Reports and Publications

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The following page contains recent transit research publications funded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) from 2004 to the current year.

Older research publications (pre-2004) are listed in the Research Reports Archive. 

They can be located via the Transportation Research Information Services (TRIS), a searchable database of publications, reports and articles maintained by the Transportation Research Board and supported by state and federal agencies.

Latest Research Publications

Research reports published in the last several months will be listed here as well as within category sections below.

• Remote Infrared Audible Signage (RIAS) Pilot Program -  Report of evaluation findings on the Remote Infrared Audible Signage (RIAS) Pilot Program in the Puget Sound Region of Washington State. RIAS is an orientation and mobility technology designed to eliminate barriers to accessibility for people who are visually impaired or are cognitively or developmentally disabled.

October 2009

• The EmX Franklin Corridor BRT Project Evaluation - Project evaluation of the EmX Franklin Corridor BRT, a Bus Rapid Transit project funded by the Federal Transit Administration in the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area in Oregon.
• Electronic Fare Collection Options for Commuter Railroads - Research discusses technical and institutional issues and “lessons learned” related to the implementation of automated fare collection systems on commuter railroads in the United States.  
• East Tennessee Hydrogen Initiative (Chattanooga) - This research has led to the design and implementation of a system for generating, compressing, storing and dispensing hydrogen in sufficient quantities to support testing of hydrogen fueled transit vehicles. This report provides background information on alternative fuels and compares various methods for producing hydrogen including nuclear energy, coal gasification, electrolysis and natural gas reformation.
• A Transit Methodology Using Six Sigma For Heavy Rail Vehicle Maintenance Programs - Research developing a methodology for determining how substantial public resources should be invested so that rail transit operations can be improved relative to capital and operating efficiencies.  The research used a proven methodology tool (Six Sigma) for increasing productivity. 

September 2009

• Construction Project Management Handbook (2009 Update) A comprehensive introduction to construction project management for transit agencies new to the process.

July 2009

• Automated Parking Information System Operational Test Evaluation for WMATA Glenmont Parking Facility - Report on evaluation of commuter responses to the Automated Parking Information System (APIS) at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) Glenmont parking facility and the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) Park-and-Ride Lot on Norbeck Road, in Montgomery County, Maryland.

• Washington State Ferries Wireless Connection High-Speed Data Project - Report on a project to study the feasibility of providing technologies capable of very high data transmission rates for wireless networks in a mobile marine environment

June 2009

• Demonstration of Enhanced Human Service Transportation Models: Phase 1 - System Development and Design: The Purchase Area Regional Travel Management Coordination Center (TMCC) - Provides a comprehensive review of the policy, operational, and technical design and development of the Purchase Area Transportation Management Coordination Center (TMCC) for western Kentucky.
• Demonstration of Enhanced Transportation Models: Phase I – System Development and Design (Atlanta, Georgia) - Review of the system development and design work conducted to support a Transportation Management Coordination Center (TMCC) for Human Service Transportation (HST) in the Atlanta region.
• UWR/MSAA Demonstration of Coordinated Human Service Transportation Models: Phase 1 - System Development and Design M-ITS: Mart's Integrated Traveler Services (Massachusetts) - Results of a sixteen month project for system development and design of a model for a Travel Management Coordination Center (TMCC) utilizing ITS capabilities for Montachusett Regional Transit Authority in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.
• Model Orlando Regionally Efficient Travel Management Coordination Center (MORE-TMCC) Final Report - Presents a detailed review of the fifteen month process of designing a travel management coordination center in Orlando, Florida.
• United We Ride/Mobility Services for All Americans Joint Demonstration (South Carolina) - Presents a detailed review of the process of designing a travel management coordination center in the Lower Savannah Region (Aiken), South Carolina. 
• Operational Test for the Implementation of Advanced Technologies in Rural Transit Service (Final Report)
• Profiles of 511 Traveler Information Services (2009)  - Profiles from 2009 of the nation's 511 traveler information services program.

May 2009

• Low-Speed Urban Maglev Research Program - Lessons Learned (2009) - Lessons learned from the Low-Speed Urban Magnetic Levitation (UML) Program to develop magnetic levitation technology that offers a cost effective, reliable, and environmentally sound transit option for urban mass transportation in the United States.
• Feasibility Study on the Use of Personal GPS Devices in Paratransit - Study on the use of GPS devices in provision of paratransit service.
• Characteristics of Bus Rapid Transit for Decision-Making (2009) - Comprehensive guide to BRT components and performance, and an update of the 2004 document.
  
