News
PSR
Friday, January 29, 2021
The goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption stemming from vehicle usage calls for creative solutions in unexpected areas. Michael Zhang, Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at University of California, Davis, along with Graduate Researchers Hang Gao and Shenyang Chen, examined the potential of using variable speed limits (VSL) to lessen environmental damage. Variable speed limits allow the speed limit to vary depending on traffic conditions. ...
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
In 200 6 , California passed the Global Warming Solutions Act and follow ed with the Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act in 2008 , solidifying California’s commitment to massively reduc e the state’s climate impact . As the second-largest city in Los Angeles County and one with a major transit agency , the C ity of Long Beach has made major strides in transitioning its transit agency ’s fuel ...
Wednesday, January 27, 2021
With 24 years of military experience, Sean Fazande is no stranger to leading teams to accomplish objectives. When he expressed interest in joining the METRANS student team in the fall of 2020, he transitioned easily into the role of Student Chief of Staff where he helps manage METRANS student workers, projects, and initiatives. He brings decades of leadership to this role and serves as a valuable leader and mentor.
“Lt. Col. Fazande’s depth of experience and his exceptional organizational ...
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Last December, the METRANS Transportation Center in partnership with the CSULB Center for International Trade and Transportation (CITT) hosted the 2020 Caltrans Freight Academy, an annual professional training workshop offered to employees of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to help the state’s planners and engineers connect the dots between freight operations and transportation planning. Providing key information about current freight trends, the training offered insight ...
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
The Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) hosted its virtual 60th Anniversary Annual Conference in November 2020. The four-day conference included a keynote panel discussion on “Decolonizing Planning,” open roundtable discussions, paper presentations, and social networking events. The 2020 conference’s focus on “Racial Equity and Justice in Urban Planning Research and Education in the Face of Racialized Inequality” had a unique objective this year: ...
Wednesday, January 20, 2021
METRANS has had a long tradition of hosting engaging and informative public events. Since moving to online events, we are proud to share that our events have continued to reach diverse participants - now from across the globe - interested in transportation. We continue this tradition this spring, showcasing cutting edge transportation research in a virtual format. In addition to our hour-long research seminars, this spring we include our annual signature event, the Emerging Scholars Transportation ...
Monday, January 11, 2021
Launched in 2011, the METRANS Mentor Program celebrates a decade of creating personal mentoring relationships between students and transportation professionals. The 2021 iteration of this program features over 20 students from undergraduate and master's-level policy and engineering programs from several California universities. Ten years ago, Dr. Victoria Deguzman, METRANS Associate Director for Education and Professional Development, launched the program, starting with a pilot group of students ...
Monday, January 11, 2021
After contributing to METRANS on the Move, METRANS’ weekly student publication, as Editor-in-chief since Spring 2019, Danielle Dirksen has stepped down after graduating in the fall. Dirksen graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Urban Studies and Planning with a double minor in Environmental Studies and Occupational Science. She is passionate about pursuing a future in transportation where she can work toward enhancing mobility and improving public transit for traditionally disadvantaged ...
PSR
Monday, January 11, 2021
The Pacific Southwest Region (PSR) University Transportation Center (UTC) starts the new year by honoring exceptional students from member institutions for their promise in the transportation field. Students – at all levels - are recognized for their technical and research merit, academic, and leadership capabilities.
Sam Speroni, doctoral student at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Luskin School of Public Affairs is PSR’s 2020 U.S. Department of Transportation ...
Thursday, January 7, 2021
Sequoia Erasmus is a dual master’s student at UC Davis, enrolled in both Community Development and Transportation Technology and Policy programs; she expects to earn these degrees in Spring and Summer 2021, respectively. Her specialization is interdisciplinary; Sequoia has a certificate in landscape architecture and environmental design and focuses her studies on transportation equity and mobility justice.
Sequoia has spent the past 18 months working with Dr. Sarah McCullough, ...
NCST
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Freight shipments are increasing around the world as a result of globalization, rising incomes, and shifting patterns of production and consumption. These shipments are a major source of air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In the U.S., the transport sector accounts for about 28% of GHG emissions, and trucks account for a disproportionate share within the transport sector. California, one of the largest U.S. foreign trade hubs, has been at the forefront of reducing the impacts ...
