Traffic officers from the Transport Control Department should be taking on a more prominent role in the community to curtail bad driving habits, according to the department's newly appointed director.

Since March Randy Brangman has been heading the busy administrative department and he aims to make some major administrative changes.

His plan is to expand the role of traffic officers to enforce the speed limit and keep an eye on the streets during peak hours when accidents are most likely to occur.

Mr. Brangman, who has a clear view of the street from his office window, said he is reminded everyday of why the Island's transportation issues need to be reviewed.

"It's become like the Daytona 500 at the Paget stop lights, with cyclists four and five abreast," he said. "What has become a problem is that people are also running red lights which is very dangerous.

"We have to work with the Road Safety Council to look more closely at the issues behind bad driving habits which are psychological, everyone is in a rush now. The issue is what is this mind-set that is causing people to rush more and more. The question is why."

Over the next three months residents will see Mr. Brangman's first three months of work come to fruition when vehicle licensing and appointment bookings are moved online.

Water taxis, and a commuter train service are also some of the ideas Mr. Brangman said he will be examining during his tenure as the Island struggles to come to grips with transportation issues.

While he likes a challenge, Mr. Brangman, who took over from former director Kevin Monkman, said he is shy of publicity and has avoided the limelight since taking on the new position. He likes to come to work and get the job done.

"I've always liked a challenge, I'm the kind of person who says I'm not going to fail, I am going to do the best job I can," said Mr. Brangman, who took on his first job with Government as a mechanic at the Government quarry.

During his tenure Mr. Brangman aims to reduce traffic with extra technology to help things run even more smoothly.

"We want to speed up the administrative processes so people can book appointments online, license their cars. Like online banking we want it to help reduce the traffic flow at TCD by twenty to thirty percent. The days of coming into TCD and waiting in a line are over."

Mr. Brangman began his education at the Whitney Institute and went on to train in mechanics at the Bermuda College. He started working for TCD as a Vehicle Examiner in 1994, then became the Manager of Technical Services in 2001.

In 2003 Mr. Brangman worked with the Central Policy Unit then moved on to become the Assistant Director of the Public Transportation Board ? responsible for the operations and administration of the department.

Mr. Brangman was educated at the Swindon College, Reid Kerr University, and the Civil Service College in the UK.

He is currently pursuing an MBA through the Chartered Management Institute in the UK.

The area where Mr. Brangman used to work is close to the neighbourhood where he spent his childhood. He also has plenty of ideas about putting young black men on the right path and moving them away from crime and drugs.

"Young black men need to believe in themselves, they need to look at those who have come from less affluent backgrounds as an example. I was poor, I grew up in the back of town and I know most people on Court Street by name.

"We have to ensure they don't settle for less and are challenging themselves to move on to the next level.

"What often happens is that blue collar workers look at white collar worker positions as unattainable ? we have to look at marketing the values of an administrative position and education of the opportunities which exist."

He also believes in charting your career and making wise career moves. In five years Mr. Brangman hopes to move up the ladder of the civil service to work as the Permanent Secretary to the Minister of Transport.

He became familiar with outlining Government policies after working with Cabinet's Central Policy Unit last year.

"It's not an immediate goal but every civil servant should aspire to go to the next level. I'm the kind of person who comes into a job and believes in working your plan within five years and then moving on."