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
Geography & Planning
AS 218 1400
(518) 442-4775
(518) 442-4742 FAX
lawsonc@albany.edu