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Critical Issues in Transportation

Critical Issues in Transportation. Transportation Research Board 2013. Background on critical issues list. Issued for nearly 40 years; Revised every 4-6 years; previous version in 2009; Produced by TRB Executive Committee; 2013 version intentionally shorter.

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Critical Issues in Transportation

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  1. Critical Issues in Transportation Transportation Research Board 2013

  2. Background on critical issues list • Issued 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 TRB’s website TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OFTHE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

  3. System performance is neither reliable nor resilient • Congestion 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. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

  4. Safety has improved, but avoidable losses are still significant • 30,000 plus fatalities on highway system (94% of total transportation fatalities); • Stricter enforcement would save lives; • Technology: crash avoidance vs. distraction • Safety culture and fatigue management issues cut across modes. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

  5. The impacts on energy, climate, and the environment are unsustainable • Role 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 transportation’s role. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

  6. Funding sources for public infrastructure are inadequate • Backlogs 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. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

  7. innovation lags—and R&D investment is low and declining • Problem 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 BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

  8. TRB Strategic Plan Transportation Research Board 2014

  9. Background on TRB Strategic Plan • First 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 Report • Continuing themes: constituencies, services, and resources; • Adopted in June, 2014, but further refinement to strategies and action items expected. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

  10. More Background • Vision and goals statements; • SWOT analysis; • Seven strategies; each with action items; strategies and selected action items listed on following slides; • Implementation monitored by Executive Committee’s Subcommittee on Planning and Policy; • Posted on TRB website TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

  11. Strategy 1 –identify and address emerging and critical issues in a more proactive manner • Annually designate “hot topics;” • Develop and implement activities/actions for each; • Draw upon resources of other NRC TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

  12. Strategy 2 – Involve a broader cross section of stakeholders and constituencies in trb programs and activities • Conduct 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. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

  13. Strategy 3 – Conduct strategic reviews of trb’s portfolio of legacy activities ; improve and supplement • Review 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. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

  14. Strategy 4 – Apply more systematic approaches for identifying and tracking the impacts of trb’s research programs • Conduct periodic stakeholder surveys for each major program to for feedback and examples • Expand/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 impacts TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

  15. Strategy 5 – Strengthen the long-term financial stability of TRB by augmenting traditional federal or federally-derived sources of funding • Offer 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. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

  16. Strategy 6 – Develop and implement coordinated approaches to communicate information on trb activities and products • Develop and implement a marketing plan for TRB policy study reports; • Coordinate roles and content across TRB communication outlets; • Expand TRB’s capacity to deliver webinars. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

  17. Strategy 7 – Provide trb staff with the knowledge, resources, and tools necessary to meet and exceed stakeholder and customer expectations • Work 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. TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

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