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

Effectiveness of Information and control its field elements on commuter trip

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:
    Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) include various freeway information and control field elements meant to better manage traffic to alleviate severe congestion and improve safety. Field elements such as Changeable Message Signs (CMS), Highway Advisory Radio (HAS) can potentially change travel plans for commuters.

    How commuters react to the field elements, including the general feeling of their usefulness and propensity to alter departure times or divert routes, defines the effectiveness of the field elements.

    With more new ITS elements deployed in the field and more new features having emerged on existing field elements (e.g. the 511 system and CMS travel time messages in the Bay Area), there is an emergent need to conduct a thorough and concrete study on the effectiveness (i.e. benefits) of various information and control field elements on commuter trips.

     This project is trying to address the above question by measuring tangible and intangible benefits associated to selected field elements. The project is employing two parallel approaches to appraise tangible and intangible benefits by conducting traveler surveys as well as modeling and simulation. The project team is leveraging existing literature and models of commuter response to individual field elements. The CCIT team will also collect data from a commuter survey. The survey will ask respondents to provide feedback on their experience with various field elements. The responses will be used for qualitative measurement of the benefits.

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 survey design, data collection and analysis and traffic simulation.

The student will get a hands-on experience in data analysis, and traffic simulation. The applicant will be exposed to transportation related fields.

Desired Profile:
• Background in Transportation Engineering
• Excellent analytical skills
• Some basic but solid foundations in probabilities and statistics
• Experience in traffic simulation is preferable

Contact Information:
Ali Mortazavi, CCIT
ali@calccit.org
Visit us at: www.calccit.org

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

Displaying Travel Times on Changeable Message Signs

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: www.calccit.org.

Project Background:
    Real time traffic information on Changeable Message Signs (CMS) is the most effective way of informing commuters in urban areas where congestion and incidents frequently affect vehicle travel. Displaying accurate travel times on CMS helps commuters assess traffic, alleviates driver's stress, and allows drivers to make better route decisions.

     The California Center for Innovative Transportation (CCIT) develops and maintains a system that posts travel times on freeway changeable message signs (CMS). The system, nicknamed MITTENS, is currently in use in the San Francisco Bay Area where more than 20 signs are activated. Travel times for individual freeway segments are collected real-time from the 511/Travinfo system. MITTENS processes this data and directs it to the signs. The software holds a mapping of the freeway network and lets operators build routes and compose message templates. Content is then generated automatically. MITTENS also offers two user interfaces: the Administrator Graphical User Interface (GUI) and the Operator GUI. The Administrator GUI configures MITTENS, while the Operator GUI controls the output of MITTENS in real-time. Further deployment is underway, both in the Bay Area and in other regions of California.

Student Responsibilities:
    The California Center for Innovative Transportation is looking for a bright, motivated student who wants to contribute her/his programming skills to an exciting project in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). The applicant will participate in estimating travel times by optimizing a network routing scheme and integrating the output into a web-based user interface. Tasks may include the design and implementation of software and GUI components.

    The student will get a hands-on experience in programming. The applicant will be exposed to transportation related fields.

Desired Profile:
• OOP experience (you will use Python and PHP in this project)
• Experience in programming with JAVA
• Networking background (it is sufficient to have taken a networking course)
• Background in Ruby on Rails is preferable

Contact Information:
Ali Mortazavi, CCIT
ali@calccit.org
Visit us at: www.calccit.org

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)

Enabling Statewide Deployment of Portable Advanced Traveler Information Systems

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:
    Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) are a key component of managing mobility and safety in California. Numerous studies reveal that commuters appreciate and value timely information on the traffic conditions, which reduces their uncertainty and their stress. Due to limited resources, it is feasible to deploy ITS field elements for traveler information and system management at every mile of the roadway. So there is a critical need for portable systems that can be deployed quickly at non-recurring congestion locations (e.g. work zones and incident locations). Portable ATIS are sparingly used by some of the Caltrans districts.

    The California Center for Innovative Transportation (CCIT), along with Western Transportation Institute (WTI), has been tasked with developing specifications and operational procedures that enable the widespread deployment of portable ATIS. The resulting guidelines will be demonstrated with two selected pilot projects in different Caltrans districts during the 2008 construction season.

Student Responsibilities:
CCIT will hire one student intern to conduct a variety of project-related tasks, such as:
• Developing pilot project evaluation plan including performance measures.
• Collecting data needed for the pilot project evaluation and analysis.
• Documenting the communication needs/standards for PATIS to be connected to the centralized locations at various districts (i.e. Traffic Management Centers) for a system wide management of traffic operations.

