What's New in History

2020 has brought a lot of challenges, but we have also some reasons to celebrate. Since last autumn, we have found ways to honor TRB’s centennial anniversary. You have generously shared your stories about how the board has helped shape your careers and how you have helped shape transportation research. You may have received a copy of the beautiful coffee table book The Transportation Research B...

What is the future of transportation research and what is TRB’s role in that future? Learn from our panel of experts about how the scale and scope of TRB’s activities expanded steadily over the last 100 years, and what we might expect in the transportation field during the next 100 years. Join us on Thursday, November 12 from 3:00 to 4:30 PM ET for a webinar with a panel of TRB veterans and you...

The Standing Technical Committee on Intergovernmental Relations in Aviation recognizes that a wide range of governmental agencies and organizations are involved in aviation at the local, state, national, and international levels, and that effective intergovernmental relations and coordination are critical to the regulation, management, and operation of the aviation system. Since its inception i...

In April 2012, the Committee Research Coordinator's (CRC) Committee and Council was formed. The Council became the long-term entity to provide ongoing visioning, leadership, guidance, and training to the CRCs and chairs. The CRC Council also serves as a liaison among the CRCs and chairs, and TRB and the Technical Activities Council (TAC). The Council consists of a representative from each TRB G...

Secure your organization's booth as part of its exhibit at the TRB 2021 Annual Meeting in January. Booths in the virtual exhibit hall will cost $1,900 or half the cost of the 2021 in-person rate, which was $3,800 for a 10 x 10 square foot booth. A 2021 virtual booth will come with two full meeting registrations, the ability to register an unlimited number of staff to monitor for and engage with...

The TRB “Tell Us ‘Our’ Story" centennial activity is designed to allow as many of you (TRB’s volunteers and friends) as possible to participate in the TRB Centennial Celebration through the submission of your stories, which are our stories. The “Tell Us ‘Our' Story” centennial activity consists of a series of monthly questions that will help capture your stories. TRB welcomes all stories: small...

Initially formed as a joint subcommittee the Standing Technical Committee on Congestion Pricing received full standing committee status in September 2005, reflecting the broad and growing interest in research, education and outreach in congestion pricing and related market-based transportation issues.  Congestion pricing and related market-oriented strategies have the potential to create f...

TRB's Geotechnical Engineering section is primarily concerned with all matters related to the design and construction of infrastructure on all types of ground conditions, which often need some sort of compaction and stabilization by various means; need foundations of different types; and employ subsurface drainage conditions to mitigate soil failures. In summary, geotechnical engineering sectio...

School feels a little … well, maybe a lot … different this year. Educators are finding new methods to prepare and inspire the next generation of transportation experts due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Fortunately, TRB can continue to work with future practitioners through its various programs. Students as young as high school through to those in graduate programs have opportunities for m...

Your search results in TRID will now be even more robust. TRID provides access to more than 1.25 million records of transportation research worldwide including projects from TRB’s Research in Progress (RIP) Database , federal and state DOT technical reports, university transportation center reports, journal articles and conference proceedings.  All modes and disciplines of transportation a...

Held bi-annually, the Young Researchers Seminar is convened by ECTRI, the European Conference of Transport Research Institutes (ECTRI), in partnership with Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories (FEHRL) and Forum of European Road Safety Institutes (FERSI). A unique European-based training event, which allows for participation of American researchers thanks to the ECTRI-TRB Mem...

TRB turns 100 on November 11, 2020. You are invited to join your colleagues listed below who have contributed to the TRB Century Club to support activities that will mark the anniversary; promote the value of transportation research; and celebrate the achievements of TRB’s volunteers, sponsors, affiliates, and staff. Details on the Century Club and a link to contribute is available at https://...

The Standing Technical Committee on Transportation Needs of National Parks and Public Lands provides a forum for representatives from transportation and land management agencies, tourism groups, universities, consultants, and public officials to share information on a variety of management issues regarding access, circulation, travel modes, safety, congestion, performance-based planning, asset ...

The Standing Technical Committee on Maintenance and Operations Personnel seeks to promote and promulgate timely practical research to guide transportation agencies in meeting the challenges of maintenance workforce transformation. The Committee recognizes that its focus should be broadened from selection and training of personnel to explore the effects of rapid demographic, technological, econo...

A four-phased approach to vaccine allocation is being recommended by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine as part of an eventual process for overcoming coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States. Transportation will be an important factor in determining who gets vaccinated and when. In addition to providing essential services, the industry will literally ...

