Transportation Research Board 2020 Annual Report (2021)

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TRB • 2020 Annual Report 13 GOAL 5 Workforce Development Supporting Transportation Careers at All Levels Through its collaborative structure, TRB is an ideal home for informal mentoring. From a first job through seasoned expertise, TRB connects professionals to colleagues both within their industry and in the bigger picture of transportation. The Minority Student Fellows Program welcomed another outstanding class to the 2020 TRB Annual Meeting.16 The ACRP and TCRP Ambassadors programs allowed professionals a chance to represent the organization. Graduate-level aviation students present and publish work in TRR through close work with advisors as part of the ACRP Graduate Research Awards. Research to Support the Workforce Cooperative Research Program publications offer practical insights and frameworks for transportation practitioners. Although the research is often divided by mode of transportation, the issues cross industry lines. Three popular reports in 2020 focused on workforce optimization, expanding the workforce, and promoting employee health. Increasingly, state transportation agencies are tasked with doing more with less when it comes to managing state transportation networks. NCHRP Research Report 923: Workforce Optimization Workbook for Transportation Construction Projects provides guidance to identify construction staffing needs and effectively allocate engineering and inspection staff and consultant resources to highway construction projects, with 35 specific staffing strategies that may help alleviate construction staff challenges.17 Although women currently are underrepresented in the transit industry, the percentage of women within transit agencies is increasing, and many transit agencies report that the percentage of women advancing into management and leadership positions has also been increasing over the past five years. TCRP Synthesis 147: Attracting, Retaining, and Advancing Women in Transit explores strategies that have been deployed effectively in transit and related industries.18 KeAnna Dakwa, Tennessee State University, shares research on traffic circles and crash severity at the 2020 TRB Annual Meeting. Photo: Risdon Photography Patrice Davenport, Director, Strategic Program Development

14 TRB • 2020 Annual Report ACRP Synthesis 113: Airport Workforce Programs Supporting Employee Well-Being details the most commonly used programs of this type.19 Benefits to employers include reduced health care costs, improved productivity, decreased absenteeism, improved employee recruitment and retention, and more teamwork among employees. By participating in well-being programs, employees can also experience personal benefits, such as improved physical health, increased job satisfaction, and other emotional benefits. Seeing TRB’s Impact Instead of a traditional aviation textbook, which can be hard to come by in this constantly changing industry, Dr. Kim Kenville, University of North Dakota, uses ACRP Research Report 16: Guidebook for Managing Small Airports, Second Edition, in her classes.20 “This publication is just so consumable, useable, and the information is in chunks that fit perfectly into hourly lectures. The students . . . can learn more and find things easily,” notes Kenville. Emmett Municipal Airport, outside of Boise, Idaho, “took every bit of advice” from ACRP Synthesis 74: Combining Mixed-Use Flight Operations Safely at Airports.21 Since incorporating the procedures detailed in the report into its operations, the airport has not reported any further complaints from airplane pilots about the safety of paramotors—ultralight, engine-powered paragliders that are launched by foot or dolly. This success has led airport management to consult other ACRP reports, particularly pavement guidelines for small airports. For agencies ranging from the U.S. Forest Service to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and many local transportation agencies in between, the volumes of the NCHRP Strategic Issues Facing Transportation series are valuable resources.22 Staff at various These reports are amazing for teaching. But it’s not like a textbook. It’s actually something you want to read. Jennifer Schildgen, Airport Planner, Division of Aeronautics, Idaho Transportation Department

TRB • 2020 Annual Report 15 agencies report specific projects. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has used volumes as guidance to help integrate risk from climate change and extreme weather. California’s Contra Costa Transportation Authority will see future cost avoidance after using the guidance to raise the elevation of SR-4 to avoid flooding. At New York State DOT, a volume spurred discussion and reflection for the sustainability team and high-level managers. These and many other voices from the field were reported in the NCHRP Impact Report 2019.23 Interactive Learning Opportunities Every year, TRB offers approximately 100 webinars for professional development to thousands of participants. Starting in March, TRB began presenting free rapid-response webinars, mostly around the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic. In March, an introductory webinar that clarified lessons learned from similar disruptions attracted 1,000 people to the live event; since then, another 1,400 have watched the recording.24 Subsequent rapid-response webinars took a look at more nuanced issues, including the supply chain and overall traffic trends, both of which hosted more than 1,500 attendees.25,26 A webinar on COVID-19’s effects on asset management drew more than 1,000 attendees.27 Blogs on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion In 2020, TRB began a blog on trb.org to tie together the wide range of resources available on topics that are shaping the future of transportation. The first posts in the series explored TRB’s offerings on building socioeconomic equity, transportation accessibility for people with disabilities, and improving workplace diversity and inclusion.28 Executive Director Neil Pedersen shared personal reflections on transportation’s role in addressing the racial disparity that exists in our society. Appealing to Younger Generations with What Has Always Made Transportation Exciting We work in a groundbreaking industry that has become even more exciting over the past 10 years because of the increasing application of computer-based technology. A new video from TRB introduces a new generation to Your Future in Transportation.29 More than 10,000 views and three Telly Awards speak to the video’s success. Many of the values that younger generations seek in a career can easily be met by a job in transportation. There are unending opportunities to continue learning and growing as the industry progresses. Not only engineers and designers but also planners and data analysts can make a difference to the world through their work in transportation. The practical, sensible results in transportation are easy to see and are constantly improving. TOP 10 WEBINARS 1. The Supply Chain and COVID-19 2. How Much Will COVID-19 Affect Travel Behavior? 3. Traffic Trends and Safety in a COVID-19 World 4. Asset Management in a COVID-19 World 5. Transportation and COVID-19: Practices from Other Disease Outbreaks 6. Turbo-Charged: Turbo Roundabout Advancements 7. Roundabouts in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices 8. Why Surface Transportation Agencies Use Drones 9. Evaluation Load Testing for Bridges 10. A Conversation on Speed Management Data as of November 2020