  

Safety and Emergency Preparedness

• Assessing the Business Case for Integrated Collision Avoidance Systems on Transit Buses
• Civil Rights and Emergency Preparedness 
• Disaster Response and Recovery Resource for Transit Agencies Documented practices and procedures to improve emergency preparedness.
• Mass Transit Crashworthiness Statistical Data Analysis Federal Transit Administration-funded National Institute for Aviation Research research project to improve the crashworthiness of mass transit buses.  
• Transit Safety Research at Florida A&M University - Presents the results of research building capacity in transit safety.  Selected topics were areas of interest to FTA from among Florida A&M University faculty.

Sustainable Transit: Environment/Energy/Alternative Fuels

• A Report on Worldwide Hydrogen Bus Demonstrations, 2002-2007
• Advanced Vehicle Emission Reduction Sensor Program (FED-SAVER)
• Analysis of Electric Drive Technologies for Transit Applications: Battery-Electric, Hybrid-Electric and Fuel Cells The state of electric drive technology for transit buses, the benefits of major market penetration, the barriers to achieving this goal.
• Alternative Fuels Study: A Report to Congress on Policy Options for Increasing the Use of Alternative Fuels in Transit Vehicles Study, under SAFETEA-LU, about how to increase the use of alternative fuels in public transportation vehicles.
• Biodiesel Fuel Management Best Practices for Transit Benefits and challenges to the transit industry of using biodiesel.
• Demonstration of Fischer-Tropsch Diesel Fuel in Cold Climates The potential use of ultra-clean Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) synthetic diesel fuel in cold-climate transit applications.
• Desert Research Institute Air Quality Final Report Southern Nevada Air Quality Study
• East Tennessee Hydrogen Initiative (Chattanooga) - This research has led to the design and implementation of a system for generating, compressing, storing and dispensing hydrogen in sufficient quantities to support testing of hydrogen fueled transit vehicles. This report provides background information on alternative fuels and compares various methods for producing hydrogen including nuclear energy, coal gasification, electrolysis and natural gas reformation.
• Environmental Benefits of Alternative Fuels and Advanced Technology in Transit
• Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Transit Bus Evaluations: A Joint Evaluation Plan of the U.S. Department of Energy and the Federal Transit Administration
• Transit Bus Life Cycle Cost and Year 2007 Emissions Estimation
• Transit Bus Life Cycle Cost Scenarios Based on Year 2008 and Future Fuel Prices   
• Useful Life of Transit Buses and Vans - Study detailing the useful operational life of transit vehicles.    

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)

• 2006 DOT ITS/Operations Resource Guide A comprehensive listing of over 400 documents, websites, training courses, software tools, and points of contact related to ITS.

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) - Advanced Public Transportation Systems

Automated Parking Information System Operational Test Evaluation for WMATA Glenmont Parking Facility - Report on evaluation of commuter responses to the Automated Parking Information System (APIS) at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) Glenmont parking facility and the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) Park-and-Ride Lot on Norbeck Road, in Montgomery County, Maryland.

ITS Applications for Coordinating and Improving Human Services Transportation: ITS technologies to improve transportation for older adults, people with disabilities, and people with lower incomes.

APTS State-of-the-Art Report 2006 Up-to-date information on the current deployment status of transit ITS technologies, lessons learned from deployment experiences, what the future holds for Advanced Public Transportation Systems (APTS).

Evaluation of the South Lake Tahoe Coordinated Transit System (CTS) Project Evaluation of combined public/private transit services into one centrally dispatched operation using ITS technologies to improve efficiency and create a more user-friendly transit system.

Feasibility Study on the Use of Personal GPS Devices in Paratransit 

Oregon Regional Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Integration Program Final Close-out Report: Transit Buses as Traffic Probes 

Oregon Regional Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Integration Program Final Phase III Report: I-5/Barbur Boulevard Parallel Corridor 

Oregon Regional Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Integration Program Final Phase III Report: Transit Tracker Information Displays

Montachusett Area Regional Transit Authority (MART) Automatic Vehicle Location and Mobile Data Terminal (AVL/MDT) Pilot Program Report Project overview, challenges and lessons learned for implementation of ITS technologies at the Montachusett Area Regional Transit Authority.

NVTC SmarTrip Roll-Out Report Northern Virginia Transportation Commission's SmarTrip Regional Farebox Procurement project.

Washington State Ferries Wireless Connection Project Final Report Describes continuous high speed internet access on Washington State Ferry

Washington State Ferries: Evaluation Results, Wireless Connection Project Project design evaluation.

