Despite what was billed as a shindig, the atmosphere was a bit somber as friends and colleagues gathered to say goodbye to Safety Center Director John Mounce and Senior Graphics Designer John Hobbs on Thursday, August 23. After decades of working for TTI, the popular duo decided to hold their retirement farewell party at the same […]
Odd Names, Good Times: TTI Bowling League Ends
After 10 weeks of heated battle, the TTI Summer Bowling League ended Aug. 15. Nine teams made up the league this year, including Insane in the 10thFrame, and The Bald and the Beautiful (named in part after its handsome team member Tommy Clement). With 28 wins and only 12 losses, Off Constantly, captained by Ed […]
Motorcycle Fatalities Focus of Safety Experts
Sixteen percent of all vehicle fatalities in Texas involve motorcyclists, according to David Strickland, the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A recently licensed motorcyclist himself, Strickland was a speaker during the opening session of the 4th annual Traffic Safety Conference in San Antonio this summer. “I love motorcyclists and I love motorcycling, […]
TTI in the News
There have been numerous mentions of TTI and our experts in recent media reports. Here are links to some of the stories. Name changes proposed for Texas A&M University System state agencies (The Eagle), July 29 Nation’s heat wave damages pavement (Daily Mail), July 26; (The New York Times), July 25 Plano intersection safer despite […]
TTI’s Katie Turnbull Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award
Internationally known transportation leader Dr. Katie Turnbull has been honored with a lifetime achievement award by the American Road and Transportation Builders Association’s Transportation Development Foundation (ARTBA-TDF). Turnbull, executive associate director for the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), received the Ethel Birchland Lifetime Achievement Award July 26 in Lansdowne, Virginia. Turnbull received the award through ARTBA’s […]
High School Students Experience Life as Engineers during Tour of TTI, A&M
Cesar Martinez grew up near the Boeing and Lockheed Martin facilities in Houston. It gave him an appreciation for aircraft and inspired in him a dream for what he might one day become: an aeronautical engineer. Martinez and 50 other Houston-area high school students arrived on the Texas A&M University campus July 22 for a […]
Road User Fee Idea Slowly Gaining Momentum
Attendance for the most recent mileage-based user fee (MBUF) conference nearly doubled from last year, signaling growing interest in what many proponents admit could be years, if not decades, before implementation. MBUFs, also known as vehicle-miles-traveled fees, are viewed as a promising approach to replace the current way transportation projects are funded. Instead of relying […]
TTI Included in White House Meeting Focused on Reaching Women
Thanks to a recent meeting with a newly formed group designed to attract women (and raise awareness of women’s contributions) to the transportation industry, White House staff members have become familiar with the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI). Chaired by TTI Director of External Initiatives Melissa Tooley, the Women Leaders in Transportation Design and Construction Council […]
Retirees Come Home as ‘Part of TTI Family’
A dozen TTI retirees spent much of June 19 at the Riverside Campus reminiscing about their affiliation with TTI. For some, those memories go as far back as 1966. The former employees were invited to see a crash test (called off, unfortunately, because of rain) and tour other parts of the Crashworthy Structures Program. Years […]
Body Snatchers and Slugs Part of Carpooling Culture
It’s a U.S. phenomenon that’s happening in just three cities. Tens of thousands of people congregating in crowded parking lots. In some circles they call themselves either “body snatchers” or “slugs,” and their motive is simple: they want to save time and money. It’s called casual carpooling. It occurs in Washington, D.C., San Francisco and […]
Safer Roads, More Work Highlighted at TTI Safety Conference
With the theme of improving safety on highways in Texas and across the nation, the leader of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the retiring state legislator known as “Senator Safety” were featured speakers for the Texas Transportation Institute’s (TTI’s) 4th annual Statewide Traffic Safety Conference, June 4-6, in San Antonio. David Strickland, […]
Mitchell Retires as Dozens Share Laughter, Tears
After 35 years at TTI, Anna Jo Mitchell told the crowd attending her retirement party June 1 that she’s moving on to greener pastures. “It’s time to spend more time with [my husband] Fred. He’s going to be so happy,” she said to an eruption of laughter. The assistant chief financial officer watched as Don […]
TTI in the News
There have been numerous mentions of TTI and our experts in recent media reports. Here are links to some of the stories. Click It or Ticket campaign underway (Star-Telegram) May 23, (CBS-DFW 11) May 21 The battle for the worst traffic in the country (KPCC-Radio) May 23 Truck lanes to ease congestion? (Bloomberg) May 22 […]
Delta-T Makes Recommendations for Representing Research
The 2011 Delta-T Leadership Class presented a Research Development Seminar May 24, detailing its study of new ways TTI research results can be presented to the public. The class project, Evolving Our Research Deliverables, examined the use of video, webinars and other methods — including the use of social media — to reach a broader […]
TTI Employees Honored for Patents
Members of TTI’s Roadside Safety and Physical Security Division were honored last month by The Texas A&M University System Office of Technology Commercialization for a highway safety product patent issued in 2011. Patent number US 7,883,075 B2 is for a new guardrail end terminal they designed and tested. The product will soon be manufactured by […]
2012 TTI Day Considered Among the Best
With a shortened format, Texas barbeque and plenty of laughs (as host Bill Frawley constantly changed its theme), the 2012 TTI Day was one of the most memorable of all the 18 annual gatherings. Held at the Brazos County Expo Center May 1, 362 current and former employees attended TTI Day, an Institute-wide day of […]
Blair Delivers Full Court Press at TTI Celebratory Dinner
“I’m a basketball coach. I ramble. But I don’t apologize. Unlike you, I get to wear short pants to work,” Coach Gary Blair told the 275 attendees of the 2nd Annual Pre-TTI Day Celebratory Dinner, held at The Zone Club at Texas A&M University’s Kyle Field April 30. Texas Roadhouse catered the excellent meal with […]
Employees, Students Honored with Awards at TTI Day
A total of 14 employees and a doctoral student were the recipients of this year’s individual awards announced May 1 at TTI Day at the Brazos County Expo Center Ballroom. The award ceremony is one of the highlights of the annual gathering. This is the 18th year that TTI Day has been held to honor […]
Employees Receive Team Award
The employees responsible for the Anonymous Wireless Address Matching (AWAM) System received the Herbert H. Richardson Team Award at TTI Day, May 1 held at the Brazos County Expo Center. The 24 employees all had a role in the invention, implementation, testing and success of the AWAM system, which has been featured in numerous publications […]
TTI in the News
There have been numerous mentions of TTI and our experts in recent media reports. Here are links to some of the stories. Outsourcing Capital Metro bus services to save money (Austin American-Statesman) April 24 TTI Freight Shuttle System (Houston Chronicle) April 20 The case for red-light cameras (New Haven Register) April 21, (Orlando Sentinel) March […]