CHANGING PERSPECTIVES ON TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING EDUCATION

The role of the university, and especially of civil engineering programs, in the education of transportation professionals is assessed in a discussion that focuses on paratransit training needs. A survey of 110 university representatives of the Transportation Research Board indicated that paratransit education is lagging behind in addressing the broader issues of paratransit. It was also found in the survey that most transportation faculties are small (50 percent have one or two people) but that most offer graduate programs. Paratransit may be a harbinger of trends toward a short-term, service-oriented approach to transportation development by people who lack or do not need the traditional transportation engineering and planning skills. Case-study analysis of five leading, experienced paratransit organizations disclosed that individuals with entrepreneurial skills and a motivation to innovate were key factors in the success of local paratransit systems. A set of paratransit curriculum materials that consists of five case-study documents and supporting documents (a case-study overview, a set of selected readings, a paratransit resource guide, and a curriculum guide) is described. These materials are intended for use by faculty, students, and professionals interested in paratransit, can be used in a variety of course formats or by students alone, and are intended to address some of the educational needs in the paratransit field while presenting the broader dimensions of it. Finally, a brief commentary on educational issues is presented. (Author)

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1980/748/748-001.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=CHANGING+PERSPECTIVES+ON+TRANSPORTATION+ENGINEERING+EDUCATION&author=A.+COOK&author=C.+Barb&author=L.+West&publication_year=1980
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03611981
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Transportation Education and Training. 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
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

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  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • COOK, ALLEN R
  • Barb Jr, Charles E
  • West Jr, Leonard B
• Publication Date: 1980

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 1-5
• Monograph Title: NEW DIRECTIONS IN TRANSPORTATION EDUCATION
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 748
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Civil engineering; Curricula; Education; Engineers; Paratransit services; Professional personnel; Specifications; Training; Transportation engineering; Universities and colleges
• Uncontrolled Terms: Characteristics; Requirement
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Education and Training; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00319395
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309030587
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-030 297
• Files: HSL, TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Oct 27 1983 12:00AM