TRENDSETTERSINTRANSPORTATIONTECHNOLOGIES

pecialists in the Transportation

Research Board’s (TRB’s) Technical

Activities Division identify current issues, collect and

generate information on the issues, and disseminate the

information throughout the transportation community. The

TRB Annual Meeting, TRB-sponsored conferences and workshops,

webinars, standing committee meetings and communications,

publications, and contact with hundreds of organizations and thou-

sands of individuals provide TRB staff with information from the pub-

lic and private sectors on all modes of transportation.

A major source of this information is the TRB annual state partner-

ship visits program. Transportation professionals on the TRB staff meet

on site with representatives of state departments of transportation

(DOTs) and with representatives of universities, transit and other

transportation agencies, and industry. In addition, TRB staff is

involved with planning and delivering conferences, work-

shops, webinars, and meetings. This report summa-

rizes what the TRB staff learned from visits and

activities during the past year.

Findings from the Transportation Research Board’s 2014 State Partnership Visits Program

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U .S. transportation agencies are accelerating thedeployment of new and advanced technologiesto improve operations and services to cus-

tomers. These deployments cover a range of respon-sibilities and modes. Examples include the following:

u Enhancing performance management andasset management with innovative data collectionand management tools to achieve strategic goals;

u Tapping the Global Positioning System (GPS)

and other technologies to test the feasibility of newfinancing options such as mileage-based user fees;

u Merging key databases to build knowledge andinformation management systems;

u Increasing the use of recycled materials forhighway construction and maintenance;

u Applying remote sensing to improve imageryand to reduce response time to natural disasters;

u Deploying innovative data collection tech-nologies to integrate data across all modes;

u Preparing for connected–automated vehicles,shared ride services, and unmanned aerial systems—including development of new laws and regulations;

u Harnessing new technologies to improve andmanage truck parking;

u Providing long-life pavement with continu-ously reinforced concrete, roller-compacted concrete,and other advances in concrete technologies toaccommodate heavy traffic loadings, such as thoserelated to the domestic energy boom;

u Collecting information for rock slope evalua-tions with remote sensing technologies;

u Improving highway safety by implementingthe data-driven tools specified in the Highway SafetyManual; and

u Supplying applications for customers to viewthe real-time performance of transportation modesand services.

As the following reports show, state DOTs andother transportation organizations are working toensure a high return on investment from limitedresources by deploying advanced technologies andimplementing innovative solutions to transportationproblems.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Spider tool uses remotesensing technology to survey rock slopes safely.

The lobby of theMunicipal Tower inSeattle, Washington,contains theTransitScreen display, areal-time schedule ofnearby transit options.

Taxi drivers protest thecity of Chicago, Illinois,granting a license in May2014 to ridesharingcompany Uber, whichrelies on smartphoneapps.

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Institutional IssuesPolicy, Management, and LeadershipState transportation agencies increasingly are apply-ing technology to achieve strategic and policy goalsin a variety of areas—asset management and perfor-mance measures are common themes. North DakotaDOT, for example, is implementing a new strategicplan that provides detailed objectives, goals, andbaseline performance targets at the department anddivision levels.

California DOT (Caltrans) is approaching thechallenge of data needs from several perspectives.The agency’s Division of Research, Innovation, andSystem Information developed a strategic planthrough 2016 for information and knowledge management, now in implementation. Caltrans isworking to develop the information technologyarchitecture for such tasks as merging key databasesand recording assets via light detection and ranging(lidar) technology, to achieve the accurate transfer ofdata from design to construction to maintenance.Caltrans also is working to implement a pilot pro-gram to evaluate mileage-based user fees within thestate’s road network.

PlanningPlanning agencies are working to leverage a range oftechnologies to improve transportation infrastruc-ture, traveler information, and data collection. Forexample, the Vermont Agency of Transportation isgathering and centralizing information about transitservice across the state. The database will augmentthe Google transit trip planning service offered bythree transit agencies.

