Tiffany Cummings is a transportation engineer at Stantec, specializing in long-term traffic and revenue forecasting for toll roads and managed lanes. She has been an active member of Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) since 2014 when she joined the Young Professionals committee, later becoming a co-chair of the committee from 2016 through 2019. As part of this committee, Tiffany has partnered with YPT and APA to plan the annual Transportation Trivia Night. Tiffany is a proud Tiger fan, graduating with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Clemson University in 2011. In her spare time, Tiffany enjoys cooking, reading, and biking; she is often seen riding a CitiBike to work or carrying her helmet to and from WTS and YPT events.
What do you most enjoy about YPT?
The sheer variety and quantity of events that are offered – it seems like there’s an event for everyone!
What’s your preferred transport mode and why?
Biking – In most cases, it is the fastest, greenest, and cheapest way to get around NYC. It also makes commuting more fun since biking gives a burst of energy to start your day.
What are you working on that you’re most passionate or proud about?
I am proud of the work I’ve been doing over the last few years for a toll road client in Austin, TX. My first traffic and revenue forecast for them was in 2015, when they first began the financing process for a much-needed project to improve congestion in the region. That toll facility’s first phase opened just a few months ago and it’s exciting to see how the actual performance of the road compares to our forecasts.
What is the biggest transit-related problem that you’d like to help solve?
I’d like to generally get more people to take mass transit. I think buses are an undervalued option that more cities could take advantage of to help address growing vehicular congestion. There’s a book that’s on my list to read (Better Buses Better Cities by Steven Higashide) that discusses ways to improve the bus riding experience. Who knows – maybe after reading it, I’ll feel inspired to be a bus advocate!
Do you have any tips (career advice) for YPT’ers interested in transportation engineering?
The transportation industry is a relatively small, close-knit community. Get to know the people you meet and be sure to treat them with respect. Even if it’s a minor encounter at a YPT event and you think you will never see them again, they could turn up across the table at a project kick-off meeting or job interview. Going to networking events may be hard at first, but most people who attend are friendly and want to talk to others – otherwise they would have stayed home!
YPT-NYC 