What’s New At NOCoE
IN THIS REPORT YOU WILL LEARN:
NOCoE's plans to advance the TSMO workforce.
How NOCoE peer exchanges, webinars, & case studies accelerate the deployment of TSMO practices.
About four TSMO projects chosen as 2024 award winners.
TSMO Moment Video Series
In 2023 NOCoE launched its TSMO Moment Video Series to capture the career snapshots of TSMO leaders. You can view all the TSMO Moment videos below. All TSMO videos are available on the NOCoE YouTube page.
TSMO Moment - Raj Ponnaluri
NOCoE has named Raj Ponnaluri, PE, PhD, PTOE, PMP, F.ITE – vice president for CONSOR Engineers and formerly of Florida Department of Transportation – as the winner of its 2024 Joey Sagal TSMO Leadership Award. This award, formerly TSMO Champion, celebrates an individual for both advancing TSMO transportation system in their agency as well as for making significant contributions to advancing TSMO on a national level.
TSMO Moment - Alexandra Lopez
In this TSMO Moment Series video, Alexandra Lopez, P.E., PTOE, TSMO Program Engineer at Florida Department of Transportation District 4, offers insights into her extensive experience in transportation, providing a glimpse into the typical responsibilities of a TSMO professional, notable achievements, and more.
TSMO Moment - Eric Hill
In this TSMO Moment feature, Eric Hill, Director of MetroPlan Orlando, offers insights into his extensive experience in transportation, providing a glimpse into the typical responsibilities of a TSMO professional, notable achievements, and more.
TSMO Moment - Beverly Kuhn
In this TSMO Moment feature, Beverly Kuhn, a Senior Research Engineer at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, shares insights into her professional life as a TSMO professional, delving into her background, ongoing projects, and more!
TSMO Moment - Laurie Matkowski, PMP
In this TMSO Moment feature, Laurie Matkowski, PMP, Director of Connected and Automated Vehicle Services at Gannett Fleming discusses TSMO, her professional background, current projects and more!
TSMO Moment - Joey Sagal
Joey Sagal made an indelible mark on the transportation community, including more than two decades of public service improving the transportation system of Maryland and the nation as a whole. His leadership and ideas will guide the work we do at NOCoE for many years to come.
2022 TSMO Champion - Jennifer Portanova
Jennifer Portanova has served NCDOT for nearly 20 years in a variety of roles. Her efforts have shaped North Carolina’s implementation and deployment of solutions that enhance transportation management. She provides leadership and support for the planning, execution, operations, and maintenance of North Carolina’s 80,000 miles of freeway and arterial corridors.
TSMO Moment - Gummada Murthy
In this TSMO Moment feature, Gummada Murthy, Ph.D, P.E. and the Program Director of Operations Programs at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), discusses his career, gives insight into important skills he utilizes to do his job well, and a normal day as a TSMO professional, and more.
Workforce Resources
Model TSMO Position Descriptions
Workforce Training Database
TSMO Workforce Development Portal
Attracting and Retaining Younger Workers in Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO)
Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) Training Best Practices
Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) Workforce Pipeline - Expanding Opportunities
Each year, NOCoE and the ITS Joint Program Office Professional Capacity Building program hosts the Transportation Technology Tournament (TTT) to advance the knowledge, skills, and abilities of students in applying ITS and TSMO solutions to real-world transportation problems.
A team of students from the University of Michigan won top honors at the 2024 TTT during the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) annual meeting in Philadelphia.
Developed by the University of Michigan’s team, the winning solution leverages data generated by vehicle sensing technologies to improve conflict prediction, reaction, and response in real-time to save lives at intersections.
Visit the Tournament Homepage for information on previous winners and the 2024 tournament.
2024 Winner: University of Michigan
2024 TTT Finalists
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University of Michigan Reconnecting Communities by Improving Vulnerable Road User Safety
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Florida International University & Florida Atlantic University Digital Twin for Connected Safe and Reliable Travel in an Urban Network in the Presence of Work Zones and Special Events
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University of Texas at Arlington AI-Empowered Video Analytics For Preventive Traffic Crash Risk Identification |
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University of Washington Improving Pedestrian Safety at Light Rail Crossings |
2024 Transportation Technology Tournament participants
Impact on Our Industry
The Transportation Technology Tournament introduces future TSMO leaders to the challenges of solving real-world transportation problems by teaching them teamwork, collaboration, and communication skills. But also, the solutions these teams develop influence agencies in how they think about applying TSMO strategies to solve their transportation system needs.
Webinars on Emerging TSMO Practices
NOCoE will hold over 40 webinars in 2024, continuing to maintain a busy monthly webinar schedule to accommodate the increased demand for online training and knowledge transfer needs. NOCoE webinars are often developed by key partners, such as the Federal Highway Administration, and are conducted by industry leaders and NOCoE staff. Webinar series, such as Talking TIM and Adventures in Crowdsourcing, have delivered high quality TSMO knowledge every month.
