SOCIETAL ISSUES AND TRANSPORTATION EDUCATION

The profession of transportation is often called transportation systems analysis. Characteristics features of this profession are that it is multimodal, multidisciplinary and multisectioral in its perspective. The theory of transportation systems analysis involves application of economic concepts and systems analysis tools. Examples of this are the Northeast Corridor project and other regional transportation studies. Concurrent with the emergence of the profession is the appearance of new planning agencies and of forces such as citizen opposition, citizen participation, and environmental concern. There is however, some resistance to this new profession, from such sources as universities and professional engineers and economists. Certain basic substantive principles must be addressed in incorporating societal issues into transportation education. Transportation affects society, and any change in the transportation system of a region affects human behavior. The effects of transportation must be viewed in terms of the differential incidence of gains and losses, and transportation analysts must be sensitive to the political process and able to defend their decisions. Transportation professionals must have expertise in 3 areas: technology; interactions between technology and society; and role perception and capabilities as agents of change.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr150/sr150-002.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0360859X
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Presented at a conference conducted by the Transportation Research Board Sept. 7-8, 1973, at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and cosponsored by the Transportation Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania, in cooperation with the 1907 Foundation.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Manheim, Marvin L
• Conference:
  • Conference on Multidisciplinary Education in Transportation
  • Location: Philadelphia Pennsylvania, United States
  • Date: 1973-9-7 to 1973-9-8
• Publication Date: 1974

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: pp 10-15
• Monograph Title: MULTIDISCIPLINARY EDUCATION IN TRANSPORTATION
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 150
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0360-859X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Conferences; Education; Environmental impacts; History; Multidisciplinary teams; Multimodal transportation; Planning; Politics; Public opinion; Public participation; Social sciences; Social values; Systems analysis; Technology; Transportation; Transportation planning
• Geographic Terms: Northeast Corridor; Northeastern United States
• Old TRIS Terms: Community values; Comprehensive planning; Transportation system analysis
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; History; Planning and Forecasting; Society; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00083149
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 26 1975 12:00AM