Desired profile:
• Candidates from any engineering major are welcome to apply.
• The candidates should have an understanding of be traffic engineering related to traffic operations and an understanding of 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)

Advanced Public Transportation Systems for Small Urban and Rural Agencies (Up to 2 positions)

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:
    An array of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies is improving the public transportation systems around the nation significantly. The National ITS Architecture classifies these technologies as Advanced Public Transportation Systems (APTS). However, most of these technologies are being used in the larger public transportation systems typically located in urban areas. Small urban and rural transit agency managers are sometimes challenged by the high cost and complexity of some of the ITS technologies available. The stigma of cost and complexity is keeping APTS from penetrating this market of smaller public transportation providers.

    With sponsorship from Caltrans, the California Center for Innovative Transportation (CCIT) has teamed up with the California Polytechnic Institutes in San Luis Obispo and Pomona to make APTS more available to small urban and rural transit agencies in California. This effort, named "Efficient Deployment of Advanced Public Transportation Systems" (EDAPTS), leverages open-source design and low-cost components to lower implementation barriers.

There are two major objectives in the EDAPTS approach:
1. Identify ITS solutions (i.e. APTS systems) for small urban and rural agencies that meet the local needs, have future expansion capabilities and may incorporate non-proprietary subsystem interfaces.
2. Allow system performance trade-offs that significantly reduce costs but do not adversely impact the intended usefulness of the deployed system.

GSR Responsibilities:
CCIT will hire up to two student interns to conduct a variety of project-related tasks, such as:

Technology Research
• Developing a database and a search interface housing the data that has been collected on the vendors of components of EDAPTS.
• Developing an Evaluation Plan for a Field Operational Test of EDAPTS implementation.
• Developing a deployment package including guidelines for the systems engineering processes involved in EDAPTS implementation.

Funding Research
• Conducting additional research on available funding sources for EDAPTS implementation that has already been compiled and documenting the process of obtaining these funds.
• Documenting the requirements and justification documents needed for obtaining the selected list of funding sources. Developing a database and a search interface housing the data that has been collected on the funding sources and their requirements.

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

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

GSR position at the California Center for Innovative Transportation

Rapid Rehab: marketing and deployment of a software application

About CCIT:
    CCIT's primary mission is to accelerate 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.

Project Background:
    Rapid Rehab is an innovative tool to find solutions that reduce the impact of DOT activities on highway system users by selecting the appropriate window for such activities. It is a schedule and traffic analysis tool that helps planners and designers to manage rehabilitation activities to determine the most efficient highway rehabilitation or reconstruction strategy. The software can estimate project cost, number of closures, and cost to the public while taking into account alternative pavement designs, lane-closure tactics, and contractor logistics. It can also quantify the impact of work zone closures to the traveling public in terms of both traffic delay time and user cost.

Student Responsibilities:
    As part of the CCIT team, the GSR will analyze the technical, operational, institutional, commercial and regulatory conditions and business framework that will direct the technology transfer and deployment of Rapid Rehab. For instance, the GSR will have an opportunity to speak directly with practitioners to discuss the intellectual property and licensing issue of the patent associated with the software. This position will give the GSR an opportunity to apply his/her analytical skills to a real-world problem, and gain familiarity with issues in transportation ranging from public policy to the deployment of innovative software to improve transportation safety.

Desired Profile:
• The candidate should be a GSR in Public Policy, Business, Communications, Marketing, Transportation, Engineering, Planning, Law, Economics or any other relevant field.
• Excellent writing skills are required. Previous exposure to marketing or outreach is desirable.
• The candidate should be motivated to make this software available.
• Finally, the candidate should be interested in transportation issues, the innovation process and technology in general!

Contact Information:
Dr. Osama Elhamshary, PE, PMP
oe@calccit.org
(510) 642-3150
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

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

Documenting Traffic Data Acquisition and Processing at the Berkeley Highway Lab

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 document and reorganize the existing data collection and analysis tools at the Berkeley Highway Lab. These tools have evolved slowly over the life of the testbed and are based on a MySQL Database running on a Mac OS-X server. The processing is performed by several scripts in Java, Perl, and Bash. The student will survey and document various features of the system, and possibly modify tools to facilitate access by transportation researchers. 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 or databases
• Familiarity with SQL database concepts
• Proficiency in at least one scripting language
• Comfortable working in Mac OS-X or Linux
• Understanding of basic software design concepts

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

GSR position at the California PATH and California Center for Innovative Transportation (CCIT)

Optimal use of changeable message signs for displaying travel times

About CCIT:
    The California Center for Innovative Transportation (CCIT) mission is to accelerate the implementation of research results and the deployment of technical solutions by practitioners to enable a safer, cleaner and more efficient surface transportation system. We facilitate and implement the operational deployment of transportation research and innovation. Working with researchers, practitioners, and industry partners, our focus is on practical applications and direct improvements to the safety, mobility and security of California's transportation system. CCIT is an established unit of UC Berkeley's Institute of Transportation Studies. Visit us at www.calccit.org.

