TDM Training Course Highlights Effectiveness; Second Year of FDOT-sponsored Course Features National Experts, Enhanced Curriculum
"Managing Our Way Through Congestion," a week-long transportation demand management (TDM) training program developed and conducted by CUTR, was recently offered for the second consecutive year. The training course, sponsored by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), was held in Tampa in April and in Ft. Lauderdale in May. The course was designed to provide a thorough understanding of TDM techniques for transportation professionals who are working on congestion mitigation programs for their communities. Attendees included transit planners, TDM professionals, TMA directors, traffic engineers, and federal, state, and local transportation agency representatives. Course content included detailed modules on a variety of TDM and related topics and included the use of TDM modeling software and interactive training techniques.
Among the topics presented were the TDM planning process, FHWA's TDM model, land use design and transit oriented developments, preferential HOV treatments, parking supply and pricing management, telecommuting, employer trip reduction ordinances, and management and marketing issues. New sessions on available TDM modeling software and Florida's Mobility Management Plans were incorporated in the second years curriculum, as were modules on transportation system management and transit service improvements. These new sessions were especially useful to TDM professionals, who in the past may not have been familiar with concepts like traffic channelization and incident management. The course also included increased emphasis on TDM effectiveness.
"For years, people have been asking how effective TDM is in meeting community and business goals," said Phil Winters, CUTR's TDM Program Manager and a course instructor. "This course took advantage of recently completed studies and new tools on effectiveness and made them the cornerstone of the program." Using these studies and the available TDM modeling software, techniques such as vanpooling, telecommuting, and flextime were examined to determine what impact they could have on local and area-wide congestion.
A course workbook and hands-on participation techniques--essential in making training programs work--also were included. "The lecture portions were limited to 15-minute segments and were interspersed with individual and group participation activities, reflective readings, and video presentations," said Winters.
These activities encouraged attendees to share their knowledge and experiences, which provided additional information and different perspectives on the topics they are learning.
In response to suggestions from participants in the first year's course, experts from other areas of the country were brought in to share their experiences on implementing TDM programs. These included:
"The inclusion of guest speakers enhanced the training program significantly," said Liz Stutts, FDOT's project manager for the program. "The guest speakers added more real-world examples of TDM success and showed that careful planning and creativity to meet the needs of customers go a long way in making programs effective. Managing Our Way Through Congestion" is one of the most extensive training programs on TDM available."
For more information about CUTR's TDM training program, contact TDM Program Manager Phil Winters.
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