Editor, Chris Hendrickson, sat down with ASCE Publishing to talk about the journal. Hendrickson, Ph.D., Hon.M.ASCE is the Hamerschlag University Professor of Engineering Emeritus, Director of the Traffic 21 Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, member of the National Academy of Engineering and Editor-in-chief of the ASCE Journal of Transportation Engineering.

ASCE Publications: How does the ASCE Journal of Transportation differ from other transportation engineering journals currently available?

Chris Hendrickson: Well first, there’s the history. ASCEs’ journal has been around longer than other transportation journals in the field. The other critical factor is the level of interest of the ASCE members who are focused on transportation infrastructure. ASCE readers know the importance of infrastructure to our communities, and look to the ASCE journal to provide coverage of this critical subject. Other transportation journals don’t have that same history and professional involvement.

ASCE Publications: Your journal turned 60 this year. In preparing a retrospective, how have you seen the journal evolve over the years?

Chris Hendrickson: In the early days, the journal coverage solely focused on transportation infrastructure such as pavements and traffic signals. But as it grew, the concept of land use and transportation were added. More recently, the journal has seen papers addressing energy use, environment and transportation interactions. Emerging automation technology and alternative fuels are examples of new technologies appearing and presenting opportunities. The other interesting change has been the growth of international submissions. It’s great to see papers come in from Europe, Asia, South America; it enables us to learn about great research going out outside our borders.

In writing about the future of transportation for the 60th anniversary, I wrote “I don’t believe transportation has seen such drastic changes since the early twentieth century, which was an era when motor vehicles became a dominant mode of travel, petroleum products became the fuel of choice for transportation, and airplanes first appeared.”

ASCE Publications: As an editor, what are the hot transportation topics that you want to cover and take the journal into the future?

Chris Hendrickson: The key topics I see are automation, connectivity, alternative fuels, and big data. Vehicles are becoming more and more automated. While this automation won’t happen overnight; one day we will be commuting in self-driving cars. Our country’s gradual migration from being a petroleum-based transportation system is affecting transportation. With the growth of alternative fuel use (up to 10% in gasoline and more electric car sales), things are changing, albeit slowly. Finally, the advances in the data now available to us, eases the way to a more integrated and better managed system. And when issues do arise, engineers can respond faster and more effectively. It’s an exciting time to be a transportation engineer!

ASCE Publications: What drew you to transportation?

Chris Hendrickson: I was always interested in infrastructure. It was evident to me that it would be an important issue for the foreseeable future. Infrastructure plays a role in how society functions and in people’s daily life. Even if we don’t think about it, transportation engineering and the supporting infrastructure affect us every day; from our commute (walk, bike, drive, take a train/plane), to shopping, vacationing; living!

ASCE Publications: Can you offer any advice to new researchers starting out?

Chris Hendrickson: Be prudent with the resources available. There will always be research funding issues. It’s how we use them to best address the issues; and identify better ways of doing things.

I encourage researchers to be looking at state-of-the-art review papers. If you, as a researcher, can bring a different perspective to the topic, you can have great influence. Find an interesting topic and put your own perspective on it; how you might address the problem in a different way, and see what happens.

Transportation engineering is a great area to work in. There is constant change and evolution, and you can apply critical problem solving skills on a daily basis.

Learn more about contributing to the Journal of Transportation Engineering.