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Vehicles and Equipment Research at TRB

The mission of the Transportation Research Board is to provide leadership in transportation innovation and progress through research and information exchange, conducted within a setting that is objective, interdisciplinary, and multimodal. This page highlights recently released TRB reports, meeting announcements, requests for proposals, and other announcements related to safety and human factors. In addition, it includes links to selected safety and human factors research-related activities taking place at the federal and state levels, and within the academic and international transportation communities. Finally, this page also highlights and provides links to TRB programs and activities, which are the source of most of TRB’s safety and human factors-related research products.

What's New

TRB Vehicles and Equipment-Related Programs and Activities

Hearing on TSA’s Efforts to Procure, Deploy, and Store Aviation Security Equipment and Technology
May 20, 2012
On May 9, 2012, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held a hearing to examine the efforts made by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration to procure, deploy, and store airport security-related equipment. A briefing memo and witness testimonies are available online.
Benefits of Intelligent Headlamp Technologies to Pedestrian Safety at Roundabouts
May 20, 2012
The Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has released a report that explores the visibility of pedestrians by drivers at roundabouts under different vehicle and roadway lighting conditions.
2013 TRB 92nd Annual Meeting and Transportation Research Record Call for Papers2013 TRB 92nd Annual Meeting and Transportation Research Record Call for Papers
May 18, 2012
TRB standing committees have issued  calls for papers for the TRB 92nd Annual Meeting, January 13-17, 2013, in Washington, D.C, and the Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board (TRR). While papers addressing any relevant aspect of transportation research will be considered, some committees are soliciting papers in specific subject areas to help potential...
Handbook for Evaluating Emissions and Costs of APUs and Alternative SystemsHandbook for Evaluating Emissions and Costs of APUs and Alternative Systems
May 17, 2012
TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Report 64: Handbook for Evaluating Emissions and Costs of APUs and Alternative Systems is designed to help airports evaluate alternatives to aircraft auxiliary power units (APUs). The handbook addresses environmental impacts, costs, infrastructure and maintenance requirements, and funding options. The printed version of the handbook includes a C...
Workshop on the Future of Road Vehicle Automation
May 16, 2012
TRB is sponsoring the Workshop on the Future of Road Vehicle Automation on July 25-27, 2012, in Irvine, California. The workshop will focus on the current state of the art in the area of road vehicle automation. The workshop is designed to provide an opportunity for attendees to explore the roles that might be played by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the state departments of transpor...
Measurement of Gaseous HAP Emissions from Idling Aircraft as a Function of Engine and Ambient ConditionsMeasurement of Gaseous HAP Emissions from Idling Aircraft as a Function of Engine and Ambient Conditions
May 12, 2012
TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Report 63: Measurement of Gaseous HAP Emissions from Idling Aircraft as a Function of Engine and Ambient Conditions is designed to help improve the assessment of hazardous air pollutants (HAP) emissions at airports based on specific aircraft operating parameters and changes in ambient conditions.
Characteristics of Alcohol Impaired Road Users Involved in Casualty Crashes
May 11, 2012
The Centre for Automotive Safety Research at the University of Adelaide, Australia, has released a report that explores the profile of the person, crash, and licensing characteristics of a group of road users involved in a casualty crash as a result of alcohol impairment.
Benefits of Intelligent Headlamp Technologies to Pedestrian Safety at Roundabouts
May 10, 2012
The Transportation Lighting Alliance has released a report that discusses the influence of vehicle headlamps and roadway lighting on the ability of drivers to see pedestrians along crosswalks in roundabout intersections.
Seventh SHRP 2 Safety Research Symposium
May 9, 2012
TRB's second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) will hold its annual Safety Research Symposium on July 12, 2012, in Washington, D.C. The symposium is designed to provide updates on progress on SHRP 2 safety projects. Topics that will be addressed include SHRP 2’s naturalistic driving study and roadway database, analysis projects, and data access and institutional review board issu...
Cooperative Intersection Collision Avoidance System – Stop Sign Assist: Experiments to Validate Use of an In-Vehicle Interface Design
May 7, 2012
The Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota has released a report that examines the transition from an infrastructure based to an in vehicle based crossing assist system that is designed to help drivers on a minor road select the appropriate gap when crossing a rural highway.

Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP)
TCRP is an applied, contract research program that develops near-term, practical solutions to problems facing transit agencies.
Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Problems
TRB's Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Problems searches out and synthesizes useful knowledge from all available sources and prepares concise, documented reports on specific topics. Reports from this endeavor constitute an Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) report series, Synthesis of Transit Practice.
Synthesis of Information Related to Airport Problems
TRB's Synthesis of Information Related to Airport Problems searches out and synthesizes useful knowledge from all available sources and prepares concise, documented reports on specific topics. Reports from this endeavor constitute an Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) report series, Synthesis of Airport Practice.
National Cooperative Freight Research Program (NCFRP)
NCFRP conducts research and disseminates timely findings that will inform investment and operations decisions affecting the performance of the freight transportation system.
Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Synthesis Program
TRB's Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Synthesis Program searches out and synthesizes useful knowledge from all available sources and prepares concise, documented reports on specific topics. Reports from this endeavor constitute an Commercial Truck and Bus Safety Synthesis Program (CTBSSP) report series, Synthesis of Commerical Truck and Bus Safety Practice.
Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Program (HMCRP)
HMCRP conducts research intended to advance current knowledge and practice relating to hazardous materials transportation.
Cooperative Research Programs
TRB's Cooperative Research Programs Division manages several cooperative research programs that frequently produces reports that have relevence to issues outside of the program's core focus areas.
Technical Activities Standing Committees
TRB's Technical Activities Division provides a forum for transportation professionals in all modes and functions to identify research needs and to share information on research and issues of interest. The Division's staff of specialists in each mode and discipline work with a network of volunteers to carry out activities on behalf of TRB sponsors and the transportation community, including the TRB Annual Meeting, conferences and workshops, publications, visits to each state, and responses to inquiries. This network includes members and friends of over 200 standing committees, supplemented by designated TRB representatives in each state, over 150 universities, and 35 transit agencies.
Research in Progress in this Subject Area
TRB's Research in Progress (RiP) Database now contains more than 11,900 current or recently completed transportation research projects. Most of the RiP records are projects funded by federal and state departments of transportation. University transportation research is also included. The RiP Database also serves as a clearinghouse of University Transportation Centers ongoing research.
Research Completed in this Subject Area
TRB's TRID is integrated database that combines the records from TRB's Transportation Research Information Services (TRIS) Database and the OECD's Joint Transport Research Centre’s International Transport Research Documentation (ITRD) Database. TRID provides access to over 900,000 records of transportation research worldwide.

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