FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    September 30, 2008

    Contact: Kathleen Frankle

    410.414.2925

    kfrankle@umd.edu

    Operations Academy Earns Innovation in Transportation Education Award

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)

    Transportation Education Council has awarded its 2008 Innovation in Education Award to the Operations Academy Senior Management Program.

    The Operations Academy is a two-week, total immersion transportation management and operations program. The Operations Academy was developed by the University of Maryland’s Center for Advanced Transportation Technology (CATT) and was funded by

    the I-95 Corridor Coalition. It was developed in response to the increasing demand for personnel with skills in these areas. The program, now in its third successful year, uses a mix of classroom instruction, workshops, and analysis of existing systems to ensure the retention of the principles presented. Enrollment in the Senior Management Program is highly competitive and applicants must be nominated by a local, state, or federal transportation agency.

    Feedback from Academy graduates has been outstanding. Bill Behrens, a November 2007 Academy graduate and deputy director of Maintenance & Operations, New York State

    Thruway Authority stated, “If you need or desire to look at the five year future of

    transportation, this course is a must! Highly recommended!” Another November 2007 Academy graduate offered this to future attendees, “I feel the Operations Academy program has been successful in helping me acquire new knowledge of leading industry principles and best practices to organize a transportation agency towards being more customer-focused and performance-oriented. I will highly recommend it to others who sthave similar responsibilities in managing a system in the 21 century to take advantage of

    such an opportunity” advised John Easterling, District Traffic Operations Engineer, Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise.

    The objective of the ITE Transportation Education Council Innovation in Education Award is to recognize an individual, university department, or organization/ learning institution that has implemented an innovative technique or program to attract, develop, and/or retain transportation professionals.

The Operations Academy received this award during ITE’s Annual Meeting in Anaheim,

    California on August 19, 2008.

    Congratulations to the Operations Academy Senior Management Program for receiving this prestigious award.

About the Operations Academy

    As the emphasis on transportation management and operations increases, the demand for personnel with skills in these areas is also increasing. Unless sufficient numbers of personnel with adequate training and experience can be identified, it is unlikely that the State and local transportation agencies will be able to increase their focus on the effective use of existing transportation infrastructure.

    The Operations Academy is designed to address these needs. It is based on the concept of total immersion in the subject of transportation management and operations, using a mix of classroom instruction, workshops, and analysis of existing systems to ensure the retention of the principles being presented. The academy will provide opportunities to practice and internalize the principles learned which is not possible in traditional classes and short courses.

    Acceptance for the program is competitive, and requires the nomination of a local, State or Federal transportation agency. It also requires a commitment on the part of those attending the program to satisfy the self-study requirements, and to spend two uninterrupted weeks participating in the Academy's activities. The rewards for participating in this program include national recognition of graduates, certificates of accomplishment, Continuing Education Units (CEUs), and the involvement of supervisors from the participants' home organization. The academy will provide a significant development opportunity to career professionals in transportation management and operations.

    The development of the Operations Academy was funded by the I-95 Corridor Coalition. Other supporting organizations include: the National Transportation Operations Coalition (NTOC), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE).

For more information about the Operations Academy, visit: www.operationsacademy.org.

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