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5 TRI has demonstrated this commitment through creative efforts to obtain transit industry, community, and user input on needed research, including use of the online dialogue. The results of the dialogue require careful interpretation because of the lack of information on voters. For example, in view of the lack of information on votersâ backgrounds, the considerable interest in mobility issues and the limited interest in asset management and workforce issues may reflect limited participation in the dialogue by transit workers and property managers. To improve both the reach and the robustness of this and other outreach mechanisms, the committee encourages TRI to gather more information on respondents and to use other means of obtaining input from stakeholders whose views may be underrepresented. Such efforts are also important for ensuring that research results are disseminated to all interested stakeholders. Current Research Priorities You asked the committee whether TRIâs three priorities of mobility, safety, and asset management and innovation are sound. Because research funds are limited, and especially because much of TRIâs funding is already committed to demonstration and deployment projects, the committee believes that this prioritization is justified. The three priority areas connect TRIâs goals with those of FTA and the U.S. Department of Transportation to provide a safe, financially sustainable, and modern transportation system. They are also aligned with the results from the online dialogue. Of the three priority areas, mobility stands out because of the influence of rapidly evolving technologies and developments in transportation service models. The integration of innovative services by transit agencies and the use of automated and connected technologies are two especially important mobility-related research themes. At the same time, safety must remain a priority, since TRIâs safety research is essential in supporting FTAâs new safety regulatory functions. Candidate research topics in these two priority areas are discussed below, along with some ideas for research pertaining to asset management and asset innovation, a priority that already receives a substantial portion of TRI program funds. The committee recognizes that TRI may have research under way or planned that addresses these topics, and in these cases the advice can be viewed as supportive of such efforts. Mobility The committee believes that mobility offers continually evolving avenues for TRI research because of the rapid pace of technological change and its impact on transportation service options. One such avenue concerns the means by which innovative transportation services and advancements in automated and connected vehicle technologies can be exploited to extend the availability, reach, and capacity of transit system services. For example, TRI might, in consultation with relevant organizations such as the Community Transportation Association of America, sponsor research into how these technologies and service models can create new first- and last-mile options, meet the mobility needs of rural populations, and improve rural and intercity connections to urban centers. Likewise, TRI can explore the use of such innovative service models and technologies, including virtual assistance technologies, in increasing the accessibility and inclusiveness of transit services. For example, TRI research, in consultation with entities such as the Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility, can help ensure that the development and introduction of such technologies and innovative services make transit services more accessible and navigable for an aging U.S. population that requires access to health care, retail centers, and community services. TRAC believes that the MOD Sandbox program promises to be an effective vehicle for such research. The program should help FTA ensure that its own policies are designed to encourage such innovation. Better alignment of land use and transportation is a fundamental mobility issue, one that will be affected by technological developments, including advancements in automated and connected technologies. FTA can assist in this regard by conducting contextual and policy research on the impacts of technological change on the land useâ transportation connection, with an eye to issues of particular relevance to the transit industry, such as impacts on transit-oriented development, affordable housing, and access to health care and jobs.
6 Safety Ensuring safety is a core interest of transit agencies. Even in cases where TRI research projects are not specifically described as safety-related, safety impacts must be an important considerationâfor example, in research aimed at furthering an innovative practice or technology. The committee commends TRI for its research exploring advanced technologies to prevent transit vehicle collisions and investigating the use of safer design elements. In addition, the committee commends TRI for its preparedness to conduct research in support of FTAâs safety regulatory role. Another safety-related topic that TRI might consider is how its research could contribute to an increase in the real and perceived personal safety of transit passengers and employees. The stated mission of TRI is to Advance public transportation innovation by leading multi-dimensional research, development, demonstration, deployment, and technical assistance projects for the transit industry that improves ridersâ experiences and enhances public transitâs effectiveness, efficiency, and quality. The goals espoused in this mission statementâenhancing transitâs effectiveness, efficiency, and qualityâare all critical, but so is safety. The committee recommends that safety be added to the TRI mission statement to reflect the importance of this endeavor and its prominence in TRIâs program. Asset Management and Innovation TRI devotes a substantial portion of its program funds to asset management and innovation projects, mainly for demonstrations and deployments. Accordingly, the committee does not want to imply that significantly more program resources should be devoted to this priority area, especially if doing so would divert resources from mobility and safety work. Nevertheless, a range of emerging technologies could improve the ability of transit agencies to manage and increase the resilience of their assets. For example, 3D printing may offer transit agencies the ability to create on-site replacement parts, and sensor technology advancements may help agencies improve their in-service monitoring and inspection of vehicles and infrastructure. Technology innovation and development are the domains of the private sector, but TRI may be able to provide research-based guidance to shape their direction to meet transit system interests. For example, as private sector offerings for alternative fare collection systems proliferate, transit agencies must maintain accessibility for riders who lack technologies such as smartphones and depend on paper dollars and coins. TRI research could inform FTA and industry on means of introducing flexible, nonproprietary fare collection systems, perhaps by considering practices in other countries. Other Considerations The committee understands that TRI cannot undertake all possible research projects of interest to the transit community. Some research interests, such as rural mobility, public health, and land use, can be addressed within the context of the three priority areas. However, one area that deserves more explicit attention is the transit workforce. According to the National Transit Database, the transit workforce accounts for 65 percent of agency operating expenditures. As labor demographics and transportation technologies change over the coming years, this workforce is likely to be transformed and require new skill sets. FTA has held a series of summits focused on transit workforce issues. TRI should have an active role in such efforts to obtain insight into how its research programs can contribute to meeting future workforce challenges. In the committeeâs view, TRI is taking the correct approach by prioritizing its work into a few critical areas. It should nevertheless retain sufficient programming flexibility to address new and evolving issues, some of which may arise quickly. In the same vein, 5 years is a fairly short time span, and TRI should ensure that its strategic planning is an organic, ongoing process by looking forward to the next 5 years.
