Transportation Studies | Job Opportunities
Transportation Industry is it a boom?
Transportation industry in US is growing swiftly due to the technological advancement.This progression in technology has provided greater means of
- Time – specific delivery of goods/vehicles
- Tracking of cargos with the help of electronic devices
We belive Transportation Industry is always a boom as it has a wide range of scholarships and fellowships and research opportunities being provided by a lot of universities. Exciting new technologies are arising from time to time.
Advances in Transportation Technology and the Shrinking of “Real” Distance
According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics
1500-1840 1850-1930 1950s 1960s-present Best average speed for horse-drawn coaches and sailing ships was 10 mph Steam locomotives averaged 65 mph and steamships averaged 36 mph Propeller aircraft able to fly 300-400 mph Large jet aircraft able to fly 500-700 mph Infrastructure innovation Trunk canals Turnpike roads Railroads Ocean shipping Highways Airports/airlines Emergence of telecommunications Vehicle innovation Horse-powered coaches Steam engines Steamships Railroad equipment Steel ships Aircraft Automobiles Combustion engines Trucks Tractors Jet engines Containerships Megaships Post-Panamax ships
As the technology advances the job opportunities and job satisfaction also increases. According to U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, there would be more than 248,000 new jobs between 2004-2014, in transportation industry which include laborers, hand freight, stock and material movers.
Will you take up transportation studies for your career?
“Invest in yourself and your future through career planning! “
Transportation industry has greater financial security than any other industry. Other main Advantages of choosing your career in transportation includes
- World-wide marketability
- Travel opportunities
- Benefit to the society
- lofty prestige
Analysts have predicted that by the 21st century, the transportation industry will experience a shortage in qualified professionals. As a result, the U.S. Department of Transportation, state and local transportation agencies, and the University’s Transportation Institute have placed a precedence on the enrollment of the “best and brightest” young people to form the nucleus of the transportation workforce for the this century.
General Transportation Studies offered at various universities.
TRAFFIC ENGINEERING
TRAFFIC ENGINEERING is related to highway traffic control with an emphasis on traffic signals. The topics include capacity calculations for freeways, rural highways, and traffic signals, traffic signal design, operation and timing; and short introductions to corridor management projects and traffic safety studies.
University of Minnesota – Center for Transportation Studies, has developed a game keeping in mind the tools and ideas that actual traffic control engineers use in every day life. Learn and have fun concurrently while you play “Gridlock Buster” Traffic Control Game.
TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING
Transportation engineering is concerned with moving people and goods efficiently, safely, and in a manner conducive to a vivacious community. This involves specifying, designing, constructing, and maintaining transportation infrastructure which includes streets, canals, highways, rail systems, airports, ports, and mass transit. It includes areas such as transportation design, transportation planning, traffic engineering, some features of urban engineering, queueing theory, pavement engineering, Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), and infrastructure management.
ROAD SAFETY
Road safety is concerned about accident occurrence and corresponding probability models, estimation of safety, Identification of deviated sites and drivers. Design, validity and interpretation of studies about the safety effect of treatments. Applications: intersection safety, law enforcement, driver improvements grade crossings, insurance premiums. Introduction to road safety, ergonomics with applications, biomechanics of injury and injury scaling, accident investigation and reconstruction.
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PERFORMANCE
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PERFORMANCE is concerned with the causes and effects of congestion on transport associations and in simple networks. The modeling is primarily deterministic, and the emphasis is on urban, peak phase conditions.
TRANSPORTATION & DEVELOPMENT
The land use – transportation interaction is the spotlight of this course. About half the course deals with land use forecasting models used to project upcoming land use (principally population and employment distributions) for input into transportation planning studies. Models reviewed include the Lowry Model, econometric-based models and urban simulation techniques. The remainder of the course deals with the qualitative and quantitative assessment of impacts of major transportation amenities on land use patterns.
AUTO SERVICE TECHNOLOGY
Transportation Degree programs at UCLA Automotive Service Technology is a two-level course. The first level students are instructed in basic shop skills, preventative maintenance, automotive engine systems diagnosis/service, electrical systems/service, suspension, steering systems/service, and tire service. The second level students are instructed in more specialized areas such as state inspection, automotive transmission, trans-axle, air conditioning service, electronic systems, engine overhaul, emission systems diagnosis service, and performance/ durability testing.
