Message from the Director

Workforce development is one of the leading discussion topics among TSMO practitioners around the country and seems to be on the minds of industry professionals everywhere NOCoE staff visits. From executives to TMC managers to maintenance supervisors, the formidable questions about how to attract, train, and groom the next generation TSMO workforce is a shared concern.
 Recently, NOCoE staff brought the topic of workforce development from the background to the forefront and successfully shepherded our inaugural NOCoE summit in June of 2016.

I am pleased to share with all of you the “Workforce Summit Proceedings and Implementation Plan” as an important resource to help coalesce the TSM&O community. This document also serves as a significant milestone for NOCoE and its mission.

As we strive daily to provide resources that will empower the TSMO community, this report is a call to our partners, community, and friends to connect with NOCoE in the actual implementation of the action items that were identified.

The NOCoE motto is to not duplicate or replicate what is currently being done in the field, but to influence and encourage the development of additional resources that will benefit the NOCoE and TSMO community. In that spirit, I, Patrick Son as Managing Director of NOCoE, on behalf of the Board of Directors, Technical Advisory Committee, staff, and all of our partners that contributed to the workforce summit, invite you, the NOCoE community, to read, share, and connect with us on how you will contribute to the execution of the implementation plan.

NOCoE 2016 Workforce Summit: Eight Priority Action Items

The Workforce Summit focused on the following eight priority actions, voted on during the Summit. The prioritization of the actions allowed for additional discussion to produce a refined list of issues, actions, and next steps which would allow NOCoE to identify, allocate and collaborate on after the summit. (Please review the full report for further details.)

1. Convene a forum of DOTs, private sector and educators to discuss pre-employment education needs/solutions. 

2. Create a repository of existing TSMO-related course materials across all educational institutions—universities and community colleges. 

3. Conduct an updated systematic exploration of knowledge, skills and abilities needs vs. training materials gaps for TSMO entity-related functions and positions.

4. Develop a repository of existing position descriptions for similar positions/functions, and create model position descriptions.

5. Develop model TSMO training program for new hires, promotions, and transfers— including a review of current best practice for organization policies, practices, and content. 

6. Develop a strategy to elevate TSMO visibility as a core transportation function. 

7. Document current best recruitment practice in public and private entities, including targeting of non-traditional disciplines and recruitment sources, and the use of recruitment “sweeteners.”

8. Document current best practices in mentoring, succession planning, cross training, special assignments and individual career planning for public and private entities.

Request for Proposals on Transportation System Resilience Project

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) National Cooperative Highway Research Project (NCHRP) 20-59(55): Transportation System Resilience: CEO Primer & Engagement is seeking proposals for a project that will develop a primer and series of briefings for State DOT CEOs and senior executives on transportation resilience.

Together with the resilience research roadmap and resilience white papers currently being developed under NCHRP Project 20-59(54), this series of products and activities will lead into and inform the research in NCHRP Project 20-59(117) that will culminate in a national summit and peer exchange on transportation resilience to be held in late 2018. Proposals are due to TRB no later than 4:30 PM Eastern on November 3, 2016. Please direct any questions to Stephan Parker (SAParker@nas.edu) at TRB.

Webinar: Next Generation Aerial Video and Communications Platform Providing Safe Traffic Management and Emergency Response

Please join us Thursday, October 6th 1:30-3:00 pm EDT. A webinar will be held addressing CDOT’s recent field test of an FAA-approved commercial tethered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for traffic control and emergency management at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado. The webinar will address this case study, lessons learned and additional UAV applications for DOT’s. Please click here for more information and here to register. 

Webinar: ITE TSMO Award Winners

Please join us Friday, October 21st from 2:30-4:00 pm EDT. This webinar will highlight the recent award recipients of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) TSMO Council, who were recently honored at the ITE Annual Meeting in Anaheim, CA on August 15^th. The ITE TSMO Council separately presents an annual award to an individual and a project/agency that best embodies success in transportation systems management and operations. This year’s award winners include the following:

• Individual Award Winner: Richard Montanez, PE – Chief Traffic & Street Lighting Engineer, City of Philadelphia
• Project/Agency Award Winner: Manatee County, FL – Diversion and Evacuation Route Timing  

The individual and project award winners will present on their recent experiences as they pertain to TSMO, including challenges and lessons learned in achieving TSMO programming and planning goals. Please click here to register. 

The Open Source Application Development Portal Adds New ITS Applications for Download

The OSADP is a web-based portal that provides access to and supports the collaboration, development, and use of open-source ITS-related applications. The OSADP has added a number of new ITS-related applications that are available free to the public.

The following new applications are now available for download (click here for further information):

• Dynamic Intermodal Routing Environment for Control and Telematics - Analysis, Modeling and Simulation (DIRECTView-AMS)
• Intelligent Network Flow Optimization Analysis, Modeling, and Simulation (AMS)
• Connected and Automated Speed Harmonization