Independent Verification and Validation of Washington State Ferries' Wireless High Speed Data Project 

Evaluation of South Carolina’s Virtual Transit Enterprise Shared web-based technology helping transit providers and South Carolina DOT solve mutual problems

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) - Integrated Corridor Management

• Best Practices for Using Geographic Data in Transit: A Location Referencing Guidebook "Best practices" in planning, implementing and using geographic data in transit.
• ITS in My State  - A USDOT site with information on benefits, costs, lessons learned, and deployment statistics on ITS in that State
• Transit Signal Priority Research Tools 
• Transit Signal Priority: A Planning and Implementation Handbook A guide book for traffic engineers and transit planners about Transit Signal Priority (TSP) implementation.
• Evaluation of Transit Applications of Advanced Parking Management Systems
• Oregon Regional Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Integration Program - Final Phase II Report 
• Oregon Regional Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Integration Program - California Oregon Advanced Transportation System (COATS) Bi-State Rural Integration Program Phase III Evaluation

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) - Mobility Services for All Americans

• Demonstration of Enhanced Human Service Transportation Models: Phase 1 - System Development and Design: The Purchase Area Regional Travel Management Coordination Center (TMCC) - Provides a comprehensive review of the policy, operational, and technical design and development of the Purchase Area Transportation Management Coordination Center (TMCC) for western Kentucky.
• Demonstration of Enhanced Transportation Models: Phase I – System Development and Design (Atlanta, Georgia) - Review of the system development and design work conducted to support a Transportation Management Coordination Center (TMCC) for Human Service Transportation (HST) in the Atlanta region.
• Model Orlando Regionally Efficient Travel Management Coordination Center (MORE-TMCC) Final Report - Presents a detailed review of the fifteen month process of designing a travel management coordination center in Orlando, Florida
• Remote Infrared Audible Signage (RIAS) Pilot Program -  Report of evaluation findings on the Remote Infrared Audible Signage (RIAS) Pilot Program in the Puget Sound Region of Washington State. RIAS is an orientation and mobility technology designed to eliminate barriers to accessibility for people who are visually impaired or are cognitively or developmentally disabled.
• United We Ride/Mobility Services for All Americans Joint Demonstration (South Carolina) - Presents a detailed review of the process of designing a travel management coordination center in the Lower Savannah Region (Aiken), South Carolina 
• UWR/MSAA Demonstration of Coordinated Human Service Transportation Models: Phase 1 - System Development and Design M-ITS: Mart's Integrated Traveler Services (Massachusetts) - Results of a sixteen month project for system development and design of a model for a Travel Management Coordination Center (TMCC) utilizing ITS capabilities for Montachusett Regional Transit Authority in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.

Traveler Information

• 2006 National 511 Progress Report Highlights the status and direction of the nation’s 511 program.
• Bus Signage for Persons with Visual Impairments  A Best Practices Paper addressing the ADA specifications for destination signs with LED displays.
• Customer Preferences for Transit ATIS Advanced Traveler Information Systems communicate information to travelers and help transit operators better manage the public transportation system.
• Oregon Statewide Transit Trip Planning Evaluation Plan 
• Profiles of 511 Traveler Information Services (2007)  
• Profiles of 511 Traveler Information Services (2008)
• Profiles of 511 Traveler Information Services (2009)  
• Real-Time Bus Arrival Information Systems-Return on Investment Study Real-time Bus Arrival Information Systems facilitate transit usage through both perceived and actual reductions in passenger waiting time

Vehicle Automation for Safety

• Assessing the Business Case for Integrated Collision Avoidance Systems on Transit Buses 
• Integrated Collision Warning System: Final Technical Report Technical developments that integrate the advanced frontal and side collision warning systems into a unified collision warning system.
• Integrated Collision Warning System: Interface Control Document Defines the architecture of the Integrated Collision Warning System (ICWS) and interface among components.
• Development of Requirement Specifications for Transit Frontal Collision Warning System -defines a system specification for how ITS technologies can be used to help avoid frontal collisions.

Bus and Paratransit Systems

• A Report on Worldwide Hydrogen Bus Demonstrations, 2002-2007
• An Evaluation of the Market for Small-to-Medium-Sized Cutaway Buses
• The EmX Franklin Corridor BRT Project Evaluation - Project evaluation of the EmX Franklin Corridor BRT, a Bus Rapid Transit project funded by the Federal Transit Administration in the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area in Oregon.
• Feasibility Study on the Use of Personal GPS Devices in Paratransit 
• Mass Transit Crashworthiness Statistical Data Analysis Federal Transit Administration-funded National Institute for Aviation Research research project to improve the crashworthiness of mass transit buses. 
• Nonrail Vehicle Viability Study Final Report Explores the viability of the U.S. bus manufacturing industry and its ability to meet the demand for fixed-route transit buses.
• Transit Bus Life Cycle Cost and Year 2007 Emissions Estimation
• Transit Bus Life Cycle Cost Scenarios Based on Year 2008 and Future Fuel Prices   
• Useful Life of Transit Buses and Vans - Study detailing the useful operational life of transit vehicles. 

