Transportation Planners
Planner, Program Officer, Transportation Data Programs Manager, Transportation Planner
What they do:
Prepare studies for proposed transportation projects. Gather, compile, and analyze data. Study the use and operation of transportation systems. Develop transportation models or simulations.
On the job, you would:
- Define regional or local transportation planning problems or priorities.
- Participate in public meetings or hearings to explain planning proposals, to gather feedback from those affected by projects, or to achieve consensus on project designs.
- Prepare reports or recommendations on transportation planning.
Knowledge
Transportation
- movement of people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road
Arts and Humanities
- English language
Math and Science
- arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
- geography
Safety and Government
- law and government
Skills
Basic Skills
- listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
- reading work related information
Problem Solving
- noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
People and Technology Systems
- thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
- measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it
Abilities
Verbal
- communicate by speaking
- communicate by writing
Ideas and Logic
- come up with lots of ideas
- make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
Math
- choose the right type of math to solve a problem
- add, subtract, multiply, or divide
Visual Understanding
- see hidden patterns
Personality
People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
- Integrity
- Cooperation
- Analytical Thinking
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Initiative
Technology
You might use software like this on the job:
Analytical or scientific software
- Citilabs Cube
- SAS
Presentation software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Geographic information system
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- Geographic information system GIS software
Education
Education: (rated 4 of 5)
bachelor's degree or
master's degree
usually needed
master's degree
usually needed
Job Outlook
Below Average
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
Explore More
- Civil Engineers
- Logistics Engineers
- Transportation Engineers
- Transportation, Storage, & Distribution Managers
- Urban & Regional Planners
You might like a career in one of these industries:
See more details at O*NET OnLine about transportation planners.