The Australian Institute of Traffic Planning and Management. Supporting transport planners' and engineers' careers now and in the future.

Last week, I attended the 2016 AITPM National Traffic and Transport Conference in Sydney (26-29 July, Westin Hotel). The Australian Institute of Traffic Planning and Management (AITPM) is celebrating 50 years as the peak industry body for transport planners and traffic engineers. With five branches across Australia and more than 850 members and corporate members, AITPM provides leadership and support not only to its members but also to the wider community.

Among the objectives of the organization is to promote the positive and productive aspects of traffic and transport planning and management. It is also to increase members' knowledge within the field and to foster research. To reach these objectives, AITPM centrally and also through the State branches undertakes a range of activities. Technical seminars where the latest advances in transport planning and engineering are presented; networking events that present excellent opportunities for collaboration; and training courses in a variety of sub-disciplines are some of the types of events held every year.

Right from my first couple of months when I moved to Australia back in September 2011, I decided to join AITPM and participate in my first event, the annual Gold Coast dinner. As per the Australian tradition, during the Christmas period, lots of networking events held by AITPM in Gold Coast and Brisbane allowed me to quickly set up a network of fellow transport professionals. This proved very useful in securing my first Australian role with Brisbane City Council. Since then, I attended all National conferences (Sydney 2012, Perth 2013, Adelaide 2014, Brisbane 2015) and almost every event organised by the QLD branch

Grateful of all the help I got from my participation, I decided I should give something back and volunteered for assisting with the AITPM activities. Being part of the AITPM QLD committee since 2012 and Vice President for 2014 and 2015 gave me great satisfaction in contributing to the Institute’s growth in members and reputation. The highlights of these past years were my presentations at the National Conferences in Sydney and Adelaide, winning the NZ Study Tour award and organising the “Underground Bus and Train project - A new way to travel” breakfast seminar. The first AITPM event to be held at the newly renovated Brisbane City Hall where Transport and Main Roads’ Deputy Director-General - Policy, Planning and Investment Division Matt Longland and the –at the time- TMR General Manager - Major Planning Projects and Project Director for BaT (Bus and Train) Arthur Stamatoudis informed our members about a world first design that saw buses and trains travelling at the same tunnel, while we all enjoyed a luxury breakfast. Some other contributions worth mentioning were organising a breakfast seminar with the -at the time- TMR Deputy Director-General Customer Services, Safety and Regulation, Graham Fraine; helping organise the sold-out breakfast seminar with TMR’s Director General, Neil Scales; and of course being part of the organising committee of the 2015 National Conference held in Brisbane.

I was even more pleased when my colleagues in AITPM QLD branch committee recognised my efforts and contribution and elected me unopposed as the new president of the branch, starting from 1 August 2016. I consider it a great privilege and honour to have my name next to people that are widely recognised in the transport planning and engineering industry and served from this role in the past. From the early presidents of AITPM, or Australian Institute of Traffic Technology as it was the first name back in 4th July 1966 when about 60 members and a budget of $33 formed the Institute, all the way to 22 June 1981 when the constitution was amended on to change the Institute’s name to the Australian Institute of Traffic Planning and Management. And from 1989 when the Queensland branch was established, all the way to today, a number of people served AITPM and helped it become the organisation that is now. With the risk of missing people that in the past have played an even more significant role, I have to mention the last Qld president Gary Wood from Translink and Dan Sullivan the AITPM National Secretary that we worked closely together over the last two years to achieve great outcomes. I will also need to mention, Miranda Blogg, Haider Yousif, Torry Crellin, Manu Hingorani, Deva Neiker, Jon Bunker, Jon Douglas, Mel Hallet, John Olsen, Sandra Finster, Bob Taylor, Tony Avent and Wendy Adam, all past AITPM Qld presidents that contributed in growing the Institute and getting it to the point that is today.

I am certain that even more exciting times lie ahead of us. With the Young Professional Group and the Transport Modelling User Group established in 2012 and growing ever since and with our Strategic Plan 2013-2017, I am confident that we have strong foundations to build upon. An enhanced focus on Professional Development, new tools for Information Dissemination and the commitment and drive of all committee members across Australia ensure that we will keep providing enormous value to our members and the communities we live in. I wish to invite all Transport and Traffic practitioners to join AITPM. For just $175 per year and at no cost for students, you get a very informative technical seminar or networking event each month and a range of other membership benefits. I wish also to invite engineering and planning consultancies to become corporate members and take part in all the discussions for the future of transport.