Project Background:
    Displaying travel times on Changeable Message Signs (CMS) is now becoming a state-wide practice in California. PATH and CCIT have played a crucial role in enabling the display of travel times on CMS in the San Francisco Bay Area where 20 signs are activated. This project aims to develop operational strategies to optimally use existing CMS to display travel times. This goal is to be achieved by 1) assessing the system's capabilities to display travel times so that traffic management agencies have better ideas of what data sources and which travel time methods to use and what the expected travel time estimation quality; 2) polling motorists' reactions to travel time messages on CMS to understand how the driving public like and react to the information; 3) developing modeling tools to determine the optimal configurations of CMS to display travel times (such as CMS locations, information contents, etc.); and 4) synthesizing a recommendation on optimal strategies of using CMS to display travel times.

The project team is currently working on the second and third phases of the project, for which the objective is to develop a model to evaluate the optimal configurations of CMS for displaying travel times.

GSR Responsibilities:
     As part of the CCIT team, the GSR will be involved in the analysis of the technical, operational, institutional, commercial and regulatory conditions and business framework that will direct the technology transfer and deployment of Balsi Beam. For instance, the GSR will have an opportunity to speak directly with practitioners to discuss the intellectual property and licensing issue of the patent associated with Balsi Beam device; the GSR will also contribute to the overall operational deployment process (i.e. compose operational concept and guidelines, prepare training plan, etc.). This position will give the GSR an opportunity to apply his/her analytical skills to a real-world problem, and gain familiarity with issues in transportation ranging from public policy to the deployment of innovative device to improve transportation safety.

    The GSR will assist the project engineers with ongoing development of an optimization model to determine the optimal CMS configurations.

Tasks may include:
• conducting a sub-area analysis using transportation planning software to extract a test network in the Bay Area;
• performing quantitative analysis of travel time variability of the selected network;
• assisting in the model development to determine optimal CMS configurations. Task may also include analyzing motorist survey data recently collected by the project team.

Desired profile:
    Graduate student in Transportation or City Planning (a dual major is preferred). Some experience with transportation planning software such as TransCAD, TP+/Viper, EMME2, etc. Experience with traffic data analysis and good statistical skills are desirable.

Contact Information:
Jeff Ban, CCIT
xban@berkeley.edu
510-642-5112

Yuwei Li, PATH
yuwei@path.berkeley.edu
(510) 643-0930

California Center for Innovative Transportation

Balsi Beam: Technology Transfer and Deployment

About CCIT:
    The California Center for Innovative Transportation (CCIT) mission is to accelerate the implementation of research results and the deployment of technical solutions by practitioners to enable a safer, cleaner and more efficient surface transportation system. We facilitate and implement the operational deployment of transportation research and innovation. Working with researchers, practitioners, and industry partners, our focus is on practical applications and direct improvements to the safety, mobility and security of California's transportation system. CCIT is an established unit of UC Berkeley's Institute of Transportation Studies. Visit us at www.calccit.org.

Project Background:
    The Balsi Beam is a mobile work zone barrier designed by California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to protect workers in a closed lane that is adjacent to traffic. Both the design and the name of the device were prompted by a 2001 work zone incident that resulted in serious injuries to a Caltrans employee named Mark Balsi. The Balsi Beam is composed of a modified trailer pulled by a tractor truck at normal highway speeds and without the need for special permits. Caltrans has identified the Balsi Beam as a tool to achieve improved safety in the Department's work zones, protecting both workers and the traveling public.

    CCIT aims to ensure a successful hand-off of the Balsi Beam safety equipment to Caltrans' maintenance and geotechnical crews across the state. Work will be closely coordinated with Caltrans practitioners to ensure the effectiveness, reliability, and completeness of the operational deployment. Successful statewide use of the Balsi Beam as innovative safety equipment will be important for promoting the product nationwide.

    CCIT team will assist Caltrans in developing an optimal technology transfer strategy, solicitation, and procurement and contracting document to select a manufacturing vender for several Balsi Beam units. CCIT team will also help oversee the technology transfer and manufacturing process by providing project management and technical support. In addition, the team will provide the operational deployment including for example, operational concept and guidelines, training plan to Caltrans' maintenance and geotechnical crews, as well as post-deployment support to promote the Balsi Beam at the national level to improve the safety, efficiency and environmental footprint of the transportation system.

