Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: Geometric Design • Road Safety • Traffic Impact Study

Peak Hour Factor

Term from Traffic Engineering industry explained for recruiters

Peak Hour Factor (PHF) is a measurement tool that traffic engineers use to understand how busy roads get during the most congested hour of the day. It helps them figure out if traffic bunches up a lot or flows more evenly. Think of it like measuring how crowded a restaurant gets - there's a difference between having customers spread evenly throughout lunch hour versus everyone showing up at exactly 12:30. Traffic engineers use this information to design better roads, time traffic signals, and plan transportation systems that can handle rush hour traffic efficiently.

Examples in Resumes

Calculated Peak Hour Factor for 15 major intersections to optimize traffic signal timing

Used PHF analysis to recommend roadway improvements for downtown corridor

Conducted traffic studies including Peak Hour Factor measurements for new shopping center development

Typical job title: "Traffic Engineers"

Also try searching for:

Transportation Engineer Traffic Analyst Transportation Planner Highway Engineer Traffic Studies Specialist Transportation Consultant

Where to Find Traffic Engineers

Professional Organizations

Job Boards

• ITE Career Center
• ASCE Career Connections
• LinkedIn Transportation Engineering Jobs

Professional Networks

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you use Peak Hour Factor to improve traffic flow in a congested downtown area?

Expected Answer: A senior engineer should discuss analyzing traffic patterns over multiple days, considering seasonal variations, and using PHF data to recommend solutions like signal timing adjustments, lane modifications, or alternative route suggestions.

Q: How do you explain the significance of Peak Hour Factor findings to non-technical stakeholders?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate ability to translate technical data into practical implications, such as explaining how PHF affects daily commutes, business operations, and community planning in simple terms.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What factors might affect Peak Hour Factor calculations?

Expected Answer: Should mention things like time of day, weather conditions, special events, seasonal changes, and nearby construction work that could impact traffic patterns.

Q: How do you collect data for Peak Hour Factor analysis?

Expected Answer: Should describe various methods like automated counters, manual counting, video analysis, and explain how to ensure accurate data collection during peak periods.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What is Peak Hour Factor and why is it important?

Expected Answer: Should explain that PHF measures traffic flow variation during the busiest hour and helps determine if roads can handle peak demand.

Q: How do you calculate Peak Hour Factor?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate basic understanding of the calculation process and explain why we look at 15-minute intervals within the peak hour.