Institute for Transportation

Go! Magazine (http://www.go-explore-trans.org/) is a free, not-for-profit, online magazine that produces articles about the unique, interesting, crazy, awesome, and expanding world of transportation.

Each month, Go! produces a three-part article series with either an interview with a transportation expert, a book or movie review, a blog entry from one of our staff writers, or information about transportation careers. The best part? Our articles are interesting for readers of all ages.

For January, we produced a Go! Safety article series about the “Breaking Point”—where transportation takes the lead in protecting people during severe weather conditions.

Breaking Point: Traversing a winter wonderlandAlmost every region in the country experiences some sort of severe weather. Whether it be hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, or snowstorms—it does happen, and it often happens fast. Come with us as we learn about the transportation taking place at the breaking point—at the heart of the storm, in severe weather conditions across the country. It seems appropriate to start in a “winter wonderland.” Did you know that nearly 70 percent of the US population lives in these snowy regions?

Breaking Point: Transportation and tornadoesNext, we’re going into the eye of the storm—to tornado alley. Did you know that in the United States, Texas has the most tornadoes per year? In fact, in 2015 alone, Texas recorded 244 tornadoes, the highest number of twisters to touch down there since 1950! So, how does transportation help states like Texas during tornado season? Well, come with us as we learn about storm chasers and how their equipment stands up to one of the fiercest types of severe weather out there!

Breaking Point: Planning a hurricane exodusAlthough hurricanes are somewhat more predictable than tornadoes or snowstorms, that doesn’t mean that planning for one isn’t tough! When it comes to hurricanes, transportation plays a huge role in moving people safely and efficiently from the area. The truth is that multiple evacuation routes need to be planned out months—even years—ahead of time. It’s up to transportation planners and engineers to assist with this important task!

5 Questions with…an air traffic controller
Ever wondered what an air traffic controller really does? Did you know there is a reason why these specialists are perched high up in a tower? Go! Staff Writer Hannah Postlethwait asked an air traffic controller at O’Hare International Airport about his job and how air traffic control helps keep passengers and pilots safe during severe weather.

Dot’s Adventures with Transportation: The Career Fair“Dot’s Adventures with Transportation: The Career Fair” is directly related to the Go! Careers series posted in September 2016, where readers learn about some unusual careers in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) field! Is Dot ready to be a roller coaster engineer? How about a skatepark or port engineer? She’s got the attitude right, but does she have the skills?