Registration is now open for the TRB 2021 Annual Meeting! The 100th Annual Meeting is completely virtual, and registration is required . Register by November 30 to take advantage of early bird rates! Registration fees increase on December 1. Registration includes: 3,000+ presentations in 350+ sessions 350+ meetings organized by TRB standing committees Continuing Education credits 7 days of exh...

In a video submitted in response to TRB's "Tell Us 'Our' Story" centennial activity, Michael Morris, Director of Transportation, North Central Texas Council of Governments says the “I celebrate 40 year here at the North Central Texas Council of Governments largely on the success and relationships from the Transportation Research Board” and he thanks TRB “for the opportunities you’ve given me in...

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted transportation agencies across the U.S. in a variety of ways. On July 15, 2020, TRB's Transportation Asset Management Committee hosted a webinar that featured executives and CEOs from state, regional, and transit agencies. Transportation Research Circular E-C266: Transportation Asset Management in a COVID-19 World captures the details of the discussion on how ...

In recognition of her outstanding service to TRB and safety-critical systems research, Martha Grabowski is the 2020 recipient of the W.N. Carey, Jr., Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Grabowski is the McDevitt Distinguished Chair in Information Systems and Professor and Director of the Information Systems Program at Le Moyne College , as well as a Senior Research Scientist in the Department of I...

The Standing Technical Committee on Pavement Maintenance is concerned with all aspects of reactive maintenance of both asphalt and concrete pavements, including their deterioration and the subsequent means and methods used to treat the resulting deficiencies. Pavement design has progressed from empirical methods based on observations of what worked in the past to more mechanistic methods b...

The Standing Technical Committee on Landscape and Environmental Design was created in 1932 and is the oldest Standing Committee of the Transportation Research Board. Throughout its history the Committee has produced numerous publications, proposed nationally significant research, and identified emerging issues such as highway drainage, roadside maintenance, environmental analysis, noise attenua...

Lily Elefteriadou, Barbara Goldsby Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Florida says that "through my participation at TRB and the Highway Capacity and Quality of Service Committee I learned consensus building and the importance of collaboration and collegiality in developing a product essential to the profession." Thank you Lily for participating in TRB's Centennial Celebration. To re...

As part of its commitment to increasing diversity and inclusiveness in transportation, the TRB Minority Student Fellows Program funds students from select minority-serving institutions to attend and present their research at the TRB Annual Meeting and help them engage in TRB’s network of transportation professionals. In 2021, 16 undergraduate and nine graduate students studying civil and electr...

TRB hosted the Transportation Resilience 2019: 2nd International Conference on Transportation Resilience to Natural Hazards and Extreme Weather Events (TR2019) at the National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington, D.C., November 13–15, 2019. The primary purpose of TR2019 program was to present advancements made in transportation systems resilience to natural hazards, climate change, and i...

Susan Shaheen and Nathaniel Ford have been appointed as chair and vice chair, respectively, of the 2021 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Executive Committee by Marcia McNutt, president of the National Academy of Sciences and chair of the National Research Council. Their terms will begin in January 2021 during the virtual TRB Annual Meeting. The TRB Executive Committee is composed of approxim...

The Standing Technical Committee on Pavement Structural Modeling and Evaluation can trace its beginning to 1970. The Committee’s traditional focus area on the strength and deformation characteristics of pavements remains as vital as ever. The first systematic investigator of reflections on in-service pavements was Francis Hveem, who is perhaps better known for his work on asphalt mix designs, t...

The evaluation and validation of new/emerging pavement technologies and innovative concepts require assessing their in-service long-term performance. TRB, known then as the Highway Research Board (HRB) not only administered some of the early road tests including the historic AASHO Road Test, but also played a quintessential role in reporting and disseminating their findings. Since its inception...

Dr. Mohamed Abdel-Aty is the recipient of the 2020 Roy W. Crum Award, to be received at the 2021 Annual Meeting. Dr. Aty is recognized for his distinguished achievements in the development of immediate practical applications of his fundamental and developmental research results as well as for contributing broadly to the science of transportation safety. His work and accomplishments will leave a...

The Alabama Department of Transportation (DOT) incorporated post-construction stormwater management design into the overall roadway design process. The Texas DOT developed the approval process for products used in the construction of a roadway to promote vegetation. And the Virginia DOT improved the management of data associated with stormwater infrastructure best management practices to effect...

Growing interest in strategic planning in the late 1980s and early 1990s was one of the many drivers for the creation of the TRB Standing Committee on Strategic Management. Over the quarter century of committee activities, the issues facing CEOs and agency leaders have changed. However, what remains consistent is the importance that the Committee places on delivering dynamic interactive worksho...