New TRB and Academies Report Assesses Progress - Since Deepwater Horizon - of Gulf of Mexico’s Offshore Oil and Gas Operations

Most of the offshore oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico has shown considerable improvement in systemic risk management, which is now approaching a middle stage of maturity across most risk elements, according to a report released this morning by TRB and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

The report, which assesses both industry and regulatory progress against the reforms that were recommended following the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010, also states that progress has been uneven, and critical gaps remain in comprehensively addressing the management of systemic risk offshore. 

Read the full report online: Advancing Understanding of Offshore Oil and Gas Systemic Risk in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico: Current State and Safety Reforms Since the Macondo Well–Deepwater Horizon Blowout

Early-Career Research Fellowship

Take risks on research ideas not yet tested, pursue unique collaborations, and build a network of colleagues who share your interest in improving offshore energy system safety and the well-being of coastal communities and ecosystems. Use $76,000 in relatively unrestricted funds and mentoring to navigate your early-career research with independence, flexibility, and a built-in support network. Apply for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Gulf Research Fellowship in the Environmental Protection and Stewardship Track by May 3.

Inclusive Public Participation in Transit Decision-Making (TCRP Synthesis 170). Transit agencies are charged by federal laws and regulations with integrating public participation into their planning operations. These efforts must ensure participation of their entire communities, including people of color, people with disabilities, and low-income populations, among others.

Review of the Draft Fifth National Climate Assessment (National Academies)

TRB's Top Downloaded Publication (in March): Fare-Free Transit Evaluation Framework (TCRP Research Report 237) (released March 17, 2023)

April 5 - TRB Webinar: Bridge Management Systems for Strategic Asset Management

April 11 - TRB Webinar: Planning and Assessing Ferry System Capacity

April 24 - TRB Webinar: Remaining In-Service Life of Culverts and Other Geotechnical Assets

April 25 - TRB Webinar: Resilient Freight Planning—Lessons from Ukraine and Puerto Rico

Amidst Increasing Concern Over Misinformation, New Study Finds American Public is Also Widely Using Academies Reports

A study detailed in the Proceedings of the National Academies reveals that adults motivated to seek out the most credible sources engage with challenging material and use it to improve the services they provide and learn more about the world they live in. The picture contrasts starkly with the dominant narrative of a misinformed and manipulated public targeted by social media.

U.S. DOT Has Request for Information Now Open

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Public Access Request For Information (RFI) Increasing Public Access to the Results of USDOT-Funded Transportation Research is now posted in the Federal Register. Comment will be accepted until May 10.

Research by Louisiana State University students (pictured) examining how to give asphalt a higher crack-healing rate was published this past week in TRB's Transportation Research Record and highlighted by the Louisiana State University College of Engineering.

The aviation industry needs to address accessibility issues for passengers with disabilities, note TRB's Melissa Welch-Ross and Thomas R. Menzies in The Regulatory Review.

An op-ed makes an argument for truck driver hourly pay in Overdrive, citing a TRB/Academies consensus report on the subject.