November/December 2021 Newsletter
Member? Non-Member?
Did you know that if your organization is a member of IBTTA, then you are automatically a member as well? You can register for an account at IBTTA for access to events and data. Feel free to forward this newsletter to coworkers who may benefit from it!
Blockchain Demystified
Interested in learning about blockchain? Experts in various aspects of blockchain will provide an introduction on what blockchain is and will speak about the uses of blockchain technology within the tolling industry. Learn about the strengths and weaknesses of blockchain with a focus on foundational features and use cases. Please join the event hosted by the IBTTA Young Professionals Council and the Emerging Technologies Sub-Committee on Blockchain on Thursday, November 18th 11AM-12PM ET. IBTTA members can register online for free.
Stop by the Young Professionals Council LinkedIn Page!
We have a linked in site! If you are looking for professional growth opportunities in the tolling industry, the YPC LinkedIn page is the place to go. Join here to expand your professional network, connect with tolling experts, and advance your career in the industry while having fun!
YPC Upcoming Events
YPC’s Blockchain webinar
November 18 11 am ET
Registration link: https://www.ibtta.org/events/blockchain-demystified-ins-outs-and-applications
IBTTA’s International Road Safety: Extraordinary Women Taking Extraordinary Action Toward Vision Zero
November 16 11 am ET
Registration link:
IBTTA’s Global Outlook: Forecasting Toll Revenues in a Time of Uncertainty
November 30 11 am ET
Registration link:
https://www.ibtta.org/events/global-outlook-forecasting-toll-revenues-time-uncertainty
IBTTA’s IBTTA Book Club Group Discussion
December 9 3 pm ET
Registration link:
https://www.ibtta.org/events/ibtta-book-club-group-discussion
Notes from the YPC Chair
Hello YPC Members and Friends of YPC,
I can’t believe the year is almost over! Where I feel like 2020 was a time of regroup, it seems 2021 has been a time of growth. This year has hit us with lots of surprises- hurricanes, bus driver shortages, the return of mask mandates and quarantines, and the Delta variant to name a few. Sometimes it’s hard to look back and remember what ‘normal’ looked like. But it’s important to remember that change is what makes the world go round, as cliche as that may sound. We have seen improvements in some of our work-life balances. We have adopted new hobbies and gotten outside more. We have reduced our carbon emissions. We have learned that a meeting can sometimes just be a phone or video call (or an email). It’s important to focus on the positive when our lives seem upside-down.
The YPC has also had to pivot over the last year. We went from an organization whose goal was to get Young Professionals to Conferences, to a community that chats and teaches about issues that pertain to our daily lives. While our focus is still on encouraging Young Professionals participation in IBTTA, we are also focusing on creating content relevant to YPs. This where you come in! The YPC is starting planning for 2022. If you have some great ideas that will propel the YPC forward, or would just like to get more involved, consider one of our Subcommittees. You can express interest by sending an email to ibttaypc@gmail.com , reaching out on Discord, or filling out a form here: https://ypcouncil.com/subcommitees . If you would like to help with the mission of the YPC, we will also be opening applications for Steering Committee members soon.
We are currently working out some exciting events, both virtually and in-person next year. Annual was a fantastic opportunity for some of us to meet in person, and I really enjoyed having an opportunity to chat with some of you in person. I can’t wait to see even more in Orlando at the Technology Summit, where we will be hosting a YPC event- start putting in conference requests and asking your supervisors to attend now!
See you soon in the Discord chat,
Chelsea Scheid
2021 YPC Chair
Annual Conference Wrap-up
The IBTTA Annual Conference was a huge success, with more than 600 participants in person, and several more joining through the stream. The YPC was able to have a successful meeting, attended by over 40 participants, who networked and got to know each other, as well as discussed several topics that are pertinent today, such as future mobility options and the ethics of autonomous vehicles. The YPC Conference Boot Camp was well attended and attendees got to hear 4 dynamic panelists express how to get the most out of your conference experience. Overall, it was a very successful conference for the YPC.
The rest of the conference was also full of engaging and thoughtful speakers and conversations. The conference was opened by keynote speaker Derek Thompson, who spoke about how to persuade people on ideas and opportunities. If you’re interested in checking him out, he has written a book called Hit Makers: How to Succeed in an Age of Distraction. The conference also included panels about the exciting programs that several agencies have for the upcoming several years, the presentations on the Toll Excellence Awards, and of course, the famous Trend Talks, where we learned about some new emerging technologies and opportunities. Finally, elections were held for the 2022 year, and Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti was elected President, and Andrew Fremier elected First Vice President. Relive some of the best parts of our 89th Annual Meeting & Exhibition on IBTTA’s YouTube channel where the daily highlight reels and opening kickoff video have been archived. You can also read some session recaps (one on telematics and the tolling industry’s future here, another on toll leakage basics here) on the Tolling Points blog If you’re looking for PPT presentations and full session recordings, these will be available to all Annual Meeting registrants through the IBTTA web/mobile app.
