Transit agencies around the country are facing the challenges of reducing transit bus collisions and the injuries, fatalities, and liability expenses associated with these collisions. The TRB Transit Cooperative Research Program's TCRP Synthesis 145: Current Practices in the Use of Onboard Technologies to Avoid Transit Bus Incidents and Accidents documents the current practices in the use of the various onboard technologies on transit buses to prevent incidents and accidents, with a primary objective of determining…

The importance of safety cannot be overstated and requires continued shifts in the approach to safety management within the public transportation industry. The TRB Transit Cooperative Research Program's TCRP Research Report 218: Characteristics and Elements of Nonpunitive Employee Safety Reporting Systems for Public Transportation compiles the best practices used in nonpunitive employee safety reporting systems at transit agencies.  View Report

This report provides information on projects funded under Federal Public Transportation Law (49 U.S.C. § 5312). FTA research priorities are safety, mobility innovation, and infrastructure. Projects in these areas promote public transportation innovation to improve operations, infrastructure, and traveler experiences. Projects active in FY 2020 promoted research, innovation and development, demonstration and deployment, and evaluation. View Report  

This report is about a comprehensive study that includes background research and analysis on needs and gaps for voluntary standards or recommended practices for crashworthiness and crash energy management (CEM) for less than 30-ft paratransit body-on-chassis buses (cutaways). View Report

This report includes an examination of the standards, guidelines, and recommendations associated with crashworthiness and Crash Energy Management (CEM) for transit buses, including articulated buses, BRT buses, and paratransit body-on-chassis buses.  View Report

FTA published the COVID-19 Recovery Practices in Transit resource to assist the public transportation industry in its recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency. This new resource provides web links to practices implemented by transit systems worldwide in response to COVID-19. Practices are organized under categories, including protecting workers and passengers; cleaning, disinfecting, and ventilating vehicles and infrastructure; operational considerations; passenger communications; and technology and innovation.

This report includes an examination of the standards, guidelines, and recommendations associated with crashworthiness and Crash Energy Management (CEM) for transit buses, including articulated buses, BRT buses, and paratransit body-on-chassis buses. View Report

During an emergency, transit agency employees may be responsible for managing incidents, assessing situations, and taking appropriate actions. Crisis management is stressful, so transit agency staff not only need clear procedures to follow, but also training and practice on how to carry out those procedures. From considering emergency response in vehicle and equipment purchasing to exploring new ways to prepare transit personnel for emergencies, there are many opportunities for transit agencies to enhance their ability…

Forty-one railroads including 29 commuter railroads are required by statute to implement PTC. Commuter railroads unable to implement a PTC system by December 31, 2018, may receive a maximum 2-year extension if they meet certain statutory criteria. GAO was asked to review commuter railroads’ PTC implementation. Among other objectives, this statement discusses (1) commuter railroads that may not be positioned to meet the PTC deadline or to qualify for an extension, and factors affecting their…

In response to recent amendments made to the USDOT rule 49 CFR Part 40, The Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs, FDOT is issuing two new FTA-compliant policy templates.  To assist the District offices and our state’s transit systems in understanding the regulatory changes and how they relate to the policy templates, Diana Byrnes (CUTR) has recorded a technical assistance webinar:  https://cutr.adobeconnect.com/phjdul06hicm/. To ensure FDOT’s compliance with FTA rule, all 5311 sub-recipient agencies and contractors performing transportation services for a 5311 sub-recipient, are required to adopt one…

TRB's Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) has released a pre-publication, non-edited version of TCRP Research Report 194: Knowledge Management Resource to Support Strategic Workforce Development for Transit Agencies. The guidebook explores the importance of knowledge management (KM), which is an organization’s process for collecting, storing, and sharing organizational information and knowledge, and provides guidance on implementing KM strategies in transit agencies. In addition, the guidance includes action plans for developing particular aspects of KM, analysis…

TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) has released a pre-publication, non-edited, draft version of Research Report 195: Broadening Understanding of the Interplay Between Public Transit, Shared Mobility, and Personal Automobiles. The study broadens the understanding of the interplay among emerging and established modes of transportation. Built upon the findings of TCRP Research Report 188, this report explores how shared modes—and ridesourcing companies in particular—interact with the use of public transit and personal automobiles. View Pre-publication

TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Research Results Digest 114: Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Practices is a digest of the progress and status of TCRP Project J-7, “Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Practices,” for which the Transportation Research Board is the agency conducting the research.  View Report

TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Web Only Document 70: Improving the Resilience of Transit Systems Threatened by Natural Disasters, Volume 1: A Guide offers practices for transit systems of all sizes to absorb the impacts of disaster, recover quickly, and return rapidly to providing the services that customers rely on to meet their travel needs. The report shows how to identify and implement appropriate resilience strategies to strengthen operations and infrastructure throughout an agency.…

TRB’s Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) has released a pre-publication, non-edited version of TCRP Research Report 194: Knowledge Management Resource to Support Strategic Workforce Development for Transit Agencies. The guidebook explores the importance of knowledge management (KM), which is an organization’s process for collecting, storing, and sharing organizational information and knowledge, and provides guidance on implementing KM strategies in transit agencies. In addition, the guidance includes action plans for developing particular aspects of KM, analysis…