Citation

Cook AR, Barb CE, West LB. Transp. Res. Rec. 1980; 748: 1-5.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1980, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The role of the university, and especially of civil engineering programs, in the education of transportation professionals is assessed in a discussion that focuses on paratransit training needs. A survey of 110 university representatives of the Transportation Research Board indicated that paratransit education is lagging behind in addressing the broader issues of paratransit. It was also found in the survey that most transportation faculties are small (50 percent have one or two people) but that most offer graduate programs. Paratransit may be a harbinger of trends toward a short-term, service-oriented approach to transportation development by people who lack or do not need the traditional transportation engineering and planning skills. Case-study analysis of five leading, experienced paratransit organizations disclosed that individuals with entrepreneurial skills and a motivation to innovate were key factors in the success of local paratransit systems. A set of paratransit curriculum materials that consists of five case-study documents and supporting documents (a case-study overview, a set of selected readings, a paratransit resource guide, and a curriculum guide) is described. These materials are intended for use by faculty, students, and professionals interested in paratransit, can be used in a variety of course formats or by students alone, and are intended to address some of the educational needs in the paratransit field while presenting the broader dimensions of it. Finally, a brief commentary on educational issues is presented.