What's New in Energy

The National Center for Sustainable Transportation at the University of California at Davis has released a report that summarizes findings and ongoing research about light-duty vehicle life cycle-based policy. This report seeks to identify how life cycle thinking was previously implemented in order to understand the potential for developing and implementing life cycle-based policies for light-d...

The California Energy Commission has released a report that describes the development and deployment of an electric vehicle (EV) charging system in Santa Monica, California. This system consists of smart charging, vehicle-to-grid, vehicle-to-building, demand response, and power quality sustainable capabilities to achieve grid resiliency and economic benefit to EV fleet owners.

Resources for the Future has released a report that quantifies the implications of differentiated regulation on purchases of new and used products. Greenhouse gas emissions standards apply to new products when they are first sold to consumers – including passenger vehicles – but products that were sold previously are subject to weaker standards or sometimes no standards at all.

The International Council on Clean Transportation has released a report that outlines the current availability, effectiveness, and future market penetration of key fuel-efficiency technologies that manufacturers are likely to use in China by 2030. China is looking to advance post-2020 standards for light-duty vehicles (LDVs), due to the need for a policy roadmap and long-term strategies to prov...

The International Council on Clean Transportation has released a report that outlines the current availability, effectiveness, and future market penetration of key fuel-efficiency technologies that manufacturers are likely to use in China by 2030. China is looking to advance post-2020 standards for light-duty vehicles (LDVs), due to the need for a policy roadmap and long-term strategies to prov...

TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Web Only Document 36: Enhanced AEDT Modeling of Aircraft Arrival and Departure Profiles, Volume 2: Research Report documents the approaches used to develop the Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) guidance outlined in ACRP Web Only Document 36: Volume 1 . AEDT computes noise, emissions, and fuel burn as a result of aircraft operations. Appe...

The Center for Clean Air Policy at the University of California at Berkeley has released a report that outlines the financial incentives available to reduce up-front costs of clean freight and commercial transportation technologies. This report identifies the scale of effort, the application timeframe and process, and other factors for these technologies.

Register and make hotel reservations today for the TRB 98th Annual Meeting, January 13-17, 2019, in Washington, D.C. Registration is required for all Annual Meeting attendees, including session speakers, poster presenters, and those who attend the exhibit hall, career fair, or any workshops. Full Registration also includes full access to: *Annual Meeting Interactive Program (available in Novem...

TRB's second annual Careers in Motion Networking Fair takes place on January 13, 2019 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, during the 2019 TRB Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. The event provides an opportunity for prospective employers from a wide range of sectors and modes to meet with transportation professionals interested in working for their organizatio...

The International Council on Clean Transportation has released a report that quantifies emissions reduction potential of possible Emission Control Area (ECA) scenarios for ships in China’s seas. ECAs are geographic regions designated by the International Maritime Organization where more stringent emission standards apply.

On October 15-16,  2018,  t he National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will host its  third study committee meeting  to assess technologies for improving the fuel economy of light-duty vehicles. The meeting takes place in Detroit, Michigan and is open to the public; however, participants may also join the meeting remotely. The study committee will author a...

The International Council on Clean Transportation has released a report that describes recent developments in fast-charging technology as well as the distribution across major electric vehicle markets. The report also summarizes research into the impacts on the electric grid under increasing electric vehicle demand, and identifies approaches to mitigate any associated issues.

The Upper Great Plains Institute at North Dakota State University has released a report that develops a strategic plan for deploying battery electric buses (BEBs). The recent advancements of BEBs make them a viable replacement for diesel buses, but challenges remain concerning deploying BEBs and their required infrastructure.

Raquelle (Kelly) Myers, staff attorney with the National Indian Justice Center (NIJC), is a featured volunteer in the TR News . Ms. Myers’ areas of interest are federal Indian law, family law, and tribal transportation programs. At NIJC, she aids the organization’s mission to improve the justice systems, health, and welfare in tribal communities, focusing on tribal transportation issues. While ...

