HOV Lane Management System

About CCIT:
CCIT's mission is to accelerate the implementation of research results and the deployment of technical solutions by transportation practitioners to enable a safer, cleaner and more efficient surface transportation system. Working with researchers, public agencies, and industry partners, we focus on practical applications and direct improvements to California's mobility. CCIT is established as a unit of UC Berkeley's Institute of Transportation Studies.

For more information on CCIT please visit, www.calccit.org.

Project Background:
The State of California initiated a program in 2005 to grant High Occupancy Vehicle access to certain hybrid vehicles that do not meet the occupancy requirements of two or more people per vehicle. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) granted conditional approval of the program but required a monitoring and reporting plan which includes actions to be taken when the HOV lanes are degraded (average speed is less than 45 mph). Based on FHWA request, Caltrans has to submit a plan for improving performance to address degradation of HOV facilities or discontinue hybrid access to congested HOV segments.

The project's goal is to assess and develop a proof of concept demonstration to dynamically indicate to motorists on highway on-ramps whether hybrids are allowed in an HOV facility. As a first step, CCIT is assessing the contribution of hybrid vehicles to HOV lane congestion. This task includes development and deployment of an automated hybrid vehicle recognition system to measure hybrid vehicle count. The team will also work on the design of an HOV lane management system. CCIT will identify operational needs including message signs, their placement and how information is communicated to motorists.

Student Responsibilities:
The California Center for Innovative Transportation is looking for a bright, motivated student who wants to contribute her/his engineering knowledge to an exciting project in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). The applicant will participate in system design, data collection and data analysis. This task will also include qualitative and quantitative analysis of the requirements and the traffic data.

The student will get hands-on experience in traffic data analysis as well as system design and integration. The applicant will be exposed to transportation related fields/technologies.

Skills and Qualifications:
• Background in Transportation Engineering
• Excellent analytical skills
• Knowledge in System Engineering
• Familiar with computer programming
• Great writing and presentation skills

To Apply, email a cover letter and CV to:
Ali Mortazavi, CCIT,
ali@calccit.org

Monitoring Truck Traffic Patterns

About CCIT:
CCIT's mission is to accelerate the implementation of research results and the deployment of technical solutions by transportation practitioners to enable a safer, cleaner and more efficient surface transportation system. Working with researchers, public agencies, and industry partners, we focus on practical applications and direct improvements to California's mobility. CCIT is established as a unit of UC Berkeley's Institute of Transportation Studies.

For more information on CCIT please visit, www.calccit.org.

Project Background:
There is a large number of trucks traveling from/to Los Angeles Area ports, which make a significant contribution to LA area traffic congestion. Truck transportation impacts every aspect of traffic and infrastructure in the Los Angeles area. That impact is increasing as the truck traffic continues to expand and needs to be addressed and managed effectively.

Having good census data on truck traffic and establishing a good assessment of real-time truck traffic through deployment of new technologies will help the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) efficiently tackle the problem.

This project is designed for a pilot deployment of a new technology, the so called Intelligent Loop Detection Application (ILDA), to collect real-time truck data using single-loop sensors.

Student Responsibilities:
The California Center for Innovative Transportation is looking for a bright, motivated student who wants to contribute her/his engineering knowledge to an exciting project in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). The applicant will participate in data collection and analysis as well as system documentation. This task will also include quantitative analysis of the requirements and the traffic data. The candidate must be comfortable with writing reports.

The student will get hands-on experience in traffic data analysis. The applicant will be exposed to transportation related fields/technologies.

Skills and Qualifications:
• Background in Transportation Engineering
• Excellent analytical skills
• Some basic but solid foundations in probability and statistics
• Familiar with computer programming
• Great writing and presentation skills

To Apply, email a cover letter and CV to:
Ali Mortazavi, CCIT,
ali@calccit.org

GSR position at the UC Berkeley Traffic Safety Center (TSC)

About TSC:
    The TSC is a research center associated with the Institute of Transportation Studies and the School of Public Health. TSC projects are generally multidisciplinary with an aim of accessing expertise in the University to address issues of safety and mobility.

For more information on the Traffic Safety Center, visit www.tsc.berkeley.edu.

Project Background:
    The UC Berkeley Traffic Safety Center (TSC) is seeking a Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) for full-time employment during Summer 2009 with continued part-time employment through Fall 2009 and possibly beyond to assist with a project examining pedestrian-involved hit-and-run traffic crashes.

Student Responsibilities:
• Literature reviews.
• Review and analyze existing and collected data.
• Develop study protocols and materials.
• Prepare and conduct reports and presentations for TSC staff and affiliates.
• Conduct field work.

Skills and Qualifications:
• Strong writing, communication, and presentation skills
• Data management and analysis skills
• Ability to work with minimal supervision, work well with a team, and take initiative

Preferred Skills:
• SAS or Stata experience are highly desirable

To Apply email cover letter and CV to:
Karen Mendelow Nelson
karenmn@berkeley.edu

Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate program in Public Health, Public Policy, Transportation or Civil Engineering, City and Regional Planning, or related disciplines.

Student position at the California Center for Innovative Transportation (CCIT)

Deploying Smart Parking Solutions

About CCIT:
    CCIT's mission is to accelerate the implementation of research results and the deployment of technical solutions by transportation practitioners to enable a safer, cleaner and more efficient surface transportation system. Working with researchers, public agencies, and industry partners, we focus on practical applications and direct improvements to California's mobility. CCIT is a unit of UC Berkeley's Institute of Transportation Studies.

