Significant change in the operation and management of surface transportation systems is occurring. These changes are technical, institutional, and cultural in nature. The Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) program provides the enabling tools to more effectively meet the challenges posed by such changes. However, it is essential that transportation professionals develop skills and competencies that are not readily available. That is why, in 1996, the U.S. Department of Transportation launched the ITS Professional Capacity Building Program. This has resulted in a curriculum of 22 short courses developed and presented to over 12,000 professionals throughout the country. However, it was concluded in the midst of the program that it was essential to obtain a better understanding of the fundamental competencies required to train and educate future professionals. The results, recommendations, and follow-on actions of a unique research project launched during the summer of 1998, directed at doing this, are described. For the covering abstract see ITRD E114174.
Samenvatting