Webinars recordings are made available for free and serve as trainings and workforce development for many organizations.
All NOCoE webinars are free, and recordings are available on the NOCoE website and NOCoE YouTube Channel.
Total Solar Eclipse - Full Webinar
The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA’s) Office of Operations (HOP), in collaboration with other Federal, State, and local transportation agency partners, conducted a preparation webinar to discuss noteworthy strategies, resources, tools, and innovations to prepare for the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.
Coffee Break TSMO: 2026 World Cup Planning
In this February, 2024 edition of Coffee Break TSMO, we discuss the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Roadway Digital Infrastructure: Advancing through Transcontinental Corridors
Transcontinental corridors represent and remain an incredible opportunity for collaboration around emerging operations and digital infrastructure. In this interactive, panel-based session, speakers from State DOTs and different corridor coalitions/consortia offer their perspective on the need, likely models to collaboratively address critical issues that span the length of the transcontinental corridors around the role of consistent information exchanges, connectivity and enhancing services to travelers and freight.
Transportation Operations Manual (TOM) Webinar Series: Overview
State DOT leaders discussed the purpose and overview of the Transportation Operations Manual (TOM) and how their agency benefited from its use. We also heard about strategies to incorporate TSMO into agencies by using the TOM.
Transportation Operations Manual (TOM) Series: Resources to Support the TOM
This webinar includes upcoming NOCoE website tools connected to the TOM, ongoing efforts to highlight state DOT activities, and upcoming projects building on the TOM.
Transportation Operations Manual (TOM) Series: Emerging Trends and Practices
This webinar looks more closely into this section of the manual to understand more about where the industry is going how agencies are approaching emerging trends and practices. We also connect the manual with the NOCoE TSMO Trends Survey results and how the TOM, NOCoE and other resources can continue to address emerging trends and practices.
Transportation Operations Manual, First Edition
This manual was created as a resource for transportation agencies to develop and sustain the operational capabilities and strategies needed to preserve and optimize transportation system performance. It is designed to guide transportation leaders and practitioners as they define and support their transportation systems management and operations (TSMO) efforts. The TOM incorporates all levels of TSMO—strategic, programmatic, and tactical—and expands current TSMO practice through a more cohesive approach that helps agencies and their partners gain familiarity with generally accepted operational improvements, as well as develop appropriate future applications.
NOCoE Offers Free PDH Credits
NOCoE’s free webinars are now also available for professional development hour credits (PDHs). Each month, NOCoE provides a PDH tracking sheet to assist webinar attendees with keeping track of their professional development activities. The PDH credits are available for those attendees who register and attend the live webinar.
PDH Tracking Sheet
Impact on Our Industry
NOCoE webinars reach all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico and 100s of TSMO practitioners each year. Hosted by NOCoE, many of these webinars are planned and organized by FHWA and NCHRP projects, the ITE TSMO Council, the AASHTO Committee on Transportation System Operations and other partner organizations. The webinars become resources unto themselves, as most presentations and discussions are published as short videos, searchable on the NOCoE knowledge center and at the NOCoE YouTube channel.
2024 Active Transportation Peer Exchange
This interactive discussion, hosted by the National Operations Center of Excellence and ITS America, offered an opportunity to explore select key topics of interest related to advancing Active Transportation in 2024.
2026 FIFA World Cup Planning Workshop Report
This workshop was organized to prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, focusing on transportation systems management and operations (TSMO) strategies to ensure safe and efficient mobility. The event featured presentations, roundtable discussions, and networking opportunities, with speakers from various transportation and security agencies sharing their expertise and insights.
Emergency Operations and TSMO Peer Exchange Report
NOCoE’s Emergency Operations and TSMO In-Person Peer Exchange is intended to share knowledge, best practices, and innovations and to foster on-going collaboration where professionals can learn from each other’s experiences and identify effective strategies.
The peer exchange aimed to enhance regional resilience by aligning strategies with industry standards and regulatory requirements. The exchange contributes to continuous improvement, ensuring transportation systems, management and operations are safer and more resilient in the face of disasters.
Work Zone Management and TSMO Peer Exchange Report
NOCoE’s Work Zone Management and TSMO Virtual Peer Exchange is intended to host transportation agency professionals with experience and interest in developing, implementing, and managing maintenance and construction work zones. The goal is to expose practitioners to the latest developments in work zone management and hold discussions among peers about practical experience, opportunities, and challenges with different practices.
The peer exchange will be virtual using the NOCoE’s Zoom software and developed as a two-day exposure to various aspects of the topic, open to state, regional, and local TSMO stakeholders. Staff from specific programs with experience in the topic will be invited to speak and attend.
Additional peer exchanges are being held on Arterial Management, World Cup planning, and Sustaining TSMO.
Impact on Our Industry
NOCoE held six peer exchanges in 2024, in both virtual and in-person formats to allow for a wide range of attendees who could both share and receive knowledge. Attendees in this year's peer exchanges included human resources professionals, TSMO practitioners, local and regional agency representatives, younger TSMO professionals, and members of the Federal Highway Administration.