The Vermont Agency of Transportation also isworking with other state organizations to promoteelectric transportation. Drive Electric Vermont pro-vides educational outreach to municipalities, devel-opers, business owners, and the driving public.

Illinois DOT is researching recycled materials inmany settings and is using more recycled materialsin highway construction and maintenance. IllinoisDOT has revised specifications, policies, and proce-dures, resulting in a fourfold increase in tons of recy-cled materials per mile from 2009 to 2013.

Working with U.S. DOT, many state DOTs areexploring remote sensing technologies to improveimagery and to decrease response time to naturaldisasters. The additional and timely information canmake the response safer and can help in coordinat-ing the response and the data collection by local andstate agencies.

Legal IssuesAlternative methods of project delivery, jurisdictionaldifferences in the procurement authority for eachmethod, and the effective resolution of disputesunder these methods are pressing issues in con-struction contract law. Issues that receive routinetreatment under typical project delivery sometimespresent special challenges in the context of alterna-tive project delivery—for example, satisfying disad-vantaged business enterprise requirements anddelays of claims.

TRENDSETTERSIN TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGIES

The CaliforniaDepartment ofTransportation deploysits Mobile TerrestrialLaser Scanning Vehicle togather surface data tosupport its informationand knowledgemanagement strategicplan.

The website for Addison County Transit Resources inVermont offers Google transit trip planningcapability for users.

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Public–private partnerships (P3s) present themost challenging issues, because funding is involved.The increased consideration of P3 projects may be aresult of the high cost of projects and the unpre-dictability of federal and state funding. P3 initiatives,as well as new tolling systems, are under active devel-opment, and tax alternatives, such as mileage-baseduser fees, are attracting interest.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)has devoted considerable attention to implementingprovisions in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the21st Century Act (MAP-21) on environmentalreviews for highway and transit projects. The keyprovisions address the following:

u Categorical exclusions that apply to opera-tional right-of-way and to projects receiving limitedfinancial assistance;

u The designation of new categorical exclusionsand a reduction in the evaluation and documentationrequirements for several other categorical exclusions;

u The use of planning decisions and studies inNational Environmental Policy Act reviews; and

u Revised procedures for federal decision makingand dispute resolution.

Environment, Energy, and Climate ChangeEnvironmental managers are working to communi-cate the needs for environmental regulatory compli-ance on design–build projects. One state officialexplained: “The failure to meet regulatory require-ments will be the downfall of design–build.”

States are continuing to struggle with increasinglystrict stormwater management regulations, particu-larly for the use and safe storage of sodium chloridefor deicing applications.

States are devoting more efforts to climate changeadaptation plans and to long-term infrastructureinvestments. With state budgets decreasing, the plansare analyzing the repair or rebuilding of storm-ravaged roads, as well as the benefits of new tech-nologies.

Other issues include the maintenance of oil andgas industry roads; roadway dust suppression tech-niques to minimize the impacts on air quality; man-aging roads that are deemed historic; and improvingthe alternative fuel infrastructure to increase publicuse and environmental benefits.

A salt truck appliesdeicing material before astorm in Wayne County,Michigan. Strictstormwater regulationshave caused state DOTsto examine deicingapplications that usesodium chloride.

High-occupancy toll laneson I-95 in Maryland, theproduct of apublic–privatepartnership, opened inDecember 2014.

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Critical Infrastructure Protection and Security States are recognizing the role of security and all-hazards emergency management in resilient trans-portation systems. In October 2014, the AmericanAssociation of State Highway and TransportationOfficials’ (AASHTO’s) Special Committee on Trans-portation Security and Emergency Management(SCOTSEM) held a National Peer-to-Peer Exchangeand Best Practices Summit addressing resilience,emergency air operations, hazardous materials trans-portation, rail shipments of crude oil, and thenational strategy for transportation security.

At the federal level, the Transportation SecurityAdministration (TSA) released a training program,First Observer, for safeguarding national transporta-tion systems against terrorism and other threats.With modules for all categories of highway-centrictransportation occupations, the program focuses on

how to observe, assess, and report suspicious indi-viduals, vehicles, packages, and objects and to com-municate the information clearly via appropriatechannels.