Bus Rapid Transit

• 2008 Bus Rapid Transit Vehicle Demand & Systems Analysis Update 
• BRT Network Planning Study - Final Report - Advanced Network Planning for Bus Rapid Transit The “Quickway” Model as a Modal Alternative to “Light Rail Lite”
• Bus Rapid Transit and the American Community 
• Bus Rapid Transit Developments in China, April 2006 - Report of National Bus Rapid Transit Institute's 2006 mission to China to better understand the urban transportation problems and solutions.
• Bus Rapid Transit Vehicle Characteristics - Vehicle issues related to BRT.
• Bus Rapid Transit: A Handbook for Partners - Improve state, regional, local communications to implement BRT
• Bus Rapid Transit: Report on South American BRT Field Visits - Tracking the Evolution of the TransMilenio Model
• The Characteristics of Accessible Bus Rapid Transit - Examines Bus Rapid Transit and highlights major elements that affect accessibility.
• Characteristics of Bus Rapid Transit for Decision-Making (2004) - Comprehensive guide to BRT components and performance
• Characteristics of Bus Rapid Transit for Decision-Making (2009) - Comprehensive guide to BRT components and performance, and an update of the 2004 document.
• The EmX Franklin Corridor BRT Project Evaluation - Project evaluation of the EmX Franklin Corridor BRT, a Bus Rapid Transit project funded by the Federal Transit Administration in the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area in Oregon.
• Las Vegas MAX Evaluation Second evaluation of the Las Vegas MAX BRT project to determine the full effects of its implementation as the system matured.
• Pittsburgh West Busway BRT Evaluation - April 2003  Evaluation of one of  FTA's BRT demonstration projects, Pittsburgh, PA's West Busway.  

Rural and Other Forms of Transportation

• National Evaluation Of The New Mexico Client Referral, Ridership, And Financial Tracking (CRRAFT) System: Final Evaluation Report
• Operational Test for the Implementation of Advanced Technologies in Rural Transit Service (Final Report)
• Rural ITS Guidebook: Technology in Rural Transit - Linking People With Their Community
• Rich Passage Passenger Only Ferry Study: Phase 1 High-speed water transportation between Bremerton and Seattle in Washington State
• Washington State Ferries Wireless Connection High-Speed Data Project - Report on a project to study the feasibility of providing technologies capable of very high data transmission rates for wireless networks in a mobile marine environment
  

Rail Transit Vehicles and Systems

• Analysis of Capital Cost Elements and Their Effect on Operating Costs Analysis of light rail transit capital cost increase.  
• Electronic Fare Collection Options for Commuter Railroads - Research discusses technical and institutional issues and “lessons learned” related to the implementation of automated fare collection systems on commuter railroads in the United States.
• Sharing of Track by Transit and Freight Railroads: Liability and Insurance Issues 
• SharpRAIL: Evaluation of Mobile WiMAX and Intelligent Video for Enhanced Rail Transit Safety

Facilities and Infrastructures

• Low Cost Carbon Fiber Technology Development for Carbon Fiber Composite Application: Phase I Final Report 

Maglev

• General Atomics Low Speed Maglev Technology Development Program Report on the construction of a 120-meter long test track at General Atomics in San Diego, California
• Low-Speed Urban Maglev Research Program - Lessons Learned (2009) 

Management, Maintenance, and Operations

• Construction Project Management Handbook (2009 Update) A comprehensive introduction to construction project management for transit agencies new to the process.
• Electronic Fare Collection Options for Commuter Railroads - Research discusses technical and institutional issues and “lessons learned” related to the implementation of automated fare collection systems on commuter railroads in the United States. 
• Great Cities Transportation Initiative Urban university collaborative focusing on new technologies in urban transit
• A Transit Methodology Using Six Sigma For Heavy Rail Vehicle Maintenance Programs - Research developing a methodology for determining how substantial public resources should be invested so that rail transit operations can be improved relative to capital and operating efficiencies.  The research used a proven methodology tool (Six Sigma) for increasing productivity. 

Professional Capacity Building

• Individualized Marketing Demonstration Program A pilot program to test the effects of individualized marketing on public transportation ridership trends.
• 2006 DOT ITS/Operations Resource Guide A comprehensive listing of over 400 documents, websites, training courses, software tools, and points of contact related to ITS.

International

• Applicability of Bogota's Transmilenio BRT System to the United States
• Bus Rapid Transit: Report on South American BRT Field Visits - Tracking the Evolution of the TransMilenio Model

Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
The Transit Cooperative Research Program is a cooperative effort of FTA, the Transportation Research Board, the Transit Development Corporation, and the American Public Transportation Association. The program’s research covers topics relating to all aspects of public transportation, including planning, service configuration, equipment, facilities, operations, human resources, maintenance, policy, and administrative practices.

TCRPOnline.org  contains all TCRP reports published by the Transit Cooperative Research Program.  Reports still in print are available for download; printed copies may be ordered free of charge.