TRB Special Report 327: Safety Regulation for Small LPG Distribution Systems examines the regulatory framework for gas pipeline systems that transport propane and other types of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for service to 100 or fewer customers. Most of the more than 12 million households and businesses that use LPG are on single-customer systems but a small number—between 3,800 and 5,800—are ...

TRB turns 100 on November 11, 2020. To commemorate this milestone, TRB has a yearlong celebration planned that will begin in January 2020 to recognize and honor the extraordinary record of achievements accomplished by TRB’s volunteers, sponsors, affiliates, friends, and staff. Please support TRB's upcoming centennial anniversary activities by contributing to the Century Club (individuals) or Ce...

The International Council on Clean Transportation has released a report that investigates recent research and ongoing projects to assess the potential of zero-emission technologies in aviation, maritime, off-road, and rail transportation. Zero-emission technologies, including plug-in electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, are already advancing rapidly in cars, commercial vans, buses...

Resources for the Future has released a report that analyzes national changes in emissions to examine the underlying drivers of recent emissions changes and to estimate the contribution of a potential rebound effect. This report was conducted in response to the proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan.

The International Council on Clean Transportation has released a report that provides details about the final rule for China VI emission standards. This rule will begin to take effect in July 2019 for new gas-powered heavy-duty vehicles.

Mary E. Peters is the 2019 recipient of the Frank Turner Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Transportation. Ms. Peters is former U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, and Director of the Arizona Department of Transportation. She is currently principal of Mary Peters Consulting Group, LLC. The Award will be presented during the Annual Meeting's Cha...

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology at the U.S. Department of Transportation has released the latest edition of its newsletter that highlights recent accomplishments and products from university transportation centers (UTCs). This edition features the University of New Orleans Transportation Institute as part of the University of Arkansas Maritime Transportation an...

TRB is cosponsoring a webinar on Tuesday, October 23, 2018 from 2:00-3:30 PM ET that features the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)'s     Synthesis Report 130 : Battery Electric Buses - State of the Practice. This webinar will identify the current state technology and deployment of Battery Electric Buses (BEB). Presenters will focus on the current benefits, challenges, and c...

The International Council on Clean Transportation has released a report that determines the implications of the current mass-based carbon dioxide (CO2) targets. Under all European CO2 standards adopted and proposed, individual manufacturer targets are adjusted by the average mass of the manufacturer’s fleet: the heavier the fleet, the higher the CO2 emissions target.

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has released a report that provides an overview of where the current public transit industry stands with regard to electrification and how agencies are planning for the future. This report focuses on electric bus fleets, biofuels, and hybrid vehicles.

Titles, dates, times, and brief descriptions are now available for the 100+ specialty workshops at the TRB 98th Annual Meeting, January 13-17, 2019, in Washington, D.C. Annual Meeting registration is required for all workshop attendees. The Human Factors workshops, which are those with titles beginning with “HR,” have limited attendance and require a separate registration and fee. Mark your cal...

The International Council on Clean Transportation has released a report that provides recommendations to improve the environmental outcomes of the proposed standards from the European Commission (EC). In May 2017, the EC issued a regulatory proposal that would set initial carbon dioxide (CO2) emission standards for new heavy-duty vehicles sold in the European Union.

TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) and Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) have released a joint report, ACRP Synthesis 91 / TCRP Synthesis 137: Microgrids and Their Application for Airports and Public Transit. The report describes microgrids that airports and public transit agencies can implement to increase resilience of their critical infrastructure. A microgrid is des...

TRB's Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) and Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) have released a joint report, ACRP Synthesis 91 / TCRP Synthesis 137: Microgrids and Their Application for Airports and Public Transit. The report describes microgrids that airports and public transit agencies can implement to increase resilience of their critical infrastructure. A microgrid is des...

The International Council on Clean Transportation has released a report that summarizes lessons learned from fast-charging deployments in many markets around the world. This report also reviews recent developments in fast-charging technology and their impacts on the electric grid, as well as planning issues related to fast-charging station use.

The International Council on Clean Transportation has released a report that identifies real-world emissions performance of light duty vehicles in China. Previous studies have demonstrated that vehicle emissions under real-world driving conditions can be significantly higher than certified emissions values as tested in the laboratory.