This blog was created for me to have a venue for essays, ideas, commentaries and other writings on transportation and traffic. I actually make a living out of this field and have written quite a bit on transport and traffic. My thesis and dissertation topics were about the jeepney’s impacts on traffic flow. The jeepney is probably and arguably the dominant motorized mode of public transport in many cities in my country. My views here are likely to be based on personal experiences though mixed with knowledge and expertise on my chosen field. From time to time, I will be posting excerpts from papers I have written but mostly I will be making commentaries on almost anything under the sun, of course, related to transport and traffic.
Hi! I’m currently writing a thesis about the jeepneys but more on the Industrial organization and economic behavior. I was so happy when I read you wrote your thesis and dissertation about the jeepney. That would make you a jeepney expert then. Is it possible for you to give me advice in writing on this specific field? Thanks!
Though I my thesis and dissertation were about the jeepney, these were primarily on the effects of these vehicles on traffic flow (e.g., congestion due to their operations). My expertise is traffic engineering and traffic flow theory was my primary research back in my graduate school days. I did not take a look at the organizational or economic aspects of this mode. Perhaps you can check with the library of the National Center for Transport Studies of UP to check what researches we have done on the jeepney. At present there is an ongoing study the NCTS is implementing for DOTC that covers organizational and financial aspects as inputs to the development of public transport planning support system. The study is targeting completion by December 2011.
Hi there,
I recently stumbled on your blog and just wanted to commend you on the content. I was just in the Philippines last January visiting my mother and always enjoy my stay there.
I’m also the Vice President of Corporate Marketing for Transoft Solutions, Inc., makers of AutoTURN and more transportation and traffic related software. We have users in over 120 countries around the world including Ayala Land Inc in the Philippines.
Earlier this month we released OTISS which is the world’s first SaaS-based trip generation software of its kind. When you have a chance, try the free demo at otisstraffic.com. I would love to hear your feedback!
Regards,
Noel
Hi,
Thank you for the kind remarks. The blog is an ironic distraction for me. Distraction because it allows me to escape work and ironic because my work is in transportation engineering and planning.
We’ve heard of AutoTURN from our friends in Ayala but haven’t used the software. Our center at the University of the Philippines currently employs CUBE, HCS, VISSIM, Synchro and the old TSIS/NETSIM. We’ll have our researchers and fellows try out the demo you mentioned.
Regards.
Interesting topic. I find the traffic in the Philippines (e.g., Marikina to Paranaque) quite heavy but I enjoy it more than being stuck in traffic in Chicago or Toronto. By the way, did you go to Lourdes School? If so, we were grade 2 classmates and neighbors in Cainta. Best regards!
We were classmates and neighbors! Best regards Jojo.
This is a terrific blog, and I’m excited to find another traffic and infrastructure nerd online! I’m no expert, but I have toyed with the idea of leaving my field (video games) to pursue my passion for urban planning and rail infrastructure specifically. I was wondering if you’d have any advice on what schools to attend her or abroad, should I choose to pursue this?
There are many good schools abroad including old reliables like UC Berkeley and MIT in the US, the University of Tokyo and the National University of Singapore, but few here in the Philippines. Currently, only UP Diliman offers a graduate degree in urban planning but if you have an Civil Engineering background, you can also try the Civil Engineering graduate programs of UP and DLSU. While, UP’s CE program can advise you on diverse topics ranging from classical Traffic Engineering, Public Transport to Environment topics, DLSU is particularly strong in urban transport planning.
Hi. May I know your email address? I just want to consult regarding my thesis. Thank you so much.