Cybersecurity remains a high priority within allparts of the transportation system. In June 2014, theGovernment Accountability Office released a report,DHS Needs to Better Address Port Cybersecurity, urg-ing the U.S. Coast Guard to develop and undertakea comprehensive a risk assessment of cyberrelatedthreats, vulnerabilities, and consequences in the mar-itime environment. The report also identifies short-comings in information-sharing mechanismsbetween government entities and nonfederal stake-holders.

Data and Information TechnologiesWith active transportation on the increase, states areimplementing data collection to determine the extentof bicycle and pedestrian activity, to adjust programsand support investments. Pennsylvania DOT hasbeen working with the Delaware Valley RegionalPlanning Commission, the Philadelphia metropoli-tan planning organization, to implement innovativecollection technologies and to integrate the data intothe general traffic database. North Carolina is devel-oping a statewide program for collecting data onnonmotorized transportation.

Understanding and communicating how trans-portation systems support state economies is funda-mental in public relations. Market-oriented data caninform system decisions by indicating the functionand value of a link. States like Iowa are working withfreight flow information to understand the trans-

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North Carolina StateUniversity’s Institute forTransportation Researchand Education teammembers Kristy Jacksonand Chris Cunninghamwire the loop for apermanently installedbicycle counter on 4thStreet in downtownWinston-Salem. The stateis developing a datacollection program fornonmotorizedtransportation.

The TransportationSecurity Administration’sFirst Observer trainingprogram featuresmodules for highway-related transportationprofessions.

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portation infrastructure needs of the business com-munity. States are looking forward to the release ofthe national freight transportation dataset from the2012 Commodity Flow Survey.

State investments in data as an asset require anunderstanding of the data’s use and quality. Alaskaand Minnesota have engaged in business planningfor data.

With enterprise systems supporting multiple cus-tomers within a state, management of data resourceshas gained importance, and many states are imple-menting data governance initiatives. Michigan DOT,for example, has a chief data steward, who worksclosely with other state departments on informationtechnology, data, and geographic information sys-tems. The Michigan Center for Shared Solutions,which “promotes technology-driven solutions acrossall levels of government,” is a key partner. A NationalCooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP)project is preparing a data self-assessment guide forstate DOTs.1

AviationThe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is draft-ing regulations to integrate unmanned aerial sys-tems—also known as remotely piloted aircraft—intodomestic airspace. Major questions loom for stateaviation agencies, however, including their roles inmonitoring and managing the activities.

Also at the forefront of discussions are ways toreduce general aviation accident rates, followed byreactions to the disappearance of a commercial air-craft in international airspace and to the airliner shotdown over an active war zone. Additional issuesinclude an application by an international carrier tooperate within the United States, which would affect

long-standing cabotage laws; development of com-mercial spaceports to meet increasing demands fromcommercial space industries; and analyses of cur-rent and new funding mechanisms as FAA reautho-rization nears.

Freight Systems States are increasing the connectivity and capacity oftheir freight systems to bolster economic develop-ment. In September, Ohio DOT sponsored the OhioConference on Freight, highlighting the state’s strate-gic importance in global logistics. Ohio DOT andthe Ohio Rail Development Commission have sup-ported the Norfolk Southern Heartland Corridor andthe CSX National Gateway Corridor projects. OhioDOT also has prioritized Interstate and highway con-nector improvement projects near the intermodalterminals associated with the major trade corridorsconnecting East Coast seaports with the Midwestand beyond.

Innovative programs at Maine DOT are providingincentives for multimodal freight. Maine DOT’sIndustrial Rail Access Program provides for $2 mil-lion in state funds and a maximum cost-share of 50percent for projects that encourage economic devel-opment through industrial rail access. Maine Port

1 NCHRP Project 8-92, Implementing a TransportationAgency Data Self-Assessment. http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3399.

