National Geographic (UK) Documentary on Tesla Model S

November 23, 2013 at 6:24 pm

Brilliant… and everything about Tesla Model S sounds better when the narrator sounds like Jason Statham (or is it Jason himself  narrating it?).  A bit of research showed that it is a part of NatGeo (UK)’s Megafactories Show, which has a ton of more such awesome things.. Check out the program’s website.

Job Alert: Austin Bike Share (Multiple Positions) – Austin, Texas

September 25, 2013 at 5:01 pm

Got these vacancy announcement though the grapevine. Attached are the 3 Director-level positions for which Austin B-Cycle Bike Share system is accepting resumes for right now with the goal of hiring by mid-October and a November 11 start date. There will also be some hourly fleet balancing staff we will be hiring once we have selected the Operations Director.

Image courtesy: Austin B-Cycle Bike Share

Image courtesy: Austin B-Cycle Bike Share

Austin Bike Share – Finance Director

Austin Bike Share – Operations Director

Austin Bike Share – Marketing Director

If you have any questions, reach Exec. Director Elliott McFadden (elliott@bikeshareofaustin.com).  Good luck to all applicants.

 

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Job Alert: Sustainability Analyst – WMATA @Washington, DC

March 18, 2013 at 4:44 pm

Reference 130316 or search for ‘Sustainability’ on WMATA’s career site

Note the 3/21/13 closing date.

Responsibilities:

This is a high level professional and technical position involving the development and analysis in support of Authority-wide sustainability planning, initiative development, and performance measurement. Incumbent uses innovative analysis, corporate/transit best practices, and in-depth evaluation. The incumbent analyzes current performance, identifies new business models and markets, develops implementation strategies and plans, and provides project management support.

Results provide refined critical information to enable effective organizational decision making, performance management, and leadership. Incumbent communicates regularly with executive staff and other Authority personnel. Incumbent conducts special studies to ensure efficient management of resources. Incumbent produces presentations that communicate Authority¿s stance and leadership in sustainability practice.

English: Washington, DC Metro logo

English: Washington, DC Metro logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

MAJOR DUTIES:

  • Develops, evaluates, and supports sustainability initiatives, programs, policies, and procedures for the Authority.
  •  Independently conducts analytical studies.
  • Serves as a project analyst and provides project management support to resolve problems and to meet PLAN objectives and Authority strategic goals.
  • Conducts special studies focusing on life-cycle costing, cost benefit analysis, and return on investment calculations for potential investments.
  • Researches and summarizes selected policy areas related to sustainability.
  • Prepares reports on transit issues such as sustainability best practices, impacts of transit on regional sustainability, and summarizes selected policy and technical areas related to sustainability innovations in the transit industry.
  • Researches and drafts responses to inquiries from members of Congress; federal, state, regional, and local officials; the Board of Directors; and the public.
  • Prepares and presents reports and recommendations for a variety of internal and external customers.
  • Attends meetings, hearings, high-level planning sessions, and other activities essential to the execution of the functional responsibilities of PLAN.
  •  Maintains effective working relationships with individuals and organizations with whom interface and cooperation are required.

The above duties and responsibilities are not intended to limit specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. It is not intended to limit in any way the right of supervisors to assign, direct and control the work of employees under their supervision.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

  • Knowledge of sustainable business practice and sustainable development.
  • Knowledge of and experience in leading interdisciplinary teams to facilitate effective policy and initiative planning, development, implementation, and support.
  • Knowledge of the principles and practices of strategic business planning, performance metrics, and innovation management.
  • Knowledge of financial analysis including: life-cycle costing, cost benefit analysis, return on investment calculation.
  • Knowledge of the sustainability and environmental policy context in which transit systems operate. Familiarity with sustainable design, green building, and energy planning in a transit context.
  • Knowledge of public transit principles and practices and the application of new technology and other innovations to transit agencies.
  • Demonstrated success in completing difficult assignments, displaying innovative solutions to complex problems.
  • Ability to acquire and maintain current knowledge of major transit systems and changes in the public transportation field that may be of benefit to the attainment of the Authority’s goals and objectives.
  • Ability to effectively analyze and present findings on various assigned studies.
  • Ability to prepare concise technical reports and engaging presentations for a variety of internal and external customers.
  • Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of management and organizations with who interface and cooperation are required.
  • Ability to communicate effectively at all levels of the organization.

The employee performs moderately difficult administrative and office management work assignments for the head of an entity whose staff consists of one or more subordinate branch management level persons who are responsible for key functions and/or programs. Incumbents in this class perform a full range of administrative support duties which affects the efficacy of work processes performed by others. Contacts are maintained with members of other departments with whom the Director level maintains working relationships. Some situations require the use of persuasion and tact to maintain the Director¿s viewpoint. Written guidelines are generally available, but require interpretation.

 

English: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit ...

To be considered for the position, you must meet minimum qualifications. It is, therefore, very important for you to include on your application any education/experience you have had that is described in the minimum qualifications. Incomplete information may delay the assessment process.

Qualifications

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in planning, public policy, business administration, or related field. A Master¿s degree preferred. A minimum of five (5) years progressively responsible experience in sustainable business practices, sustainable development, or related field.

MEDICAL GROUP:

Ability to satisfactorily complete the medical examination for this position. The incumbent must be able to perform the essential functions of this position either with or without reasonable accommodations.

High School Diploma or GED and a minimum of 5 years experience in office management activities that involved providing administrative/secretarial services within a diverse organizational entity. Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in word processing on the standard software currently in use by the Authority based on a computerized word processing skills evaluation which measures efficiency at various levels; demonstrate proficiency in communication and clerical skills based on a computerized skills evaluation which measures proficiency in spelling, punctuation, capitalization and grammar.

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation criteria may include one or more of the following:

  1. Education, training and experience
  2. Personal Interview
  3. Medical examination which may include alcohol and drug testing
  4. Performance attendance record
  5. Background check to include criminal, education, work and driver’s record

Closing Statement

Posted salary ranges and offers are subject to Union contract agreements and Metro salary administration guidelines. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is an equal opportunity employer, and encourages applications from minorities, females and persons with disabilities.

Please apply before: 03/21/2013

Reference 130316 or search for ‘Sustainability’ on WMATA’s career site

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Job(s) Alert: Two Job Opportunities – Transportation Management Specialists @ DC Department of Transportation

February 15, 2013 at 11:24 pm
English: District of Columbia Department of Tr...

District of Columbia Department of Transportation (d-dot) logo on a D.C. Circulator bus. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

(via YIPPS)
DDOT has two jobs open in the Policy, Planning & Sustainability Administration. Both are open until 3/8 with a first read date of 3/1 and neither is an entry-level position.
  • posting 20676 (link) is for the Strategic Planning Branch and will be the Southern Area planner, including Ward 8 and parts of Ward 7, the Southwest Waterfront and Navy Yard areas. This is an exciting area of the District, with a lot of challenges in the years ahead. DDOT is looking for a motivated planner who can successfully engage with the community on multi-modal planning projects.
  • posting 21749 (link) is for the Project Review Branch, and DDOT is looking for a technically-minded planner who understands traffic analysis, has experience with NEPA, and ideally some modeling.
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Job alert: General Manager – @altabikeshare system, San Francisco Bay Area, California

January 31, 2013 at 3:03 pm

Job Title:  General Manager
Job Location: San Francisco, with regular travel to the South Bay

Job Summary
Bicycle sharing is a sustainable, healthy, and community-based transport option that enhances urban livability and mobility. Alta Bicycle Share, contractor to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) and operator of the Bay Area bike share program (BABS), is seeking a General Manager to oversee staff of over 50 people and all aspects of launch and ongoing operations. Core program functions include: program marketing; bicycle and station assembly and installation, programming and deployment; bicycle and station maintenance, repair and cleaning; bicycle redistribution; shipping/receiving and inventory control; client and customer service; and budget management.

Reporting to the Operations Director, the General Manager is accImage Courtesy: Portland Mercuryountable for overall success of Alta’s Bay Area bike share program as measured by program P & L, performance in core program functions, and client and customer satisfaction. Primary responsibilities include business strategy development and implementation; staff recruitment, training oversight, leadership and coaching; client and customer service; and contract negotiation and compliance. Ideal candidates will be diplomatic delegators with a track record of safety and success managing multifaceted operations with a diverse and committed workforce.

 

Primary Responsibilities
Manage all aspects of Alta Bicycle Share Bay Area pre-launch activities, including but not limited to:

  • Recruitment and selection of key leadership team.
  • Branding and marketing plan development.
  • Identification of key marketing partners and sub-contractors.
  • Property identification and acquisition.
  • Acquisition of vehicles, equipment and tools.
  • Site selection and planning.
  • Contract and client management. Establish strong vendor and client relationships.
  • Receive, inventory, and oversee assembly of all bike share equipment.
  • Establish or improve policies and policy documents as required.

Manage all aspects of Alta Bicycle Share Bay Area program deployment and launch, marketing, customer service, administration and oversee all aspects of ongoing operations, including but not limited to:

  • Hire, train, schedule, and manage a diverse workforce to necessarily and continually accomplish core program functions. Delegate tasks as needed.
  • Working with the management and street team to develop strategies to accomplish operational functions including bike and station deployment, maintenance, repair, and cleaning, and bicycle redistribution.
  • Working with the local client, management and street team to develop strategies for membership and corporate sales, public relations, and customer service leveraging social media.
  • Manage multiple subcontracts.
  • Lead collaboration with multiple clients and multiple sponsors.
  • Continuous operation with adherence to policies, contracts, and budgets.
  • Implement, improve, and share operational best practices.
  • Ensure strict adherence to safety policies and procedures.
  • Forecast revenues and expenses, and manage a budget.
  • Ensure reports, invoices and purchase orders are complete and timely delivered to project officers and managers.
  • Maintain strong client and vendor relations.
  • Ensure overall success and future growth of Alta Bicycle Share the Bay Area.

Core Competencies

  • Communication Skills: Collaborate and communicate effectively; requires listening, strategic context, win-win negotiating, situational leadership; great written, verbal and presentation skills.
  • Leadership Skills: Inspire and motivate employees to successfully achieve operational goals; provide a stable, positive environment that challenges and develops employee potential; remove obstacles that interfere with team goals; earns respect of team and clients alike.
  • Interpersonal Skills: Maintain confidentiality; remain open to others’ ideas; demonstrate willingness to try new things.
  • Resource Management: Find creative ways to accomplish goals in the face of resource constraints; develop and manage realistic operating budgets that accomplish program objectives.
  • Continuous Improvement: Proficient in company best practices in each function; looks for ways to improve efficiency and performance; analyzes data to make fact based decisions; incorporates feedback from various stakeholders to improve processes.
  • Emotional Intelligence: Self-aware, easily establishes trust and integrity with clients and staff.
  • Adaptability: Enthusiastically adapt to changes in the work environment; manage competing demands; maintain team focus and optimism when dealing with frequent change, delays or unexpected events.
  • Dependability: Follow instructions; respond to management direction and client requests; communicate frequently; solicit feedback to improve performance.

Requirements

  • College degree in business administration, engineering, transportation or related field required. Advanced degree a plus.
  • 7+ years of demonstrated success in the areas of general management, sales/marketing, general operations and finance in a fast growth environment. Experience in logistics or transportation industries a plus.
  • Prior P & L responsibility in a multi-site/multi-unit operation.
  • Ability to identify priorities and focus on critical tasks.
  • Must have demonstrated leaderships experience and history of hiring and developing key employees.
  • Experience working with government, businesses, and non-profits.
  • Strong analytical, organizational, communication and problem solving skills.
  • Valid driver’s license.
  • Passion for bikes, efficiency, or sustainability a plus.
  • Sense of humor required.

Note: The above description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the job. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities due to the nature of work performed to accomplish Alta Bicycle Share’s Mission. Alta Bicycle Share is proud to be an equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer.
To Apply:
Please submit a cover letter and resume to: resumes+SFGM@altabicycleshare.com
Please, no phone calls

Click here for the original announcement.

Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship – Application deadline December 19, 2012

December 3, 2012 at 7:33 pm

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Internship Alert: Post-Graduate Internship @ EcoMobility – ICLEI – Bonn, Germany

March 29, 2011 at 12:12 pm

ICLEI is a worldwide association of more than 1200  metropolitan regions, cities, towns, counties and municipal associations in 70 countries that are dedicated to implementing sustainable development.  We work in a highly multicultural environment and in a truly global fashion with partners around the globe. We are offering a post-graduate internship in the field of EcoMobility. The intern will be part of ICLEI World Secretariat in Bonn, Germany. The World Secretariat also serves as the Secretariat for the Global Alliance for EcoMobility. For more information, visit http://www.ecomobility.org.

Tasks:
• The main task of the intern will be to help preparing the 1st EcoMobility World Congress, which will take place in the Republic of Korea in October.  Specific tasks include:
– Actively develop contacts with possible participating cities and organizations;
– Communicate with partners, funders and sponsors;
– Support the Program Committee;
– Draft briefing sheets about  the main congress topics;
– Prepare communications, announcements and promotional materials;
– Edit the congress web pages.
• The intern will also support the Global Alliance for EcoMobility.  Specific tasks include:
– Develop contacts with possible sponsors and partners pertaining to a newly developed project;
– Keep updated the website, particularly the resource databases and the news section;
– Maintain contact with the Alliance Members.
Requirements
• Academic background: a completed bachelor’s degree in urban planning, transport and mobility policy, civil engineering or related degree. Master graduates are also welcome. Knowledge of sustainable transportation issues is required;
• Professional experience or personal interest in the field of sustainable transportation and sustainable urban planning;
• Language skills: fluent English  preferably native language; further languages welcome;
• Good communication skills, orally and in writing;
• Computer skills: Microsoft Office; experience with web content management (preferably Typo 3);
• Motivation to work in a multicultural environment.
Terms and conditions
• The internship position is available from May 2011 at the ICLEI World Secretariat in Bonn, Germany. The duration will be six months and the EcoMobility congress is included in this period. The internship is within ICLEI’s international Capacity Center. The intern reports to the EcoMobility Officer;
• ICLEI offers interns a cost compensation of Euro 550 after tax and social insurance fees;
• Workings hours:  40h per week; 2 days of paid leave per month (i.e., 12 days for the six months internship);
• Working language:  English;
• Non-EU citizen applications are also welcomed provided they have the possibility of being granted an EU work permit prior to the start of the internship.
Application
By email (jobs.bonn@iclei.org) or fax (+49–228 / 97 62 99 01).  Please include “EcoMobility internship” in the subject line and send us:
• A short motivation letter in pdf;
• Your CV with photo (3 pages at most) in pdf, including indication of citizenship (and if non-EU, whether you are holder of a work permit for Germany).
Deadline for application:  20 April 2011.

Clueless Colorado Gubernatorial Candidate, Warns Of U.N. Plot To Destroy America With Bike-Sharing Programs

August 4, 2010 at 5:53 pm

After reading this news item below, I’m totally out of words and appalled at the level of ignorance and fear mongering that goes in politics.. Dear politicians, please stay away from stuff when you don’t really know what you are talking about

Amplify’d from www.huffingtonpost.com

Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes is warning voters that Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper’s policies, particularly his efforts to boost bike riding, are “converting Denver into a United Nations community.”

“This is all very well-disguised, but it will be exposed,” Maes told about 50 supporters who showed up at a campaign rally last week in Centennial.

Okay, here’s the mystery that Maes alone has penetrated. Denver is a member in something called the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives. They’ve been a member since 1992. It is an “international association that promotes sustainable development.” One of the things that contributes to sustainability and an overall pleasant quality of life is a bike-sharing program called “B-Cycle” which has taken donations and grant monies to make 400 bicycles available for the residents of Denver to tool around on when the spirit moves them. Hickenlooper has praised the program so Maes is trying to make the case that it’s a UN plot to deprive people of “freedom.”

Read more at www.huffingtonpost.com

 

2010 TRB Environment and Energy Research Conference – June 6-9, 2010 @ Raleigh, NC

April 20, 2010 at 5:07 pm

2010 Environment and Energy Research Conference

Early Registration deadline extended to April 30!

This conference brings together more than a dozen TRB Energy and Environmental committees meeting jointly with the AASHTO Standing Committee on the Environment and serves as a platform to develop better transportation solutions through the integration of diverse environmental (human and natural) and transportation perspectives.

Join nationally recognized experts in transportation along with forward-thinking professionals in environmental, planning, community and economic analysis, environmental justice, land use, sustainability, climate change, and transportation fields in a frank and open discussion aimed at sharing experiences, examining the realities of major complex issues, and developing common sense approaches to environmental and transportation challenges.

A preconference workshop on Sunday, June 6, will provide participants with the opportunity to identify critical environmental research needs.

The Conference will be held at the Raleigh Convention Center, a beautiful new facility, centrally located in downtown Raleigh, NC.

Registration

  • Early Registration has been extended!
  • The conference registration fee of $350 will be in effect until April 30.
  • After April 30, the fee will increase to $425.  Conference Participants should register now to save!

Conference Hotel

  • A block of rooms will be reserved at the new Raleigh Marriott Hotel City-Center adjacent to the convention center. A conference rate of $92/night plus tax has been established but you must reserve your room by May 8, 2010.

Be a Sponsor

  • Overall conference sponsorship provides significant opportunities for relationship building among agency, university, corporate, and non-governmental professionals. Let participants know who you are by getting your information prominently displayed. Find out how you can be a sponsor!

Click here to access the event website for preliminary program and other event related details.

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Pod Life! San Jose dreams big with a Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system

October 5, 2009 at 7:40 pm

(Sources contributing to this hybrid report: Boston.com, ULTraPRT.com & ABC7)

The city of San Jose is planning to build a PRT system that will run between the airport and a Bay Area Rapid Transit station as well as a nearby light rail station. They say it will include up to five stations, but this and other details are still being worked out.

Back in 2008, the city has issued a request for proposals and allotted $4 million to conduct an economic and technical evaluation, and then to work with a vendor. When San Jose compared PRT with an automated people mover, the kind of large, driverless shuttle that is common at airports, officials decided that PRT would be cheaper and more convenient for passengers. The government has not sworn off other options during this exploratory phase, but officials say they will most likely proceed with a PRT system.

Image Courtesy: ULTra PRT - Click the image for more details

One of the vendors, ULTra PRT whose first deployment is scheduled for London Heathrow Airport in Spring 2010, expected to serve Heathrow’s new Terminal 5, has published more details on this project.  The website notes ULTra PRT is an electric, 200-mpg-equivalent, elevated transit system with many 5-person vehicles.  Working as circulator transit for office parks, airports, universities, and other major activity centers, PRT is faster than a car. In these applications, PRT makes carpooling and transit more effective, by solving the “last mile problem.”

Laura Stuchinksy is a sustainability officer for San Jose’s Department of Transportation. She and other city officials are considering the idea of having such a public pod system link the Mineta San Jose International Airport with area businesses, hotels and other nearby transit options, like Caltrain, BART and the VTA Light Rail.

PRT also enables longer bike commutes and shopping trips.  The only existing, functioning example in the world is an eight-mile network built in the 1970s to move people around the West Virginia University campuses (which also happens to be TransportGooru’s Alma Mater; enjoyed riding this system while studying there back in the 90s).

San Jose is anticipating population growth of a half million people over the next 30 years, so an automated pod transit system could certainly improve quality of life in the city – plus generate thousands more clean-tech jobs. Here is a video  coverage of this story (courtesy of ABC 7).

HatTip: Peter Muller for sharing this via twitter.  Peter’s interesting feeds can be followed @PRTGURU on Twitter)