Project Background:
    Parking is an ever-growing challenge in cities and towns across the United States. "Smart Parking" at rail transit stations designates a parking inventory management system that disseminates real-time parking availability information to the public and features a reservation system. It uses information technology to maximize existing parking capacity at and nearby transit stations, reduce trip uncertainty and enable informed decisions by commuters, and potentially increase transit ridership along a congested transit corridor.

    The California Center for Innovative Transportation (CCIT) is working in partnership with the Innovative Mobility Research group (IMR) at UC Berkeley, the San Diego Association of Government (SANDAG), and ParkingCarma, inc., to demonstrate a smart parking system at park-and-ride facilities along the COASTER line, a commuter rail system in San Diego, California.

    The objective of this project is to implement, operate and evaluate a pilot deployment of Smart Parking. The pilot deployment will span over several stations along the COASTER transit corridor. A deployment guidelines document for Smart Parking solutions will be developed.

Student Responsibilities:
CCIT will hire one student intern to conduct a variety of project-related tasks, such as:
• Developing project evaluation plans including measures of effectiveness, data collection plan, and analysis methodology.
• Researching and documenting the costs and benefits of Smart Parking solutions.
• Researching and documenting alternative technologies for Smart Parking solutions.

Desired Profile:
• Candidates from any engineering major are welcome to apply.
• The candidates should be interested in transportation issues, and an understanding of the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) will be an asset.

Contact Information:
Manju Kumar, CCIT
mkumar@calccit.org
Visit us at: www.calccit.org

Student position at the California Center for Innovative Transportation (CCIT)

Implementing a Traffic Sensor Test-Bench

About CCIT:
    CCIT's mission is to accelerate the implementation of research results and the deployment of technical solutions by transportation practitioners to enable a safer, cleaner and more efficient surface transportation system. Working with researchers, public agencies, and industry partners, we focus on practical applications and direct improvements to California's mobility. CCIT is established as a unit of UC Berkeley's Institute of Transportation Studies. Visit us at: http://www.calccit.org.

Project Background:
    The Berkeley Highway Laboratory (BHL) is a 2-mile section of Interstate 80 in Berkeley and Emeryville, California. The section features a high density of traffic loop detectors and 8 bird eye's view video cameras located on top of a high-rise building. With equipment funded by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), BHL serves as a testbed for transportation research and is operated by the California Center for Innovative Transportation (CCIT). Applications of BHL include micro-traffic studies, simulation calibration and validation, and field-testing of detection equipment and other hardware. General information about the testbed can be found at: http://bhl.calccit.org.

Student Responsibilities:
    CCIT is looking for a student to help implement a traffic sensor test-bench. We would like to be able to plug in any new sensor type into the BHL infrastructure and run tests, generating a standard set of metrics. This mainly involves the development of standard software data interfaces.

The student will learn about the various testing methodologies that have been used, and possibly modify tools to implement some of the ideas. This is an opportunity to gain hands-on software development experience, exposure to the transportation field, and knowledge of a live data collection system for traffic research.

Desired Profile:
• Background in software development
• A strong interest in traffic sensors and metrics
• Familiarity with SQL database concepts
• Proficiency in at least one scripting language, preferable Python

Contact Information:
Bensen Chiou, CCIT
bchiou@calccit.org
Visit us at: www.calccit.org

GSR position at the California Center for Innovative Transportation / Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology

Assessing a portfolio of transportation technologies and innovations

Project background: The California Center for Innovative Transportation (CCIT) accelerates the implementation of research results and the deployment of innovative technologies by transportation practitioners. The center specializes in the process of bringing new products and practices to transportation public agencies, acting as a bridge between researchers, private industry and operators. We are currently reviewing a range of new technologies, including software and hardware products, with potential to improve the safety, efficiency and environmental footprint of the transportation system.

In order to promote this portfolio of technologies and innovations, CCIT needs to formulate business cases that resonate with management and end users at relevant public agencies, including the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). Such business cases address costs and benefits, performance, where to procure the technology, how to operate it, etc.

GSR Responsibilities: Working with CCIT staff and students, the GSR will analyze the technical, operational, institutional, legal and business framework underlying the deployment of selected transportation technologies. The GSR will have an opportunity to meet directly with both entrepreneurs and state officials about the issues they are facing. Recent advances in wireless networking, micro-electronics, and the ubiquity of the internet have opened countless opportunities in the transportation industry. Therefore this project should interest business students, engineering students, as well as public policy or law students.

Desired profile:
• Candidates should be graduate students in Engineering, Public Policy, Law, Economics or Business.
• Excellent analytical and synthesis skills are a must.
• A creative and inquisitive mind, an interest in public policy and business problems, as well as great presentation skills are all desirable attributes.

About CCIT:
CCIT's primary mission is to facilitate and implement the operational deployment of transportation research and innovation. Working with researchers, practitioners, and industry partners, we focus on practical applications and direct improvements to the safety, mobility and security of California's transportation system. CCIT is established as a unit of UC Berkeley's Institute of Transportation Studies. Visit us at www.calccit.org.

Expected duration: Fall 2007, possible extension.

Contact information:
J.D. Margulici, CCIT
jd@calccit.org
(510) 642-5929