Rendering of acontainerized articulatedtug barge—the first of itskind in the United States;the barge is beingdeveloped under theNew England MarineHighway Project.

Virgin Galactic spacecraftdocked in the bay atSpaceport America inNew Mexico. Commercialspaceports areresponding to a growinginterest in commercialspace aviation.

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Authority, in partnership with McAllister Towing andthe U.S. Maritime Administration, has designed thefirst U.S. containerized articulated tug barge. Thepurpose-built coastal vessel will support future con-tainer-on-barge service between Portland, Maine,and Newark, New Jersey.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’snew rules for truck driver hours of service haveincreased the demand for overnight truck parking.Many state DOTs are trying to manage truck parkingwith new technology that provides commercial vehi-cle operators with information about the availabilityof parking at rest areas and weigh stations.

HighwaysDesignStormwater management is a significant and chal-lenging topic for state DOTs and other transportationagencies. Adequate consideration of stormwater atthe project development stages is key.

In addition, erosion and sediment controls havebecome a national focus for the construction indus-try. National and state environmentalists haveemphasized the need to reduce the amount of sedi-ment-laden stormwater runoff that discharges intolocal waterways from construction sites.

In Alabama, Auburn University’s Department ofCivil Engineering teamed with the state DOT toestablish the Auburn University Erosion and Sedi-ment Control Testing Facility at the National Centerfor Asphalt Technology Test Facility in Opelika. Thefacility was designed and constructed to assistAlabama DOT meet environmental commitments toprotect state waterways from polluted stormwaterrunoff from construction sites.

By adopting the tested and improved practices inAlabama DOT’s standard specifications, designersand contractors can minimize the environmentalimpacts of sediment-laden stormwater. Researchersaim to improve the effectiveness of erosion and sed-iment control practices in the field and to developnew treatment techniques.

With funding challenges for replacing and pre-serving aging infrastructure, Rhode Island and Indi-ana DOTs are renewing emphasis on constructabilityreviews in the development and design processes.The reviews can reduce risk, protect limited funds,and improve projects.

Construction and MaterialsState transportation agencies continue to explorealternative project delivery systems. Alliance con-tracting is a potential addition to the toolbox. AnNCHRP synthesis project is expected to providemore information on this highly collaborativeapproach, not yet in use in the United States.2

State DOTs have concerns about setting contractgoals for disadvantaged business enterprises and

Virginia DOT employeesset a precast concretebeam for the Route 360Bridges project.

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New hours-of-servicerules for truck drivershave increased overnightparking demand athighway rest areas.

2 NCHRP Synthesis 20-5, Topic 45-16, Alliance Con -tracting: Evolving Alternative Project Delivery, http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3598.

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monitoring compliance on design–build and otheralternative delivery projects. An ongoing NCHRPsynthesis project is reviewing these issues.3

Several states have renewed interest in continu-ously reinforced concrete pavement for long-life ser-vice under heavy traffic loadings and in harshenvironmental conditions. Roller-compacted con-crete is also drawing interest and is under consider-ation in Texas and Louisiana for reconstructinglow-volume roads affected by energy development.

Precast concrete pavement technology is gain-ing acceptance for rapid repair and rehabilitation ofconcrete pavements, as well as for heavily traffickedasphalt concrete pavements and intersections. Sev-eral agencies have used this technology in a varietyof applications.

Some states are using concrete overlays to extendthe service life of pavements. The use of self-con-solidating concrete in precast, prestressed bridgeelements has increased. An NCHRP project is devel-oping guidelines for the use of self-consolidatingconcrete in cast-in-place highway bridge compo-nents.4 Florida has experimented with self-consoli-dating concrete in the accelerated replacement ofpavement slabs.

