Traffic Technicians

Conduct field studies to determine traffic volume, speed, effectiveness of signals, adequacy of lighting, and other factors influencing traffic conditions, under direction of traffic engineer.

On the job, you would:

Study traffic delays by noting times of delays, the numbers of vehicles affected, and vehicle speed through the delay area.
Interact with the public to answer traffic-related questions, respond to complaints or requests, or discuss traffic control ordinances, plans, policies, or procedures.
Prepare graphs, charts, diagrams, or other aids to illustrate observations or conclusions.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		88%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		85%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		83%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		82%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		80%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		80%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		79%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		77%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		77%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		76%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		73%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		72%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		69%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		66%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		65%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
		56%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		89%	Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
		61%	Investigative - Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		67%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		56%	Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
		56%	Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
		53%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		72%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		72%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		72%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		69%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
		66%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		60%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		60%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		60%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		56%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		53%	Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
		53%	Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
		53%	Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
		53%	Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
		53%	Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
		53%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		53%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
		53%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		57%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
		52%	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
		52%	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Provide information to the general public.

Provide transportation information to passengers or customers.

Prepare drawings or diagrams of products or services.

Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency.

Analyze traffic data.

Arrange maintenance activities.

Analyze traffic data.

Draw guide lines or markings on materials or workpieces using patterns or other references.

Analyze traffic data.

Record operational details of travel.

Supervise engineering or other technical personnel.

Compile operational data.

Install metering equipment.

Time vehicle speed or traffic-control equipment operation.

Record operational details of travel.

Analyze traffic data.

Review work orders or schedules to determine operations or procedures.

Create images of data, locations, or products.

Plan work operations.

Analyze traffic data.

Monitor surroundings to detect potential hazards.

Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance.

Repair electronic equipment.

Time vehicle speed or traffic-control equipment operation.

Interview employees, customers, or others to collect information.

Develop program goals or plans.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		90%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		85%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		84%	In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment - How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or equipment (e.g., car)?
		82%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		82%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		81%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		78%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		77%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		75%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		75%	Outdoors, Exposed to Weather - How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
		73%	Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets - How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
		72%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		71%	Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?
		71%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		71%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		71%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		67%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		66%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		65%	Exposed to Hazardous Equipment - How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
		64%	Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting?
		55%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		53%	Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
		53%	Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
		52%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		83%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		75%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		73%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		72%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		71%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		69%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		69%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		67%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		67%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		65%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		64%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		63%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		63%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
		62%	Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment - Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
		59%	Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
		58%	Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
		57%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		57%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
		56%	Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
		53%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		53%	Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
		53%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
		52%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
		52%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Getting Started

Education:

43%

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

23%

Some College Courses

Traffic Technicians

What they do:

On the job, you would:

Personality

Characteristics of this Career

Strengths

Values of the Work Environment

Aptitude

Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Skills | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Job Details

Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent

Tasks & Values

Getting Started