[ABJ30-Friends] Review materials for Scope, Goals and Objectives

ABJ30 Members and Friends, To prepare our Triennial Strategic Plan (TSP) - we need your input on our draft Goals and Objectives document (see below) - thanks for all your help!!!! Confirmation, Edits or Amendments to GOALS & OBJECTIVES January 2009 Scope: This committee is interested in the design, collection, analysis, and reporting of transportation supply and demand data needed to support urban and metropolitan transportation planning efforts. In particular, the committee is interested in developing the data requirements of new and innovative techniques for measuring and monitoring the performance of metropolitan transportation systems; and in evaluating changes in demographic and urban travel characteristics. In terms of household and other transportation surveys, the committee is concerned with the analysis, reporting, archiving, and dissemination of results and data products. The committee is interested in the effective use of census and other federal, secondary data sources in metropolitan transportation planning. The committee is concerned with advancements in information systems and information technology for the improved dissemination and sharing of knowledge about metropolitan transportation systems and urban travel behavior. Committee Goals: Goal #1: Provide a national forum for the continuing identification and prioritization of research on urban and metropolitan transportation "supply and demand" data, inputs needed for and outputs created from information systems and the dissemination of research findings. Strategies: a) Provide active assistance to the National Research Council in developing a prioritized listing of urban and metropolitan transportation "supply and demand" data research problem statements that address the emphasis areas identified for this Committee. b) Encourage the active participation of Committee members and friends on national cooperative research councils including NCHRP, TCHRP and other relevant research panels for studies of interest to the Committee. c) Recommend publication of significant urban and metropolitan "supply and demand" data research papers in the Transportation Research Records; d) Conduct at least one paper session at each annual meeting; e) Task each Committee member with identifying emerging urban transportation data and information systems issues, future areas of concern and opportunities for new research, and with sharing this information through the Committee's communication network; f) Continue to develop the Committee website devoted to Committee activities and research in topic areas. Goal #2: Continue to prepare for and conduct relevant and valuable gatherings of the Committee members and friends. The Committee shall meet at least twice per year in association with TRB annual meeting in January and in a mid-year business meeting. These activities provide a strong focus for the Committee and should be continued. Strategies: a) Strive to identify important and timely workshop and presentation topics that advance the Committee's efforts to promote areas of emphasis. b) Work with TRB to ensure desired paper sessions are featured in the annual meeting agenda; c) Form and task a mid-year Workshop Subcommittee with identifying a suitable host location and agenda for each mid-year meeting and work with other relevant committees to increase synergy across topics; d) To the degree possible, conduct the Committee's mid-year meeting in a different region of the country each year to gain greater national exposure and support for the work of the Committee; e) The Committee Chair shall be responsible for moderating all business meeting sessions or delegating this responsibility to another member of the Committee; f) The Chair shall assign responsibility to a Committee member or friend for recording minutes for each meeting and submitting an electronic version to the Chair as soon as possible (preferably within two weeks of completion of the meeting). g) The Chair shall be responsible for preparing and transmitting final business meeting reports to TRB within 45 days of the completion of each meeting. Copies of the reports shall also be sent to each member and friend of the Committee. h) Copies of all reports of the proceedings of the annual and mid-year business meetings shall be retained by the Section Chair for use in preparation of the ABJ30 Triennial Self Evaluation Report. Goal #3: Maintain an active organization that supports the mission of TRB Section ABJ00 and ABJ30. The Committee shall utilize one or more subcommittees to carry out its overall functions and responsibilities. Subcommittees will be created to address ongoing or emerging issues to the Committee as a whole. Strategies: a) The Committee Chair shall be responsible for creating or dissolving subcommittees with input from the members present at the annual or mid-year business meeting; b) The Committee Chair shall appoint a current committee member to be the chairperson to oversee the activities of each subcommittee; c) Each subcommittee shall be tasked with creating its own set of goals and objectives that support the overall goals of the Committee; d) The Committee Chair shall ensure that the Committee members conduct Committee and subcommittee business meetings at each annual and mid-year meeting; e) Each subcommittee shall be tasked with reporting at the annual meeting on the accomplishments made through the proceeding year and activities planning for the succeeding year. Goal #4: Expand and formalize the Committee liaison program. Many members of ABJ30 are also members or friends of other TRB Committees (or similar communities in other organizations). The research and other activities of these groups can be of valuable assistance to ABJ30 in achieving out Committee goals and our activities may be of similar value to them. A closer liaison should be encouraged and formalized to improve on the existing communications between these groups. Strategies: a) A listing of all appropriate TRB and other regional and national committees and groups shall be established and maintained; b) To the degree possible, one or more ABJ30 members shall be assigned as liaisons to each identified group; c) Liaisons shall be tasked with responsibility for reporting on important external group activities through the Committee's website or at mid-year meetings. d) Liaisons shall actively promote joint activities that support the Committee's areas of interest and bring these activities to the attention of the full Committee. Goal #5: Maintain a geographically and organizationally diverse Committee membership of well-qualified, highly motivated individuals. The Committee actively seeks diversity in its organization by striving to ensure the participation of members drawn form a variety of federal, state and local government agencies, academia, public interests, private enterprises (including consultant sector), and the general public. Broad geographical distribution of members, including international participation, is an important element in achieving the desired diversity. Strategies: a) Form and task a Steering Subcommittee with annually reviewing the membership roster and identifying potential problems or concerns with membership numbers, terms or levels of participation; b) Task the Steering Subcommittee with reporting on the status of the Committee membership at each mid-year meeting of the Committee. The report should include identification of any interest group or geographical membership gaps, term limit concerns and participation issues. c) Task each additional subcommittee with responsibility for identifying highly qualified potential members and forwarding names and resumes to the Steering Subcommittee; d) Charge each member of the Committee with volunteering a minimum of 40 hours per year toward supporting Committee activities such as reviewing or preparing technical papers, chairing or serving on a subcommittee, serving as a liaison to another TRB or similar organization committee, or actively participating in the annual and mid-year meeting programs. --- _____________________________ Catherine T. Lawson, Ph. D. Director, MRP Program Associate Professor University at Albany Geography & Planning AS 218 1400 Washington Albany, New York 12222 (518) 442-4775 (518) 442-4742 FAX lawsonc(a)albany.edu