State agencies are supportive of recycling andsustainability in materials and construction; how-ever, many are seeking a comfort level in usinggreater amounts of reclaimed materials without sac-rificing performance. NCHRP projects are address-ing these concerns.5

Geotechnical EngineeringIncreased precipitation in several regions has trig-gered geologic hazards such as landslides, debrisflows, and rockfalls along transportation corridors.Washington, California, North Dakota, Wyoming,and Maryland are among the states that experiencedlandslides or rockfalls. The March 2014 mudslide onState Route 530, near Oso, north of Seattle, Wash-ington, claimed the lives of more than 40 residents.

Maryland joined the large number of statesassembling slope inventory systems to monitor haz-ards proactively. Several state DOTs are using remotesensing technologies to collect information for rockslope evaluations.

Sink holes are another natural hazard emergingas a concern along transportation corridors, partic-

ularly in areas with carbonate bedrock, known askarst terrains.

More than a dozen states have plans to adoptAASHTO’s specification for the intelligent compactionof soils, and more than two dozen states held work-shops for practitioners on this emerging technology.

Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia have testeda new dynamic embedded data collector developed inFlorida for monitoring pile installations and haveshared their experiences to facilitate adoption of themethod by other states. The method promisesimprovements in worker safety and in the quality ofthe installation.

OperationsThe rapid development of automated and connectedvehicle technologies has caught the attention ofmedia, the public, and many state DOTs. Theseadvanced technologies are expected to yield the nextmajor breakthroughs in improved operations andsafety. Federal and state agencies, the automobileindustry, and other private-sector partners areresearching the effectiveness and feasibility of theseadvanced vehicle technologies.

Emergency and highwaypersonnel respond to apavement collapse on East 26th Street inBaltimore, Maryland. Thelandslide, caused byheavy spring rains and aweak retaining wall,extended the length of acity block and swallowedmultiple trees andparked cars.

3 NCHRP Synthesis 20-5, Topic 45-3, Current Practices toSet a Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Goal onDesign–Build Projects, http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProject Display.asp?ProjectID=3580.4 NCHRP Project 18-16, Self-Consolidating Concrete forCast-in-Place Bridge Components, http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=2978.5 www.trb.org/NCHRP/NCHRP.aspx.

Washington State DOTcrews direct traffic aftera landslide sheared offpart of US-20. Many stateDOTs had to contendwith rockfall andlandslide events causedby heavier-than-normalprecipitation in 2014.

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In preparation for automated driving, a few stateshave enacted legislation allowing the operation ofautonomous vehicles on roadways, and others arecontemplating similar legislation. Variations in statelegislation, however, can lead to conflicting regula-tions, which could slow the pace of testing anddeployment.

To improve traffic operations and reduce crashesat intersections and interchanges, agencies haveexplored a range of new configurations shown to besuccessful. These include diverging diamond inter-changes, continuous flow intersections, superstreets,Michigan lefts, J-turns, and others. Utah DOT hasimplemented most of these designs successfully in

the Salt Lake City area. Incident management programs, designed to

restore normal traffic operations as quickly as possi-ble, to reduce the impacts for road users and toimprove safety, have lacked training programs forresponders. Tennessee DOT and the TennesseeDepartment of Safety and Homeland Securityrecently opened the Tennessee Traffic Incident Man-agement Training Facility, the first of its kind in theUnited States, to teach best practices for the safe,quick clearance of major highway incidents. Thefacility features a section of Interstate-like roadway,ranging from two to six lanes, with a guardrail, atwo-way interchange, and cable and steel barrier rail,as well as a section of two-lane highway and a fullfour-way intersection, for simulating a variety ofcrashes to train emergency responders in safe andefficient clearance techniques.

Infrastructure PreservationState DOTs are updating their maintenance manage-ment systems in preparation for the maintenance-related performance measures for pavement andbridge assets under MAP-21. The volume of the datato be collected is expected to increase, and state DOTsare working on tools to transform the data into usefulinformation. Agencies are deploying more structuralhealth monitoring systems; tablet-based, 3-D, wire-less bridge inspection systems; remote technology formonitoring highway assets; simulation-based wintermaintenance training; and processes to integrate thedata from the variety of management systems.

A diverging diamondinterchange on US-15 inLouisa, Virginia, wasdesigned to accommo -date increased trafficexiting I-64.

