Mahmassani and Daubenberger Join TRB Executive Committee

Hani S. Mahmassani and Nancy Daubenberger joined the TRB Executive Committee during this month's TRB Annual Meeting.

Mahmassani (pictured left) is Director of the Transportation Center, and the William A. Patterson Distinguished Professor in Transportation, at Northwestern University.

Daubenberger (pictured right) is Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, where she has worked in various positions for over 23 years.

U.S. DOT Has Opening for SMART Program Director 

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R) at U.S. DOT is seeking a senior-level Director (GS-15) for its Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants program, a $500 million competitive program in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. For the Director opening, please email a short expression of interest and a resume to SmartHR@dot.gov. This position is located at DOT Headquarters in Washington DC, and remote status applications will also be considered. The postion is open until filled.

Provision of Alternative Services by Transit Agencies: The Intersection of Regulation and Program (TCRP Research Report 239). On-demand or same-day transportation options subsidized by transit agencies provide at least some cost savings and also meet more spontaneous travel needs of ADA paratransit riders based on cost per subsidized trip versus cost per next-day ADA paratransit trip.

TRB's Top Downloaded Publication (in December): Micromobility Policies, Permits, and Practices (NCHRP Synthesis 597) (released November 29, 2022)

January 31 - TRB Webinar: Electronic Ticketing—Current Practices for Concrete Pavements

February 6 - TRB Webinar: Evaluating the Smoothness of Newly Constructed Concrete Bridge Decks

February 7 - TRB Webinar: Using Smart Work Zone Technologies to Improve Safety

• An op-ed in The Washington Post notes that, back in 1958, when TRB was still named the Highway Research Board, we issued a report on the construction of the U.S. highway system that "warned of widespread displacement, with low-income, non-White and elderly residents facing the 'greatest potential injury.' Yet the type of highway construction that the report warned about proceeded across the nation."
• TRB's Behavorial Transportation Safety Cooperative Research Program is planning to release a guide for how DOTs can reduce wrong-way crashes. Quoting TRB, Pluribus News notes that alcohol is a significant factor in fatal wrong-way crashes in the U.S., which increased 67% from 2010 to 2020 compared to overall crash fatalities increasing 33%.
• Current research on truck-driver pay by TRB's Consensus and Advisory Studies Division was detailed on the Land Line Now Podcast.