Human resources for sustainable mobility: Traffic management

Human resources for sustainable mobility: Traffic management

Date: 7 October, 2021

Time: 9:30-11:00 CET

Shiny new tech is fun, but sustainable mobility will not be achieved without the right human resources. This is the first meeting in a series. 

POLIS- in collaboration with associate member, Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas)- is bringing together a cross-disciplinary panel of cities, universities and industry stakeholders to discuss the human skills and training required for a sustainable mobility transition, how this can be achieved, and capacity for collaboration.

The problem:

Urban mobility is changing fast. From alternative fuels to Mobility as a Service (MaaS), new transport technologies and services are continually emerging.  

Many predicted such digitalisation and mechanisation would eliminate the need for human personnel. Yet, we are witnessing the opposite; electrification, clean fuels and automation have in fact intensified demands on the transport sector’s workforce. The explosion of sustainable modal options requires specialised technical skills and proficient governance capabilities.

In any industry, expertise always need replenishing; however, the pace of change- and the importance of meeting climate targets- makes this particularly pertinent for the urban mobility sector.

Across several meetings tailored to specific mobility fields, we ask:

1. What are the main trends within mobility ecosystem that ask for new/re-educated type of the workforce?
2. What are the requirements for the current and future labour?
3. What are the main gaps in competences and skills that are currently being offered or will be required to carry out the necessary mobility transition in a short term future?
4. How can higher education and research institutions equip cities and operators with the human resources needed to achieve mobility goals?

Traffic management

The first meeting will discuss traffic management. Digitisation, data sharing, automation and associated legislative changes are transforming the way traffic is operated. This requires a systematic understanding of the new technologies and services, how these can enhance operations, coordinating new transit modes and access regulations.

Speakers include:

 ·Vincent Lau, Amsterdam

·Josep Maria, CERTH

·Ludovic Leclercq, Gustav Eiffel University