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While the major portion of FTA funding is for transit capital and operating assistance, financial support is also provided for a variety of other programs that are described below:
UNIVERSITY TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PROGRAM (49 U.S.C. § 5505).
This program provides higher education for the next generation transportation professionals, students who will become future transportation research analysts, educators, policy planners, and transit system managers. When these transportation professionals enter the transit industry, they will be involved in managing the transportation workforce, resources, equipment, and facilities, as well as setting transportation policy and procedures. Research will be conducted to direct technology transfer in ways to mitigate the impacts of surface transportation on the environment, evaluate and monitor infrastructure conditions, improve information systems for infrastructure construction and management, increase transportation capacity and enhance safety. Building professional capacity and promoting education in transportation-related fields supports the DOT/FTA strategic goal of Economic Growth and Trade. This program also provides a focus within the ten federal regions for transportation education and careers at all levels. FTA will continue to suggest research and projects to the universities based on transit industry needs. This program functions as a research investment, using federal dollars in conjunction with public and private local funds to solve real transportation problems. Technology transfer activities are monitored and documented to foster the application of research results to day-to-day operations. TEA-21 specifically linked FTA funding to centers at Morgan State University, North Carolina State University, Northwestern University and the University of Minnesota. Contact: Lewis Clopton, Office of Research, Demonstration and Innovation, 202-366-9157.
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