GSR Responsibilities:
     As part of the CCIT team, the GSR will be involved in the analysis of the technical, operational, institutional, commercial and regulatory conditions and business framework that will direct the technology transfer and deployment of Balsi Beam. For instance, the GSR will have an opportunity to speak directly with practitioners to discuss the intellectual property and licensing issue of the patent associated with Balsi Beam device; the GSR will also contribute to the overall operational deployment process (i.e. compose operational concept and guidelines, prepare training plan, etc.). This position will give the GSR an opportunity to apply his/her analytical skills to a real-world problem, and gain familiarity with issues in transportation ranging from public policy to the deployment of innovative device to improve transportation safety.

Desired Profile:
• Candidates should be graduate students in Engineering, Planning, Public Policy, Law, Economics or Business or other related disciplines.
• Excellent analytical and synthesis skills are a must.
• Creative and inquisitive mind, interest in innovative technology, project management, policy and business problems, as well as great presentation skills are all desirable attributes.

Expected Duration:
Spring 2008, possible extension.

Contact Information:
Osama Elhamshary, CCIT
oe@calccit.org
(510) 642-3150

Traffic Safety Center
The Traffic Safety Center (TSC) is a research center associated with the Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS) and the School of Public Health (SPH). TSC projects are generally multidisciplinary with an aim of accessing expertise in the University to address issues of safety and mobility. We are focused on issues related to the emerging need for a multi-modal transportation system.

Description:
The UC Berkeley Traffic Safety Center (TSC) is seeking Graduate Student Researchers (GSR) at up to 49.5% for Spring 2008 with fee remission to conduct research related to current department research projects for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and CA Office of Traffic Safety
(i) Strategic planning for preventing pedestrian and bicyclist injury (related to California's Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP)
(ii) Develop Methods to Reduce/Prevent Vehicle Backing Accidents
(iii) Development of a Safety Management Protocol-reducing Caltrans workplace accidents
(iv) Statistical Analysis of Traffic Safety Data
(v) Motorcycle Safety

Both projects have a fair degree of flexibility to accommodate applicants with a range of experience. Some of the potential responsibilities and skills and qualifications are listed below:

Examples of Responsibilities:
• Review relevant safety literature to ascertain current best practices in injury and accident prevention
• Review and analyze the Caltrans' accident/injury database (qualitatively as well as quantitatively)
• Prepare and conduct presentations for TSC staff and affiliates

Examples of Skills and Qualifications: • Interest in injury prevention and workplace safety
• Strong writing, communication, and presentation skills
• Ability to work with minimal supervision, work well with a team, and take initiative
• Must be an enrolled Graduate Student in Public Health, Public Policy, Transportation or Civil Engineering, Statistics, City and Regional Planning or other related disciplines

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

To apply:
Email resume/CV and cover letter indicating which projects you are interested in working on,
to: Karen Mendelow Nelson, karenmn@berkeley.edu at the Traffic Safety Center,
or call 510-643-9447.

Regional Development and Multi-modal Transportation in California and the Southwest

California and the Southwestern States (NV, AZ, NM) are among the fastest growing regions in the US. A future scenario with a continuous meg-region encompassing these states is not exactly far fetched. Yet, the absence of a regional development policy and of a coordinated multi-modal transportation policy will make it there extremely hard to manage this growth and sustain it with the necessary infrastructure. But to develop such policy requires an informed understanding of the possibilities in areas such as water, transportation, urban infrastructure management and so forth. This research focuses on the role of transportation in supporting growth and development in this emerging mega-region. It explores the possibilities of multi-modal networks encompassing linked air, highway and rail systems, and analyzes the potential for each of these modal systems, within the context of this linked multi-modal framework. The main proposition is that the possibilities for each sub-system: highways, airports, high speed rail, will look very different when cast within the multi-modal framework and within the context of the larger meg-region. The research will attempt to understand and quantify these differences.

Contact Info:
Adib Kanafani
Cahill Professor of Civil Engineering
University of California, Berkeley
Tel. +1-510-325-4826
kanafani@Berkeley.edu

GSR position at the California PATH program

Conducting statistical analysis on time based data and management of database

Project background:
The CICAS (Cooperative Intersection Collision Avoidance System) project aims at developing a system that will support driver decisions when making a left turn with on-coming traffic. One of the key challenges is to measure the trajectory of a turning and on-coming vehicle relative to each other in a fashion that supports the development of the system. Several data set of turning behavior have been collected in the frame of a previous project, including field test and test track conditions, and further data collection on a test track are to be conducted.

PATH is looking for a GSR to help analyze existing data, develop statistical models, as well as support the development of a database for hosting new data to be collected and run analysis on these data.

Student Responsibilities:
The student will survey and document various features of the system, and possibly modify tools to facilitate access by transportation researchers. This is an opportunity to gain hands-on software development experience, exposure to the transportation field, and knowledge of a data collection system for analysis of driver behavior.

Desired profile:
• Proficiency with statistical analysis and statistical models (e.g. ARMA)
• GSR with a background in statistics and databases
• Familiarity with SQL database concepts
• Proficiency in at least one scripting language
• Comfortable working in Mac OS-X or Linux

About PATH:
PATH's mission is to develop solutions to the problems of California's surface transportation systems through cutting edge research. PATH develops these solutions by harnessing the knowledge of transportation researchers, working in conjunction with experts in the fields of information technology, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, economics, transportation policy and behavioral studies. The PATH charter includes conducting leading research, planning and evaluating field operational tests, developing partnerships between academia, the public sector and private companies, and educating both students and practitioners. (www.path.berkeley.edu)

Expected duration: Until June 2008, possible extension.

Contact information: Delphine Cody cody@path.berkeley.edu

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

GSR position at the California Center for Innovative Transportation

Security technologies: website & forum design and development

Project background:
The California Center for Innovative Transportation (CCIT) is helping the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) improve the security of the state transportation network. This project focuses on the design of a website and online forum to enable practitioners to research security technologies & best practices, and conduct vulnerability assessment & risk mitigation.

Student Responsibility:
The responsibility in website & forum design includes:
• Enhance website to host information on security technologies and best practices. • Enhance forums for security officers to share and refine best practices. • Other enhancements requested by sponsors or project manager.

Desired Profile:
• Incoming senior or graduate engineering student.
• Experience in developing website and/or forum.
• Programming experience in Java, MVC, JSP, HTML.
• Experience in using Eclipse IDE to develop Java-based project.
• The following skills are desired but not required:
• Experience with MySQL database.
• Knowledge of website security.
• Experience in Source control, e.g., Subversion • Experience with JBoss J2EE server.
• Experience using Linux, Ant

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.
Due to funding restrictions, this position only pays resident tuitions.

Location: 2105 Bancroft Way, 3rd floor, Berkeley, California.

Contact Information:
Bensen Chiou, CCIT
bchiou@calccit.org
(510) 642-5665

Bidirectional Lane for Bus Rapid Transit--Simulations and Analysis

Description:  
The Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways (PATH) Program is seeking a Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) at up to 49.5% time from
August 22, 2006 through December 19, 2006
to work on simulations involving dedicated bus lanes with bi-directional bus travel. Such lanes are enabled by recent advances in communication and control and may be effective in increasing the capacity of a bus system without requiring as much right-of-way as a pair of unidirectional lanes. We will use simulation to compare the effectiveness of several alternatives, including the base case with two unidirectional lanes. We will evaluate several possible algorithms for scheduling buses and dynamically reacting to delays caused by traffic, signals, passenger boarding/alighting, and breakdowns. Some of the simulation software may be developed from scratch initially to rapidly evaluate many cases with simplistic assumptions about traffic. Later stages of the project may use a traffic microsimulation package such as Paramics or VISSIM to capture the interactions with traffic and signals at intersections. We will focus on a case study involving AC Transit on International Blvd. in Oakland.

The GSR will work under the direction of:
Dr. Steven Shladover and Wei-Bin Zhang.
the large majority of the work will be done at the Richmond Field Station.

Responsibilities:
• Work with PATH research staff to define the alternatives to be compared
• Define sets of simulation runs to evaluate the alternative scenarios
• Collaborate with PATH research staff on design and coding of simulation
• Run the simulations and extract results to evaluate system performance; this may involve writing post-processing code in MATLAB or other programming language
• Help prepare reports of the results, including creation of charts and graphs

Skills and Qualifications:
• Interest in bus rapid transit
• Experience with Monte Carlo simulation in general is helpful; experience with traffic simulation is preferred
• Good mathematical skills
• Ability to work with minimal supervision, work well with a team, and take initiative.
• Must be an enrolled as a UC Graduate Student in Transportation Engineering or other related field.

Contact Information:
For more information on PATH, see www.path.berkeley.edu.

How to apply:
EMAIL YOUR COVER LETTER, RESUME, AND ACADEMIC WRITING SAMPLE TO:
Wei-Bin Zhang
email: wbzhang@path.berkeley.edu