TRANSPORTATION DESIGN COURSE
The development, design and method of systems of transport: that is the area covered by the transportation designer, the professional who is always alert to consumers psychological and emotional mechanisms, knowing how to examine and understand areas of society, culture and the requirements of different kinds of users, so is capable of devising and designing the systems, the accessories and the means of transport of the future.
The program aims to give students from a wide range of backgrounds a firm grounding in the principles, techniques, issues and practice of transport planning and engineering, thus equipping them for a professional career. It is ideally suited to students who wish to develop their understanding of the transport engineering issues which they may have initially studied during a degree in Civil Engineering or related subject.
MAJOR UNIVERSITIES IN US THAT OFFER TRANSPORTAION STUDIES
Institute Of Transportation Studies – University of California, Berkeley
The Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, is one of the world’s leading centers for transportation research, education, and scholarship. It is home to a large, diverse, and continually changing community of people who are experts in all aspects of transportation. Degree Programs / Courses offered at UC Berkeley
University of Minnesota | Centre for Transportation Studies
The field of transportation is diverse and complex. It involves all sectors of society and required skills from a variety of disciplines to address its challenges. The Center for Transportation Studies addresses these challenges through multidisciplinary research, education, and outreach programs. Transportation Career Guide
Department of Transportation Studies Texas Southern University
The field of transportation is diverse and complex. It involves all sectors of society and required skills from a variety of disciplines to address its challenges. The Center for Transportation Studies addresses these challenges through multidisciplinary research, education, and outreach programs. Department of Transportation Studies
Urban Transportation Center – University of Illinois at Chicago
The Urban Transportation Center at UIC is dedicated to conducting research and education and providing technical assistance on urban transportation planning, policy, operations and management. We specialize in three core clusters of transportation research: disadvantaged populations and human sustainability, Intelligent Transportation Systems, and public transportation, highways and freight planning, operations and management.
University of California Transportation Center
The Urban Transportation Center at UIC is dedicated to conducting research and education and providing technical assistance on urban transportation planning, policy, operations and management. We specialize in three core clusters of transportation research: disadvantaged populations and human sustainability, Intelligent Transportation Systems, and public transportation, highways and freight planning, operations and management.
Employment opportunities for young workers?
Transportation industry has enormous employment opportunities in the future. Employment is projected to increase by 1.1 million between 2004 and 2014 for transportation and material moving occupations. There would be more job opportunities for truck drivers and sales workers in future.
According to U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, there would be more than 248,000 new jobs between 2004-2014, in transportation industry which include laborers, hand freight, stock and material movers.
In the present scenario, employers prefer hiring young workers in the transportation industry. Industry employers are targeting high school, technical school and community college graduates and also tapping dislocated workers, disabled personnel, veterans etc.
Skills required for different transportation sectors
For truck transportation and warehousing jobs, employers generally prefer workers who have high school education, but in reality, workers have basic college education. To become a truck driver, they have to meet certain federal motor carrier safety regulations.
- They should be at least 21 years of old
- Should have 20/40 vision
- Should be able to hear properly, be able to speak and read English and also possess good driving records.
- Truck drivers should get a state commercial driver’s license (CDL).
To get this license they need to pass a written examination and a driving test. Each company has certain criteria’s for selecting a truck driver. Some companies also conduct tests before hiring truck drivers. So applicants need to ensure that they clear these tests also. There are various schools which provide training to truck drivers. Truck drivers attend these training schools before joining any company
For railroad transportation jobs, applicants should have physical stamina for entry-level jobs. They should pass a physical examination, drug and alcohol screening and a criminal background check. For various positions in this industry they should have high school education or its equivalent. Most of the employees in this sector work 24*7. They work during nights, over weekends and also on holidays. Rail yard workers work outdoors in varying weather conditions. While selecting entry level conductors or locomotive engineers they should be at least 21 years of age.
Conductors should be trained by employers or go through a conductor training program. Workers in the engineer positions are selected based on the experience they possess in other railroad-operating jobs.
Some of the important jobs in ground passenger transportation sector are bus and truck mechanics, diesel engine specialists, first-line supervisors, vehicle operators, intercity bus drivers and managers of transportation and material moving machine. Bus drivers should be well – mannered and have strong customer service skills.
Federal regulations require drivers who drive commercial motor vehicles have a commercial driver’s license (CDL). For diesel service technician and mechanic jobs, employers prefer graduates who have gone through formal training programs. There are many community colleges and vocational schools that provide training in diesel repair.
