Public Transportation Group (PTG)
Staff
Debra Collins Group Co-Director
704.639.7653 | dgcollins@carolina.rr.com
Debra Collins earned her M.S. in Civil Engineering at the University of Virginia. She worked as a transit manager in a medium-size transit system for over 10 years prior to joining ITRE. Her professional expertise includes project, grant and budget administration; market research and analysis (transit and transportation); fiscal planning, forecasting and budgeting; marketing and public relations; and service planning and design. In addition, Debra has worked in transportation planning; fixed-route and paratransit operations (maintenance concepts, dispatch, scheduling); computer application design, programming, implementation, and training; and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) architecture, procurement, systems engineering and implementation. More»
Tom Cook Group Co-Director
919.515.8622 | tjc@ncsu.edu
Tom Cook's professional expertise is in managing, coordinating, and conducting paratransit, rail, and taxicab research projects. He has recently provided technical assistance to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) for implementation of advanced technologies; developing a policies and procedures manual for the NCDOT Rail Division's Engineering and Safety Branch; and contributing to TCRP Project B-16: Analysis of the Private-For-Hire Vehicle Industry and Its Role in Public Transit. Tom is also a contributing author to a taxonomy of advanced technologies for deployment at rural and small urban transit systems developed as part of TCRP Project B-17: Advanced Rural Transportation Systems: Where Do We Start? How Far Should We Go?
Other recent projects have been broad ranging and include: presenting qualitative economic impact data on potential rail passenger service preferences for the NCDOT Rail Division; developing recommendations on the need for additional taxicab permits in the City of San Diego; and developing an Alternative-Fueled Bus Purchase Plan for the NCDOT and the NC Department of the Environment and Natural Resources. Tom received his Master's of Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. More»
Darcy Downs Research Associate
919.515.8624 | dbdowns@ncsu.edu
Darcy Downs earned her Master of Public Affairs from Western Carolina University where she completed an internship at Triangle Transit (Raleigh, N.C.) and assisted in schedule making, route timing and planning. She provides hands-on support for users of ITRE’s Microsoft Access-based software, TrIP Maker, that assists transportation systems in scheduling, billing, and documenting their service. Darcy also works with these transit systems to support their organization by encouraging good business practices and data management. Darcy's résumé»
Jud Lawrie Senior Research Associate
919.513.3482 | jjlawrie@ncsu.edu
Jud Lawrie's areas of expertise include performance measurement; performance-based budgeting; budget management; financial planning; strategic planning; organization development and change; market research; customer satisfaction research; transit operations planning; Medicaid transportation; and intercity bus. Prior to joining ITRE, he served as an executive and manager in the public transportation arena in Illinois for over 25 years including work for the Chicago Transit Authority, the Chicago-area Regional Transportation Authority, and the Illinois Department of Transportation. Responsibilities included budget and financial management; strategic planning; market research; operations planning; grant administration; and Management Information Systems. Jud earned an MBA from the Graduate School of Business, University of Chicago, and a Certificate in Advanced Studies in Organization Development, Loyola University, Chicago. He served four years as a Transportation Officer in the U.S. Air Force in Louisiana and Italy. More»
Kai Monast Research Associate
919.515.8768 | kcmonast@ncsu.edu
Kai Monast works with public transportation systems to provide training, technology implementation assistance, and advice for operations and improvements in efficiency. He works closely with transit systems to grow their businesses by helping them adapt business practices, develop essential policies and practices, effectively manage information, and plan for and successfully implement technology. Mr. Monast is the primary designer and instructor for the Paratransit Foundations program — a five-part distance learning package taught biannually. He was also on the faculty of the CTAA’s Institute for Transportation Coordination Nebraska program. More»
Sarah O'Brien Research Associate
919.515.8703 | skworth@ncsu.edu
Heading the Bicycle and Pedestrian Program, Sarah O'Brien has a broad range of experience in program issues involving policy, planning, education, design, and project management. She is interim coordinator of North Carolina Department of Transportation's Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program and the Department's Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Grant Initiative. Ms. O'Brien assists in training, general research, development, and the review and editing of documents for various bicycle and pedestrian programs and initiatives. She holds a Master of Environmental Science and Management degree from the Bren School at the University of California, Santa Barbara. More»