Traffic Engineer
Traffic (or transportation) engineering is a branch of civil engineering that uses various engineering methods to design transportation systems that are safe and efficient for the movement of people and goods. A traffic engineer focuses mainly on the research and construction of the immobile infrastructure necessary for this movement, such as roads, railway tracks, bridges, traffic signs and traffic lights.
One resource on this subject is the Institute of Transportation Engineers:
The Institute of Transportation Engineers is an international educational and scientific association of transportation professionals who are responsible for meeting mobility and safety needs. ITE facilitates the application of technology and scientific principles to research, planning, functional design, implementation, operation, policy development and management for any mode of transportation. Through its products and services, ITE promotes professional development of its members, supports and encourages education, stimulates research, develops public awareness programs and serves as a conduit for the exchange of professional information.
The Transportation Professional Certification Board Inc. (TPCB) web site states the following:
Recognizing the certification and professional development needs of the transportation profession, the Transportation Professional Certification Board Inc. (TPCB), an autonomous certification body affiliated with the ITE, now offers the following certification programs: Professional Traffic Operations Engineer® (PTOE), Professional Transportation Planner® (PTP), Traffic Operations Practitioner Specialist® (TOPS) and Traffic Signal Operations Specialist® (TSOS). The certifications do not substitute for appropriate professional licenses when they are required for specific responsibilities or jurisdictions.
The Transportation Professional Certification Board Inc. (TPCB) offers computer based test administration for its four certification programs (PTOE, PTP, TOPS and TSOS) three times a year in the United States, Canada and a number of locations around the world.
Of particular interest to a licensed professional engineers in this field is to become a certified as a Professional Traffic Operations Engineer® (PTOE)
The TPCB web site explains this certification:
Certification as a Professional Traffic Operations Engineer® (PTOE) is a powerful demonstration of requisite knowledge, skill and ability in the specialized application of traffic operations engineering.
The certification process, which has been adopted for professional traffic operations engineers, requires that the holder be a licensed professional engineer if he or she practices in the United States, Canada or any other country that provides governmental licensing of engineers.
