transportation research board 2013 c ritical i ssues in t ransportation

Critical Issues in Transportation

Transportation Research Board2013Critical Issues in TransportationBackground on critical issues list TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OFTHE NATIONAL ACADEMIESIssued for nearly 40 years;Revised every 4-6 years; previous version in 2009; Produced by TRB Executive Committee; 2013 version intentionally shorter.Some 2009 issues combined or incorporated in to broader issues; a couple deemphasized.Available in hardcopy and on TRBs website

System performance is neither reliable nor resilient TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIESCongestion and delays across modes;Meaningful performance measures difficult to define and implement; Optimizing modes jointly not yet feasible;Inadequate preparation for natural and human-made disasters.

Safety has improved, but avoidable losses are still significant TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES30,000 plus fatalities on highway system (94% of total transportation fatalities);Stricter enforcement would save lives;Technology: crash avoidance vs. distractionSafety culture and fatigue management issues cut across modes.The impacts on energy, climate, and the environment are unsustainable TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIESRole of U.S. transportation in reducing GHG emissions unsettled;Shifts in energy supplies changing freight markets and movements; Renewed debate about form and density of development and transportations role. Funding sources for public infrastructure are inadequateTRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIESBacklogs of state-of-good-repair and capacity needs for highways and transit;Little political support for any long-term funding mechanism, including increased user taxes; Transition to new funding sources necessary in the long term;Aviation and Waterway Trust Funds revenues not keeping pace with costs.innovation lagsand R&D investment is low and decliningTRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIESProblem most acute in public sector; 0.07% of GDP in 1970; 0.013% in 2012;Delays in introducing new technology, e.g., NextGen air traffic control;Private-sector forging ahead on new vehicle technologies and new forms of flexible urban services; regulators and infrastructure partners struggling to keep up.Transportation Research Board2014TRB Strategic PlanBackground on TRB Strategic PlanTRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIESFirst plan circa 1990; previous comprehensive revision in 2007;Prepared by TRB Executive Committee with stakeholder input (focus groups, surveys); builds on Critical Issues and 2013 Visiting Committee ReportContinuing themes: constituencies, services, and resources; Adopted in June, 2014, but further refinement to strategies and action items expected.More BackgroundTRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIESVision and goals statements;SWOT analysis;Seven strategies; each with action items; strategies and selected action items listed on following slides;Implementation monitored by Executive Committees Subcommittee on Planning and Policy;Posted on TRB websiteStrategy 1 identify and address emerging and critical issues in a more proactive mannerTRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIESAnnually designate hot topics;Develop and implement activities/actions for each;Draw upon resources of other NRCStrategy 2 Involve a broader cross section of stakeholders and constituencies in trb programs and activitiesTRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIESConduct a strategic review of TRB sponsor and affiliate programs;Pilot roundtables of interdependent constituencies that seldom mix with one another; Continue outreach to international organizations addressing similar issues and challenges.Strategy 3 Conduct strategic reviews of trbs portfolio of legacy activities ; improve and supplementTRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIESReview research and policy study programs for opportunities to enhance and streamline while fully maintaining quality standards;Evaluate the value, quality, and timeliness of TRB legacy publications (e.g., TRRs, TR News, annual reports); Review paper submission, review, and publication processes to improve quality and timeliness.Strategy 4 Apply more systematic approaches for identifying and tracking the impacts of trbs research programsTRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIESConduct periodic stakeholder surveys for each major program to for feedback and examplesExpand/Refine efforts such as Research Pays Off series, Key Research Achievements database; and ACRP Impacts on Practice; Request that AASHTO committees with regular NCHRP allotments report research impactsStrategy 5 Strengthen the long-term financial stability of TRB by augmenting traditional federal or federally-derived sources of fundingTRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIESOffer more private-sector funding opportunities in conjunction with AM and other conferences;Explore direct funding from agencies for Cooperative Research Programs (other than NCHRP); Offer pool funding arrangements to support selected conferences and policy studies.Strategy 6 Develop and implement coordinated approaches to communicate information on trb activities and productsTRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIESDevelop and implement a marketing plan for TRB policy study reports; Coordinate roles and content across TRB communication outlets;Expand TRBs capacity to deliver webinars. Strategy 7 Provide trb staff with the knowledge, resources, and tools necessary to meet and exceed stakeholder and customer expectationsTRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIESWork with National Academies to rationalize software and hardware infrastructure;Implement specialty software for volunteer engagement management, paper review, and Annual Meeting planning; Develop and employ succession plans and scenarios for senior leadership positions.