Overview
The Committee on Transportation Systems Operations (CTSO) and the National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE) are pleased to announce a new CTSO TSMO Roundtable Webinar hosted by NOCoE. This roundtable, Best Practices for TSMO Training Programs at all Levels of the Workforce. This roundtable session focused on how to develop an adequate training program for the development of knowledge and skills for TSMO focused staff at various workforce levels. Often times operations employees are forced to rely on the job training (OJT) to develop the needed TSMO competencies. Discussions included the sharing of examples and experiences in building more formalized training programs that support the maturity of staff and the agency as a whole.
- Moderator: Suzette Peplinski, Michigan DOT and Brad Freeze, Tennessee DOT
- Speakers:
- Raj Ponnaluri, Florida DOT
- Stephen Glascock, Louisiana DOT
- Galen McGill, Oregon DOT
- Joe Hunt, Texas DOT
- Matt Neeley, Washington State DOT
Webinar Resources
Orgeon DOT Traffic Signal Inspector Certification: https://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/Construction/Pages/Signal-Inspector-Cert.aspx
Washington DOT TSMO Overview Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R45hyElfWEg
Washington DOT TSMO Strategies Website: https://tsmowa.org/
FREE TSMO Courses: https://www.citeconsortium.org/partners/agency-partners/
Speaker Bios:
Galen McGill (Oregon DOT): Galen McGill is the System Operations & ITS Manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Galen is a registered professional engineer in the State of Oregon. He has a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Oregon State University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management. He represents the United States on the PIARC (World Road Association) Road Network Operations & ITS Technical Committee. He serves as the research coordinator for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Committee on Transportation System Operations, and he serves on the technical advisory committee for the National Operations Center of Excellence.
Raj Ponnaluri (Florida DOT): Raj V. Ponnaluri is the State Connected Vehicles, Arterials and Managed Lanes Engineer at the Florida Department of Transportation. In addition to leading the state’s connected vehicles, arterial management, managed lanes and connected vehicle programs, he assists with the development of the TSM&O initiatives. He holds a BSCE, MS and PhD in transportation engineering and an MBA. He is a registered P.E., PTOE and PMP. He has over 25 years of experience in Traffic Engineering and Operations, ITS, TSM&O, CAV, WWD, public transportation, and projects and contract management. Raj has published his work in several journals.
Stephen Glascock (Louisiana DOT): Stephen Glascock serves as Director of the Intelligent Transportation Systems program for the Louisiana DOT. In this position, he oversees the planning, implementation, and operation of the state’s advanced traffic management and traveler information systems and coordinates the state’s traffic-incident management program.
Matt Neeley (Washington DOT): Matt was raised in Salt Lake City Utah, he moved with his family in 2000 to Olympia, WA., where he went to work for the Washington State Department of Transportation. While working for WSDOT he has worked as an ITS Design Engineer, Traffic Analysis and Systems Planning Engineer, State Priority and Programing Engineer and currently works as the State Traffic Systems Development Engineer. Matt has Worked for WSDOT for 20 years. In his current role he oversees the Commercial Vehicle Services, Major Electrical, TSMO and ITS. He attended the University of Utah, where he studied Civil Engineering and received his Bachelor of Science. After moving from Utah, he attended Saint Martin’s University, where he received his master’s degree in civil engineering. Matt has worked as a Civil Engineer for nearly 25 years.
Suzette Peplinski (Michigan DOT): Suzette Peplinski is the Traffic Safety & Operations Engineer for Michigan DOT’s Grand Region in west Michigan. This includes managing the region safety, traffic signals, and ITS programs, as well as the West Michigan Transportation Operations Center. She has been with MDOT for over 25 years, working in Construction, Transportation Service Center Management, ITS, and Traffic Operations. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Joe Hunt (Texas DOT): Joe is the Traffic Management Section Director for the Traffic Safety Division. Joe started his career in 2003 as an ITS Analyst in the Freeway Management Office in the Dallas District after he had worked two summers with the Department. Joe worked in the Dallas District for 16 years prior to his move to Austin to be with the Traffic Safety Division. At TxDOT he is responsible for signals, ITS, Traffic Incident Management, and TSMO.
Brad Freeze (TN DOT): Brad Freeze, PE is the Director of Traffic Operations Division with Tennessee Department of Transportation. A TDOT employee since 2002, Brad is the Director of the TDOT Traffic Operations Division. The mission of the Traffic Operations Division is to maximize the capacity the existing roadway network in Tennessee. He is a licensed engineer and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Tennessee Technological University and a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from UT – Knoxville. Previous to his current position in the Traffic Operations Division, Brad oversaw the development of Intelligent Transportation Systems & Traffic Signal Design projects. In addition to his TDOT responsibilities, Brad currently serves on the Technical Advisory Committee of the National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE), which was established through a partnership with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), and the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITSA). The NOCoE is intended to serve the emerging transportation systems management and operations (TSM&O) community, which is focused on deploying strategies and technologies to increase the safety and efficiency of the nation’s transportation system. Brad holds professional memberships with ITS Tennessee, ITS America and the Institute of Transportation Engineers. He is a past President of ITS Tennessee and currently serves on its Board of Directors. Brad currently lives in Millersville, Tennessee, with his wife, Rachel, 9-year-old daughter, Eliza, and his 6-year old daughter, Emajean.