The Tennessee Trafficincident ManagementTraining Facility inNashville, which openedin 2014, features avariety of roadways fortraining exercises, froman Interstate-likesegment to a four-wayintersection.

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Transportation agencies are exploring tools formanaging nonpavement and bridge assets. The col-lection of condition information on these assets his-torically has relied on manual inspection, which iscostly and time consuming. Michigan DOT com-pared manual data collection with aerial lidar andmobile, high-resolution photo imaging for 27 high-way assets. The test indicated that remote monitor-ing technologies could reduce agency costs for datacollection on nonpavement and bridge assets by 50percent to 70 percent.

SafetyThe United States has experienced a steady declinein the number of highway fatalities since 2005, witha dramatic decrease beginning in 2007. Nevertheless,highway fatalities and serious injuries remain a sig-nificant threat to public health, and transportationagencies are finding it increasingly difficult to con-tinue the downward trend.

MAP-21 requires a focus on safety performancetargets. Transportation agencies are making use ofdata-driven tools such as the Highway Safety Manual,6

the Human Factors Guidelines for Road Systems,7 andthe Federal Highway Administration’s Systemic SafetyProject Selection Tool,8 and are increasing focus onlocal and rural roads and on safety culture for furtherreductions in fatalities and serious injuries.

Connecticut is exploring education and enforce-ment strategies that have the greatest potential toimprove pedestrian and bicycle safety, targetingdrivers as well as pedestrians and bicyclists, and isincreasing attention on distracted driving anddrugged driving. The state is developing a masterplan examining input requirements and implemen-tation approaches in the Highway Safety Manual forinfrastructure improvements.

Oklahoma also is addressing impaired driving byestablishing five regional teams for the prevention ofdriving under the influence, as well as offering incen-tives for ignition interlocks and focusing more onimpairment with prescription and over-the-counterdrugs. Other targeted safety efforts include installingrumble strips in work zones to reduce fatalities andserious injuries for workers and motorists.

Ports and Waterways A rebounding economy and changes in international

A crosswalk and in-streetyield sign in Branford,Connecticut. Pedestrianand bicycle safetyinitiatives are under wayin Connecticut and otherstates.

A Michigan DOT pilotproject tested remotesensing technologies tomonitor highway assets.With asset extractionsoftware, users can zoomin on multiple points in asingle image.

6 www.highwaysafetymanual.org/Pages/default.aspx.7 NCHRP Report 600, www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/167909.aspx.8 http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/systemic/fhwasa13019/.

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shipping practices are creating a complex mix ofproblems leading to extraordinary delays at some ofthe largest U.S. ports. The operational issues includelarger ship sizes; vessel bunching caused by cascad-ing schedule slippages on liner service routes; carriercoordination at terminals; and truck and chassisavailability. These issues, coupled with a drop in pro-ductivity during labor contract negotiations, delayedpeak season shipments from West Coast trade gate-ways to retailers by up to two weeks in 2014.

States and seaports lauded the passage of theWater Resources Reform and Development Act,which authorized more than $8 billion in naviga-tion projects on U.S. waterways. Seaports com-mended the legislation for increasing the yearlyauthorization levels of the Harbor Maintenance TrustFund, which supports channel maintenance dredg-ing projects, with the goal of achieving full use of thefunds by 2025. In recent years, only 50 percent of the$1.8 billion in collected funds has been appropriatedfor federal navigation channel maintenance.

Inland waterways were affected by a change in thecost-share formula for the Olmsted Locks and Damproject on the Ohio River. This project has absorbedmost of the Inland Waterways Trust Fund in recent

years and has prevented the funding and postponedthe schedules for other lock and dam infrastructureneeds in the United States. The change will free upmore than $100 million annually for other criticalinland system projects.

Rail Passenger RailAlthough Amtrak again set ridership and revenuerecords in Fiscal Year 2014, the growth rate wasslower than in previous years. An unusually harshwinter and delays caused by freight train congestionwere among the factors slowing growth.

