The recent COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the significant consequences that can result from disruptions in supply chains. The massive disruptions that occurred because of the pandemic were the result of a “perfect storm” from several events. From panic buying to increases in demand for goods and e-commerce from home-bound consumers, to stalled port operations, and labor shortages, disruptions can cause ripple effects throughout the economy and severely impact individual pocketbooks and stress levels relat...

TRB's International Conference on Low-Volume Roads provides a global forum to examine new technologies and new techniques in the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and administration of low-volume roads. The Conference focuses on issues that impact all aspects of life throughout the world, including the first and last mile of the roads where trips by people, produce, and resources start and end. TR Circular E-C283: 13th International Conference on Low-Volume Roads , from the Transpor...

The deployment of automated vehicles, shared mobility services, and other transformational transportation technologies has the potential to dramatically increase safety, reduce congestion, improve access, enhance sustainability, and spur economic development. However, success in meeting these goals is not assured and there are significant risks that these deployments could cause unintended consequences. TR Circular E-C284: Toward a National Regulatory Framework for Automated Vehicles: Challenges and Oppo...

Building information modeling (BIM) has been used in the vertical construction industry since the 1970s. In the last decade, the worldwide transportation industry has been pushing for the implementation of BIM for bridges and infrastructures. This process revolutionizes the way projects are delivered and, to be successful, it requires the cooperation of all parties involved in the realization of the structure. TRB's Transportation Research Circular E-C282: Building Information Modeling for Bridges and St...

The design of asphalt mixtures for use in infrastructure applications is a topic that has generated significant research and focus over recent years. TRB's Transportation Research Circular E-C280: Glossary of Terms for Balanced Design of Asphalt Mixtures provides a reference document for usage of Balanced Mix Design terminology by the asphalt mixtures community in the United States. 

One of several key outcomes of the 2021 Conference on Advancing Transportation Equity (CATE) was the determination that transportation equity can better be achieved by being intentional about facilitating context-specific, people-first practices, policies, and outcomes in the transportation industry. TRB's Transportation Research Circular E-C281: Advancing Transportation Equity: Conference Summary and Action Brief highlights the essential information discussed at the conference. The entire CATE 2021 conf...

The maritime industry at large has recognized the imperative to reduce localized and global emission impacts on our environment. There are numerous avenues to reducing vessel emissions, with one being the implementation of low- and zero-emission propulsion technology on vessels. TRB's Transportation Research Circular E-C279: Advancing Low- and Zero-Emission Marine Vessel Technology Options Workshop summarizes the January 2022 event.

The TRB Freight Data Technical Standing Committee initiated the third Innovations in Freight Data workshop to bring together freight data users and decision-makers to learn about and share the latest applications that leverage new and maturing data sources for improving decision-making. TRB's Transportation Research Circular E-C278: Innovations in Freight Data Workshop summarizes the September 2021 event.

During a time of ever-changing dynamics, there is a tremendous amount happening in the world of asset management. The 13th National Conference on Transportation Asset Management featured a variety of topics highlighting best practices in areas such as risk management, life cycle planning, and Transportation Asset Management Plan development. Emerging topics were also featured, addressing subjects such as resilience, sustainability, and equity. TRB's Transportation Research Circular E-C277: 13th National ...

Traffic speed deflection devices (TSDDs) are designed to measure pavement deflections or deflection velocities in response to loads applied by trucks moving at or near prevailing traffic speeds. TRB's Transportation Research Circular E-C276: State Departments of Transportation Experiences and Applications with Traffic Speed Deflection Devices details a 2019 workshop, Workshop on the Use of Traffic Speed Deflection Device Data in Network-and Project-Level Pavement Decisions, which brought together six nat...