NOCoE peer exchange reports will continue to inform NOCoE and its partners on potential areas of resource development going forward.
ACT's 38th Annual International Conference, Denver, CO, August 4-7 2024
NOCoE Director Nicholas Ramfos speaking with attendees at the NOCoE booth
NOCoE Debut at 2024 ACT Int’l Conference
In this video Nicholas Ramfos, NOCoE Director, highlights how NOCoE is promoting the intersection between TDM and TSMO, and NOCoE’s panel on TDM’s role in TSMO.
Optimizing Mobility Transportation Demand Management’s Role in TSMO
In this insightful panel we heard from experts, including the Colorado Department of Transportation, on how TDM strategies are crucial in managing traffic, improving safety, and enhancing multimodal travel. The panel also explored how TSMO is being used to make transportation systems more efficient and responsive to public policy goals.
2024 ITE Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, July 21-24, 2024
NOCoE Director Nicholas Ramfos speaks with a Transportation Technology Tournament student team at the NOCoE booth
2024 Transportation Technology Tournament Winner - University of Michigan
This video highlights the winner of the 2024 Transportation Technology Tournament, University of Michigan. They discuss their winning project and its benefit to the traveling public.
NOCoE At the 2024 ITE Annual Meeting
In this video Nicholas Ramfos, NOCoE Director, highlights the NOCoE exhibit, Transportation Technology Tournament, and briefing the TSMO Council on NOCoE activities and resources at the 2024 ITE Annual Meeting.
Leadership Perspectives and Outlook on NOCoE
In this video, members of the NOCoE Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and Strategic Advisory Committee (SAC) share their perspectives and outlook on NOCoE.
2024 TSMO AWARDS
The NOCoE TSMO Awards celebrate the TSMO strategies and tools that leverage existing infrastructure to increase safety and reliability and the individuals who lead the way in advancing the practices.
Each year, NOCoE awards winners in four award categories. For 2024, the categories were:
- Best TSMO Project
- Agency Improvement
- Traffic Signals
- Emerging Practices and Technologies
A TSMO Award Overall Winner is then chosen from the four category winners.
Beginning in 2024, NOCoE began the Joey Sagal TSMO Leadership Award (previously TSMO Champion Award). This Award honors an individual who has made significant contributions to advancing TSMO both inside their organization and within the industry at-large. It was renamed after Joey Sagal of Maryland DOT, who died in October 2023. In addition to his outstanding leadership in Maryland DOT, Joey was integral to NOCoE’s development and success and perfectly embodied both the spirit and actions of advancing TSMO across the nation.
In 2024, the winners were announced at the NOCoE luncheon at the CTSO Annual Meeting in Kansas City, MO at the end of August 2024.
Many award submissions are also turned into NOCoE Case Studies, which form a library of TSMO strategies, tactics, and best practices that can be shared with other TSMO practitioners and organizations.
Overall Winner
Joey Sagal TSMO Leadership Award
Raj Ponnaluri, PE, PhD, PTOE, PMP
Vice President, CONSOR Engineers
Best TSMO Project
Agency Improvement
Emerging Practices and Technologies
Traffic Signals
Anne Arundel County for their "Applying Emerging Technologies for Smarter Traffic Signal Optimization Processes"
NOCoE Case Studies capture the strategies and practices currently being deployed to advance the TSMO industry and enable TSMO practitioners to save lives, time, and money.
Case studies are developed in partnership with the authoring organization or individual to succinctly transfer knowledge for the effective use by others in the industry. Many of the case studies come from TSMO Award Submissions.
Nicholas Ramfos is named as NOCoE Director
As the new NOCoE Director, Nick is already advancing the mission of NOCoE: to provide centralized services to the transportation industry through workforce development, advancing the deployment of technology and practices, and the mainstreaming of TSMO across the industry.
Nick brings extensive experience working with both the traveling public as well as public agencies, including federal, state, local, transit, and metropolitan planning organizations. His experience and knowledge is expanding NOCoE’s knowledge transfer activities, stakeholder engagement efforts and the ability to promote TSMO to a broad constituency.
Scott Marler, Director of the Iowa Department of Transportation and Chair of the NOCoE Strategic Advisory Committee (SAC) stated, “Nick has dedicated his career to advancing transportation solutions to improve safety, mobility, and efficiency. For the past 27 years, Nick was the Director of Transportation Operations Programs at WASHCOG, the MPO in Washington, DC. Nick was responsible for regional programs such as Commuter Connections to assist commuters with mobility options, the region’s Section 5310 program, Enhanced Mobility, that assists the disabled, senior citizens, and low-income residents in the DMV with mobility options, and being the lead on creating and standing up the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission.”
Nick is working closely with NOCoE’s team, technical and strategic committees, and founding partners to advance emerging Operations practices while also supporting proven TSMO strategies with a robust technical service program.
NOCOE EXISTS BECAUSE OF:
