Soaring fuel prices… Emergency disaster relief… International terrorist threats… Experts in the field of transportation and logistics management are working in the middle of today’s biggest headlines!  And with over $100 billion being invested in transportation projects over the next few years through the new economic stimulus plan, there is no better time to get ahead in this high profile field. 

Every aspect of the field stands to benefit from the new stimulus plan whether your interest lies in trucking, rail, road, air, or ports.  According to the Texas Transportation Institute, “Congestion threatens our nation’s productivity, costing the U.S. economy $78 billion annually in lost hours and wasted fuel.”  Truckers stand to benefit the most from the congestion improvements that are being proposed in the plan.  The bill also includes significant investment in improving our nation’s railways to the tune of $9.3 billion including Amtrak, high speed and intercity rail.  Airline interests are hoping to convince the government to spend between $15 and $22 billion to create the next- generation air traffic control systems which will be based on Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) and not our current radar system. 

So what can you do to make sure you’ve got the skills you need to be a key player in the industry?  Keep on top of your game by earning an advanced degree in transportation and logistics management!  According to Transportation and Logistics Management Professor Matt Stork with American Public University, “Our professors are practitioners and not just theorists.  We do a lot of case studies that allow our students to look at corporations that are dealing with today’s real-world problems.”  Students in the program at American Public University come from all types of backgrounds – military and civilian – and from all over the world too, allowing you to learn and interact from your fellow students as well as your professors. 

As a student in this field you can expect to learn how to apply economic principles to evaluate the performance of a transportation system, analyze the history, pattern, and impact of laws and regulations on the various modes of transportation systems in the United States, examine global transportation issues including challenges in international transportation, as well as to compare and contrast buyer/seller relationships, third-party relationships, negotiations, bidding, contracts and the challenges of relationship management in transportation. 

Salaries for Transportation and Logistics Management Specialists have been steady at an average of $80,000 per year, according to the annual salary survey conducted by Transportation Logistics, a leading publication in the field.  With the government’s new focus on the industry, though, that number is sure to start climbing.  According to Mr. Ryan, a student currently enrolled in the program, even being enrolled in the Masters program gave him a leg up in his career.  “I applied for a job as a director of flight ops and just being enrolled in the program at APU gave me an edge over other applicants.” 

Are you ready to move the world?  Visit our transportation and logistics page and  get started today!

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