some of this work into my studies at MTI. It turns out that transportation is a huge barrier to work for low-income adults. If you’re a single mom with three kids and little job training or education, it can be a real challenge to get the kids to daycare and get to work without a car. This is a big challenge for transportation managers and there aren’t a lot of good solutions out there, yet.

DD: How far along in the program are you?
MS: Just about halfway through. I’ve taken classes in transportation funding and finance, planning, marketing and communication, and of course, Dr. Haas’ introduction course.

DD: What are you getting out of the program?
MS: I’d like to believe I’m sharpening my communication skills and learning to be a better manager. That might not be what you expected to hear. MTI is not just about learning transportation management policies. It’s about training students to reach high level management positions in the field of transportation management. Obviously, you won’t get to these positions without exceptional written and verbal communication skills. This is where the program is really challenging me to improve. That said, I know a lot more about transportation management that I couldn't have learned on my own. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention my classmates and instructors/professors. For the transportation professional, the networking opportunities are top shelf.

DD: What do you hope to do when you finish the program? Do you see yourself working in the Auto Industry again?
MS: For now, I’m going to keep my options open. I think sales and marketing will continue to drive my economic engine and I’ve narrowed my career interest into two areas. I’d like to take my time deciding whether I want to work for the public or private sector long term. If I decide to stay in the public sector, I’d like to work as a director of marketing or communications for a major transit agency. If I go back to the private sector, I’d like to work for a major corporation that designs and sells transportation solutions and services that improve quality of life and enhance the livability of our cities. To me, this means less congestion, shorter commutes, fewer carbon emissions, and walkable streets. If an opportunity presents itself to work toward these goals in the auto industry, I can certainly see myself working there again. Wired Magazine recently ran a story suggesting the Big Three start thinking of themselves as transportation companies rather than automobile companies. I like the idea.

DD: Is there anything in the program that you think would benefit other auto industry employees?
MS: To me this seems to be an obvious question. It’s pretty clear that surface transportation policy presents a host of opportunities and threats that affect the auto industry. This has been the case since Henry Ford started selling Model Ts.

Mineta Transportation Institute

What makes a livable city? Vancouver has it all figured out.

APTA president Bill Millar opens the Rail Conference in Vancouver

Donna Maurillo Is Writing from the APTA Rail Conference

MTI Expert Says Mumbai Derailment Could Have Serious Implications for Rail Security Worldwide

MTI Presents “Funding the Transportation System of the Future"

Lessons from Hurricane Katrina

MTI’s Counter-Terrorism Expert Asks if a Moscow-type Transit Attack Could Happen in the U.S

Mineta Transportation Institute Releases Report on Historic Resources Information Management in Large Transportation Agencies

Feb. 26, 1870: New York City Blows Subway Opportunity

Mineta Transportation Institute Releases Emergency Management Handbook for State-Level Transportation Agencies

Mineta Transportation Institute Releases Study on Linking Highway Improvements to Changes in Land Use

News Release

Emergency Exercise for Train Rescues

Critical Mass Ruling in NY Could Move West

Traffic Fines as Cash Cow

Women, Transit, and the Perception of Safety

Bay Area has some catching up to do for high-speed rail stimulus cash

Backers of maglev train say Chinese bank prepared to fund project

Las Vegas Sun

MTI Hosts Fact-Finding Group from Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority

MTI Participates in Homeland Security Science and Technology University Network Summit

Transportation Workforce Development Summit

Why a Transportation Workforce Development Summit?

Public Discussion: High Cost of Free Parking – February 24, 2010 – San Jose, California

Afghanistan: A marathon, not a prize fight

Will Federal Stimulus Money Spark a High-Speed Rail Renaissance in the U.S.?

Job Opportunity

The NEXTRANS Center (Region V Regional University Transportation Center) is currently seeking applications for the position of Managing Director (MD).

Position Title:NEXTRANS Center Managing Director (0901129)Purdue University Discovery Park

Location:West Lafayette, Indiana

Dubai Adds Its First Metro

Career Resource for Transit Professionals

World's Greatest Bullet Trains

Ernesto Chavez, Mineta Transportation Institute Graduate Student, Wins American Public Transportation Foundation Award

A Personal View of Japanese Train Systems

Interview with MTI student Matt Sandstrom

Position Title:
NEXTRANS Center Managing Director (0901129)
Purdue University Discovery Park

Location:
West Lafayette, Indiana