I got a call today for an interview!Working with a bunch of transportation engineers. I have been a Program Planner and a Land Use Planner. I need to get some basics quick. What do any of you suggest for an intro to trans. planning? Any auggestions on books or articles will be appreciated.
DLK
"There are people in every time and every land who want to stop history in its tracks. They fear the future, mistrust the present and invoke the security of a comfortable past which, in fact, never existed." RFK
Try this one...
http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CUTS/primer.htm
SOME say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Robert Frost (1874–1963) (From Harper’s Magazine, December 1920.)
Perfect size for a quick weekend read...... Thanks DH
DLK
"There are people in every time and every land who want to stop history in its tracks. They fear the future, mistrust the present and invoke the security of a comfortable past which, in fact, never existed." RFK
Over the longer term, the books by Vukan Vuchic will probably be important, as well as Newman and Kenworthy - Sustainability And Cities. Recently parking policy has come up; based on Donald Shoup - The High Cost of Free Parking. Also in my library that springs to mind I see Anthony Downs - Still Stuck In Traffic, and Sigurd Grava - Urban Transportation Systems. I personally find Paul Mees - A Very Public Solution to be pretty important too, but i've been trying unsuccessfully for over a year to get a copy, and I can -walk- to both Paul's office and the publisher's office.
Everything mentioned there, save perhaps for Downs, is a bit of a tome (Grava's -is- a tome), alas, so 'longer term'. You might also want to look over some of the transportation policies in some of the more transit-successful cities; they often have them posted online. Vancouver, Portland, etc.
That's heavily pro-transit, but that's the way the tide has been shifting of late that i've seen. That might be because all the places I deal with are either transit cities or currently taking it on the jaw from climate change, though. Also, i'm focusing on transit planning for my research, not highways.
Find out what projects are on the Capital Improvement Program for the area you are interviewing....talk shop. You'll do fine.
They know what your previous employment was/is. They arent expecting you to know everything, just an ability to learn.
Yup, that sounds like the right route to me. Don't try to come over as a "transportation expert"...unless of course you said you are one on your resume...Originally posted by Jeff
The primer at the URL cited was just what I needed, if not a bit (IMHO appropriately) slanted in perspective. When I took the Directors job once upon a time, I had a defacto membership on the TAC committee of our MPO. I read the primer and one of my Intro books (it was so long ago) and it all came flooding back.
I appreciate the assistance and search direction (and encouragement) you all have offered. With any luck................
DLK
"There are people in every time and every land who want to stop history in its tracks. They fear the future, mistrust the present and invoke the security of a comfortable past which, in fact, never existed." RFK
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