Investment in capacity building in the ITS sector is crucial to improve the skill sets, confidence, passion, retention, and overall job performance of dedicated transportation professionals. New technologies build safer, smarter, and more equitable communities. Educating both current and next generation workers on the benefits and uses of these technologies, as well as how to deploy these innovations effectively, can energize the long-term health of the workforce, increase the efficiency of our systems, advance progress towards business goals for organizations, and strengthen overall community prosperity.

ITS America is a vital resource in supporting the future of a tech-literate transportation workforce. Through multiple paths of collaboration, education, and practitioner support, our organization and our members are prepping for the road ahead.

ITS America, COMTO, and the Thriving Communities Program

As a member of a team led by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO), ITS America was selected by the U.S. Department of Transportation to support 16 communities across the United States in advancing their knowledge and deployment of intelligent transportation technologies.  As National Capacity Builders, this collaboration will improve mobility and foster sustainability and economic growth through the grant funded Thriving Communities Program (TCP). This program helps disadvantaged and under-resourced communities achieve their unique and interrelated transportation, housing, land use, economic, and community development goals. The National Capacity Builder team will also facilitate peer networking and knowledge sharing across communities with similar challenges and goals – ITS America’s national reach is integral for scaled deployment of innovative transportation solutions in a variety of communities.  Learn more about the TCP here. 

PCB Training for ITS State Chapters 

The Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Professional Capacity Building (PCB) Program is the USDOT’s primary mechanism for educating the transportation workforce about current and future intelligent transportation technology. ITS America has a long established tradition of facilitating the delivery of PCB trainings to State and Regional ITS Chapters across the U.S. These trainings are geared towards ITS professionals and practitioners looking to further advance their knowledge of ITS concepts, technologies, and solutions that can support their day-to-day work.

Earlier this year, the USDOT launched a new Foundational Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Training where participants are introduced to the key components that enable a V2X ecosystem, learn about the potential benefits of the technology, and explore example use cases and the messages and standards that support them while ensuring safety and privacy. The program provided an overview of V2X and wireless communications technologies that enable vehicle, pedestrian, bicyclist, and infrastructure communications; and equipped participants with a basic understanding and refresher of V2X concepts.

If your State Chapter is interested in learning more about the Foundational V2X training and other PCB courses, please contact Carlos Alban at calban@itsa.org.

Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Outreach 

ITS America is partnering with the USDOT Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office (JPO)  to assist state and local agencies through the development of materials and products for the V2X deployment community. These materials include procedural and practical how-to information and resources for deploying interoperable connectivity technologies. ITS America will also be conducting stakeholder outreach and engagement to showcase how agencies are deploying V2X technologies and to raise awareness of the resources that will be developed under this effort.

ITSA Academy

Build your knowledge in a rapidly evolving transportation landscape through the ITSA Academy! This fall, ITS America is launching a virtual training platform, with self-paced, online courses that allow students to earn PDH credits virtually and on their own time. The first course offered, Introduction to Transportation Data, equips professionals with cutting edge skills and knowledge through a five-sectioned syllabus, with learning modules that focus on capturing transportation data, transmission and connectivity, data organization and access, and use cases and real world applications. Learn more about the Academy here. 

The intelligent transportation industry is at an pivotal – and exciting – transition point. Capacity building and training programs from ITSA are helping to develop a more creative, innovative, and solutions-oriented workforce to drive us safely into the future.