ITE Talks Transportation

In this episode of ITE Talks Transportation, ITE Global District Director Farukh Ijaz, P.E., shares his inspiring journey from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to becoming a transportation leader and entrepreneur in the United States. Farukh reflects on how relationships, mentorship, and a passion for transportation shaped both his career and the growth of Consulting Services USA. He also discusses his vision for strengthening ITE’s global network by fostering meaningful professional connections and creating pathways for knowledge exchange across borders. Tune in to hear how international collaboration can help transportation professionals tackle shared challenges and build a stronger, more connected future for the industry.

Laurie Matkowski, PMP, Planning Practice Lead at GFT, joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to explore the evolving world of transportation operations and TSMO. From managing everyday mobility to preparing for global mega-events like the FIFA World Cup, Laurie shares insights on the critical role of alignment, technology, and human decision-making in keeping systems running smoothly. The conversation also dives into the growing impact of AI, digital infrastructure, and data analytics, all while emphasizing the continued importance of collaboration and people in the process.

David Kriger joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to discuss emerging trends in urban goods movement and how they're impacting the space. He also talks about drivers of change in urban freight related to factors beyond land development and road infrastructure, and uses case study examples to highlight what cities in the United States and Canada are doing to further efficiency and safety.

Dale Picha, P.E., PTOE, Director of Transportation Operations for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) San Antonio District, joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to talk about Crash Responder Safety Week (CRSW). Dale highlights the importance of this critical information campaign that promotes safety for first responders responding to crash sites and ITE's role in CRSW. He also discusses TxDOT's Traffic Incident Management program and how data plays a role in promoting and maintaining safety.

Brian Cronin, Director of the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Joint Program Office of the U.S. Department of Transportation, joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to discuss the recently released National V2X Deployment Plan. The plan, drafted and advanced with collaboration across public and private partnerships, provides stakeholders with vital information to enable a safe, efficient, and sustainable transportation system through the national, widespread deployment of interoperable V2X technologies. Brian talks about what agencies need to do to implement the plan, the short- and long-term goals of the plan, and available resources for implementation. He also touches on the Accelerator Grants and pilot projects that have resulted in real deployments of V2X at-scale, and talks about what the future may look like with full deployment of V2X.

ITE's 2024 Young Member of the Year Sam Harris, P.E., joins the ITE Talks Transportation podcast to share his journey from beginning at ITE through a Student Chapter to his current leadership roles on the Safety Council and the ITE Georgia Section. He also shares his passion for safety and how he has progressed in his career, as well as what he looks forward to accomplishing in the future.

Kathy Falk, Vice President with Kimley-Horn, joins the ITE Talks Transportation Podcast to discuss the newly released edition of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). She discusses the significant changes within the 11th edition, and highlights how the manual addresses safety concerns surrounding pedestrians and bicyclists, including bicycle lanes. She covers other new parts of the MUTCD, including provisions for setting non-statutory speed limits, and shares more about ITE's delegation to the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and what this body does.

Odessa L. Phillip, P.E., President and CEO of Assedo Consulting, LLC, joins the ITE Talks Transportation Podcast to discuss community engagement as part of the decision-making process for transportation planning and project design, addressing the challenges of this process as well as the most effective strategies she's found. She also speaks to the importance of equity considerations when having these critical conversations, as well as what she sees as some of the emerging trends in community involvement.