Next year’s Annual Conference will be held in Austin Texas. Hopefully we will either see you there, or at the Technology Summit in Orlando in March!
YPC Member Spotlight
Keith Meehan
Q: Where do you work and how long have you worked there?
I work for Michael Baker International. I started in August 2012 after graduating from the Pennsylvania State University – We Are!
Q: What is your current role?
I am a Traffic Engineer and currently support the Traffic Engineering and Operations Department of the PA Turnpike in Harrisburg, PA. My role focuses on a broad range of traffic related efforts including work zone management and safety, incident response, traffic operations, crash analysis, connected and automated vehicles technologies, business operations and metrics reporting.
Q: Tell us about your favorite project that you have worked on be it at your current or a prior role.
My favorite project thus far in my career was the development of PA’s statewide Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement (AWZSE) Program – a joint program between the PA Turnpike, PennDOT and the PA State Police. Prior to working on that project, I had primarily worked on traditional studies and designs typical of a traffic engineer. The AWZSE project was unique for me in that it touched every facet of the transportation industry, including legal, finance, auditing, marketing, policies, procurement, and operations. The exposure to the entire transportation industry was invaluable. I continue to apply lessons learned from that experience in my current role.
Q: What’s one thing either industry related or not that you learned in the last month?
This past month, I have really been diving into the topic of sustainability and how it expands far beyond my typical engineer-focused thoughts on infrastructure.
Q: What do you like to do when you are not in the office?
I enjoy spending time with my wife and 2 young children (4 and 2). I also enjoy movies, video games, and all sports – I played water polo in college, but these days, I never say no to a round of a golf!
Q: How long have you been with YPC? Can you share a YPC related story with us?
I joined the YPC at the end of 2019 but really became engaged through the networking subcommittee in the spring of 2020 and the steering committee in 2021. My YPC experience has only been virtual thus far, but I have really enjoyed meeting peers and getting to know them both professionally and personally.
Q: Tell us a thing you learned this year and what’s your expectation for next year?
I joined the YPC with the goal of expanding opportunities for YP’s to be brought into the IBTTA community and connect with our industry’s veterans. The YPC webinar “Leveraging Relationships to Help Build Your Career” this past June was a fantastic event and provided valuable lessons and considerations for career growth. It is exciting to see IBTTA’s leadership embrace the YPC community and support its growth and development over the past two years. I look forward to building upon the foundations set by Chelsea and team as we transition back to in-person events and further mature the group in the coming year.
Q: Can you tell us more about yourself, like a secret fun fact?
I had an obsession with magic when I was a kid and learned how to perform slight-of-hand card tricks. I became so good that my friends would no longer let me deal poker games.
Q: What is something you are looking forward to in the next year?
The Lord of the Rings series on Amazon Prime – did I mention that I am a bit of a nerd? Honestly, though, I would really like to finally meet all my fellow YP’s in person!
Q: What is one piece of advice you would give an incoming YPC?
Join one of our lunchtime calls! I enjoy meeting new faces and getting to know people beyond just their profession, the lunchtime calls are a great way to introduce yourself and get to know other YP’s.
YPC Book Club
Join our Book Club channel to get the most up-to-date info on the YPC Book Club. Our current book is The Authenticity Project.
Don’t forget about the YPC Discord Channel!
Most of our community activities and meetings take place on our Discord server, which you can join with this link. The link will take you to the browser version of Discord, btu once you sign up you can download the app on desktop or mobile for a better experience. If you have joined before but lost hte link, you can always find it again in this newsletter or on ypcouncil.org, and using the app will make it even easier. Be sure to check regularly to participate in our weekly discussion topic!YPC uses our Discord channel to communicate. From our weekly topics and events to our book club conversation and our gaming events – we talk about it everything here! Download the Discord app on your mobile device or computer and start chatting with us today!
Next YPC Member Spotlight Nominations
We have a goal to feature a person of interest in the Spotlight section of our monthly YPC Newsletter, so we are asking YOU to nominate someone.
Do you know someone fascinating? Intelligent? Talented? Someone you have learned from or someone that you feel others can learn from?
Do they work in the tolling and transportation industry?
If so, we would like to learn more about them!
Please submit nominations to the YPC Communications Sub-committee team via email: IBTTAYPC@gmail.com
Subject: Spotlight Nomination