workworkwork

So, I'd thought I'd put up a post about work as it the Detroit tribe asks about it.

I'm currently working on 3 primary projects, although some others tend to creep in as well. The first is a transit study for the state of Idaho. Basically, Idaho has something like a dozen different agencies that provide public transit around the state (mostly rural with the exception of the provider in Boise). My company is determining what types of technology would best fit each provider to save money, increase efficiency, reach more riders, increase safety/security, etc. What this essentially means is that very soon I am going to be traveling around the state and meeting with people to help them figure out how they can better serve their community with technology.

Another project is updating the Intelligent Transportation Systems plan for Boise metro. The goal for this is to update a plan made in 1999 for automating/optimizing traffic operations using technology like cameras, vehicle detection, electronic signs, actuated signals, etc etc. This is going to be somewhat gratifying, as every new person I meet that asks me what I do for work responds "Yeah, something really needs to be done with traffic here". And with the valley geography of Boise, building new roads is something of a last resort.

The others, suffice it to say that depending on how our proposals go I will be traveling to any/all/none of British Columbia, Utah, Montana or Oregon sometime this year. Should be a cool way to see the region. The job is really interesting so far, and I'm being given a really long leash. Of course with that comes some responsibility and expectation; but I think I have been doing really well. When I was expected to simply be reading some things I started in on the next steps and my boss was pretty impressed. My advice to anyone in college anticipating going to work after graduation is to get a job before you graduate. I don't anticipate using anything that I learned in school anytime soon.


I also bought a kick-ass phone/PDA that is keeping me uber-organized. I might get sick of it eventually, but what it amounts to is having the internet in my pocket at all times. I read an article on Wikipedia while having a bowel movement today. I can use Microsoft word, instant messenger, Excel, etc etc. I can write a note for work, and in the blink of an eye move to revising a chapter from my book. SG: I just made a purchase that is going to save me time in virtually every task I do.