In the Northeast Corridor, ridership betweenWashington, D.C., and Boston, Massachusetts, roseby more than 3 percent, to set a new record, and rev-enue grew by a robust 8.2 percent. Amtrak continuesto be the nonautomobile mode of choice in theNortheast, carrying three times the number of ridersas all airlines combined between Washington, D.C.,and New York City.

Eighteen states provide funding to Amtrak forpassenger service on more than 15 corridors, five ofwhich carry more than 1 million riders annually. Sixof these corridor services set ridership records in2014.

Freight RailThe shipment of intermodal containers, which over-took intermodal trailer shipments in the early 1990s,now outnumbers trailer shipments by more than 8 to1. The movement of domestic intermodal freight sur-passed international container movements for thefirst time in 2014.

A MARC train inOdenton, Maryland.Demand has risen for railpassenger services in theNortheast Corridor;Amtrak experienced a 3percent increase.

A Great Lakes Dredgeand Dock Companyhopper dredge works toremove approximately400,000 cubic yards ofmaterial from theDelaware River nearPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania. Largervessel sizes have requiredmany infrastructureupgrades at ports andinland waterways.

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The growth of intermodal freight, particularlydomestic intermodal, has contributed to theunprecedented financial performance of the U.S.freight rail industry in recent years. Along with thisintermodal growth, energy-related freight shipmentshave helped to offset the decline in coal movements.

This growth, however, comes at the price ofincreased congestion. Despite increased hiring andcapital expenditures, the shortages of track capacity,manpower, and equipment continue to cause delaysin rail freight shipments.

Public Transportation Technology is having a profound effect on publictransportation, from services to operations and main-tenance. Real-time service information is increas-ingly available online and on smart mobile deviceapplications. Google Transit Feed Specifications, forexample, provide data on transit routes and sched-ules in an interactive, mapped format on agency web-sites and mobile applications.

Agencies such as the San Francisco Bay Area’s Met-ropolitan Transportation Commission are supplyingsophisticated apps that enable customers to see thereal-time performance of a variety of transportationmodes and services to reach their destinations, fromwalking to transit to parking. Other innovationsinclude coordinated fare collection among multipleservice providers and using smart card data to informoperations planning and analysis.

Services are undergoing profound changes. Thewillingness of the millennial generation to shareinformation also extends to rides. Shared-ride serviceproviders such as Uber, Lyft, and Carma are appear-ing in cities throughout the United States and aroundthe world, demonstrating a willingness to share carrides if the price and convenience are acceptable.

These market innovators are challenging long-

standing industries such as taxis, paratransit, andshuttle services to be more inventive and responsiveto remain competitive and viable. At the same time,regulators are looking to protect the safety, security,and quality of privately offered public transportationservices.

Enhancing and AdvancingTRB salutes the transportation organizations, leaders,and innovators who—as the examples in this reportdemonstrate—are working to enhance the delivery oftransportation systems and services. TRB will con-tinue to disseminate research and information onadvanced technologies and related developmentsacross the areas covered by its programs and activities.

Did You Know?u Iowa is the only U.S. state with eastern and western borders defined entirely

by rivers.

u Tennessee and Missouri have the highest number of bordering states—eachhas eight.

u Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in traf-fic signals have saved transportation agen-cies money through the reduced con-sumption of electricity and a longer bulblife. LEDs do not waste energy by radiatingheat, like incandescent bulbs, but this ef-ficiency creates a problem in snow—thelights do not melt the snow that accumu-lates on the bulbs. Transportation agenciesare finding signal design adjustments toovercome the problem, an example of theunintended consequences that can ac-company technological advances.

A “hackathon” hostedby the New YorkMetropolitanTransportationAuthority in 2013encouraged youngdevelopers to createinnovative transitapplications usingGoogle Transit FeedSpecifications.

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Missouri DOT personnel installenergy-efficient LED traffic signalsinstalled at the intersection ofRoute F and Westminster in Fulton.

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