Traffic Operations Practitioner Specialist

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A Traffic Operations Practitioner Specialist (TOPS) is a certification sponsored by the Transportation Professional Certification Board, Inc., and promulgated by the Institute of Transportation Engineers. Prior to taking the required exam, an individual have at least five years of related working experience, though academic experience may be substituted for this requirement. Additionally, as the certification is not intended for professionals, licensed professional engineers are not permitted to be a certified TOPS.

The 100-question certification examination currently includes the following topics:^[1]

Traffic Operations Studies
- Road User Characteristics
- Traffic Characteristics
- Data Collection and Analysis Tools
- Field Studies
- Site Impact Studies
- Documentation, Reporting and Presentation

Traffic Devices
- Fundamentals of Traffic Control Devices
- Traffic Signs
- Pavement Markings and Delineation
- Traffic Signals
- Temporary Traffic Control Devices
- Intelligent Transportation Systems
- Operation and Maintenance of Devices

Elements of Design
- Functional Classification of Roads
- Vehicle Operating Characteristics
- Horizontal Alignment
- Vertical Alignment
- Sight Distance
- Cross Section Elements
- Intersection Design
- Freeway and Grade-Separated Intersection Design

Traffic Safety
- Interrelationship of Drivers, Non-Motorized Users, Roadways and Vehicle
- Safety Data Analysis
- Safety Countermeasures
- Safety Hardware
- Safety Reviews and Audits

Incident Management
- Incident Detection
- Planning, Response and Recovery
- Traveler Advisory Techniques
- Corridor Management

Transportation Management
- Signal Operations
- Parking
- Traffic Calming and Speed Management
- Multimodal Systems
- Accessibility Guidelines
- Managed Lanes
- Transportation Demand Management