There are many institutions who offer training in communication skills, customer service, basic education in physics and logical reasoning techniques. If diesel service technicians go through these formal training program they can excel in their job
In sightseeing transportation and support activities sector, important jobs are aircraft mechanics, service technicians and customer service representatives. If a person wants to become an aircraft mechanic, he can study in one of 200 trade schools certified by FAA. Aircraft mechanics must have a high degree of mechanical aptitude. Necessary skills that aircraft mechanics need to possess are
- They need to be self-motivated
- Hard working and enthusiastic
- Solve complex mechanical problems
Applicants are selected based on the above criteria.
If a person wishes to become a customer service representative, he should possess the necessary skills like
- Basic computer knowledge
- Good interpersonal skills
- Interaction with the public
- Strong communication and problem solving skills
To become a customer service representative they should have a minimum of high school diploma degree.
How is US Congress and the ETA contributing to its growth?
Employment and Training Administration (ETA) in aid with Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) is planning to invest more than $260 million in 26 different regions throughout United States. WIRED aims to create high skill and high wage opportunities for American workers which will lead to economical and talent development. By taking these steps, ETA will be able to create skilled workforce which will create an impact in today’s economy.
ETA is planning to invest nearly $23,281,291 in transportation industry. From this about $7,640,253 would be used in four high growth Job Training Initiative grants and nearly $15,641,038 in eight Community based job training grants.
Department of Labor’s(DOL) Employment and Training Administration is supporting inclusive partnerships that contains employers, labor-management organizations, the public workforce system, and other entities that have developed innovative approaches that address the labor force needs of business while also efficiently helping workers find good jobs with good wages and promising career pathways in the transportation industry.
This set of workforce solutions is based on the transportation industry’s priorities that address issues such as:
- Helping high school, technical school, and community college graduates successfully get into the transportation industry;
- Creating industry standards, and systems for apprenticeship, training, and skill certification in the transportation sector;
- Developing inclusive, competency-based training programs for entry-level workers;
- Creating models of safety imitation and gaming software that can be used to enhance the learning of younger workers;
- Developing competency-based training program for entry-level mariners;
- Developing competency-based e-learning courses for mariners;
- Establish distance learning facilities in selected ports and two Seafarers International Union centers;
- Providing disadvantaged job applicants with an opportunity to enter the transportation industry as professional drivers;
- Articulating the commercial drivers license credential with the Technical Certificate in Heavy-Truck Diesel Maintenance; and
- Developing effective partnerships with Workforce Investment Boards and One-Stop Career Centers, community colleges, and industry.
The grants are planned to provide genuine solutions, leadership, and models for partnerships that can be simulated in different parts of the country.
DOL has also sought to understand and implement industry-identified strategies to confront critical labor force shortages. It has listened to employers representing dealerships, manufacturers, and suppliers, industry association representatives, educators, the public workforce system, and others related with the automotive industry regarding some of their efforts to recognize challenges and implement effective workforce strategies. DOL’s Employment and Training Administration is supporting comprehensive business, education, and workforce enlargement partnerships that have developed innovative approaches that address the workforce needs of business while also effectively helping workers find good jobs with good wages and promising career pathways in the automotive industry.
This set of labor force solutions is based on the automotive industry’s priorities that address issues such as:
- Expanding the pipeline of youth entering the automotive industry;
- Helping alternative labor pools gain industry-defined skills and competencies;
- Developing alternative training strategies, such as apprenticeship, distance learning, and accelerated training, for training automotive professionals;
- Developing tools and curriculum for enhancing the skills of automotive professionals for nationwide distribution;
- Enhancing the capacity of educational institutions to train to industry-defined competencies;
- Developing industry-defined career ladders and lattices and corresponding competency models and curriculum;
- Developing strategies to maintain and help incumbent workers move into higher level positions; and
- Assisting transitioning individuals from declining industries to high growth industries by building on their existing skills and training them for high growth automotive occupations.
The grants are intended to provide genuine solutions, leadership, and models for partnerships that can be replicated in different parts of the country.
About the Author
Jack Race is an expert author for Car transport and auto transport. He has written many articles like car shipping, vehicle transport and auto shipping. For more information visit our site Transportation Studies And Job Oppertunities Contact him at aaat@gmail.com
