Transportation Research Board 2016 Annual Report (2016)

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TRB 2016 Annual Report | 1 Am A j o r p ro g r A m d i v i s i o n of the National Academies of Sciences, Engi- neering, and Medicine, the Transportation Re- search Board (TRB) is recognized as one of the world’s leading transportation research organi- zations. TRB is perhaps best known for its An- nual Meeting held each January in Washington, D.C.; the 2016 meeting—TRB’s 95th—attracted a record 12,500 attendees. TRB also is known for its other convening activities, such as workshops, conferences, symposia, webinars, and committee meetings. In addition, TRB supports the conduct of re- search through its Cooperative Research Pro- grams; the publication of research through the Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board and other publica- tions; presentation of research results through its convening activities; and the cataloguing of re- search through the Transportation Research In- formation Documentation—or TRID—database, which contains more than 1.1 million entries of published transportation research. TRB also pro- duces highly respected and influential policy studies, which provide advice to the nation on important and complex policy issues. orgAnizAtion The National Academies of Sciences, Engineer- ing, and Medicine honor the foremost scien- tists, engineers, and medical professionals in the nation; members of the National Academies are called on to provide evidence-based policy advice on issues related to science, engineer- ing, and medicine. Known for its standards of objectivity, the expertise it is able to assemble, and the rigorous review process for its reports and recommendations, TRB’s parent institution provides advice to Congress, the Administration, and other policy makers for the development of legislation, regulations, and implementation plans. As one of seven program divisions, TRB bene- fits tremendously from the Academies’ expertise and credibility. TRB’s collaborations with other parts of the Academies continue to increase. Through meetings, publications, policy studies, and more, the Transportation Research Board serves its mission to convene, research, and advise. (Photo: Risdon Photography) Neil Pedersen, TRB Executive Director (left), and James Crites, 2016 Executive Committee Chair (right). (Photo: Risdon Photography) mAking progress for trb’s stAkeholders | InItIatIves and Impacts

2 | TRB 2016 Annual Report TRB relies on the knowledge and service of volunteers who are experts in all subjects related to transportation. More than 7,000 volunteers participate on TRB committees and research panels. The TRB Executive Committee, with 26 appointed members and 20 ex officio members, provides strategic direction and oversight for the Board’s activities. Executive Committee members come from organizations representing govern- ment, academia, and private-sector companies and all modes of transportation. TRB’s more than 200 standing committees cover all modes and related subject areas. The Technical Activities Council provides oversight for these committees; the Council consists of the chairs of the 11 topical groups of commit- tees. Each committee comprises approximately 30 to 35 members, with additional volunteers on its friends list. The committees organize Annual Meeting and conference sessions, review approx- imately 6,000 papers submitted for presentation at the annual meeting and for publication in the journal, develop research problem statements for consideration by the Cooperative Research Programs and other research organizations, and serve as communities of practice for experts in their respective subject areas. TRB’s Technical Activities Division staff supports the work of the standing committees. TRB’s policy studies assemble the foremost experts in the topics to be addressed. Policy study committees are constituted to balance expertise and perspectives, to ensure objectivity, and to avoid conflicts of interest. The hard work, dedi- cation, commitment, and expertise of its volun- teers have enabled TRB to produce key policy studies. TRB’s Studies and Special Programs Di- vision provides staff support. Almost 2,000 volunteers serve on panels for TRB’s Cooperative Research Programs. Each pro- gram manages contracted research to develop products useful to practitioners who manage and operate transportation systems. Each pro- gram has an oversight committee that selects projects, and each project has a panel of experts who provide direction, oversight, and review of the contracted research. TRB’s Cooperative Re- search Programs Division supplies staff support for these activities. TRB’s Executive Office provides strategic di- rection and oversight of staff, as well as a variety of administrative, publication, communications, and information technology functions. TRB’s 2016 budget was $88 million. With the number of volunteers involved in TRB, the logis- tics required to support convening activities, the amount of contracted research undertaken, the number of sponsors providing financial support, and the number of special studies, the manage- ment of TRB’s finances is a complex task. TRB’s Administration and Finance Division handles these assignments. A summary of key accomplishments by each of these organizational units in 2016 starts on page 12; detailed reports begin on page 16. The 2016 Technical Activities Council guides the work of TRB’s more than 200 standing committees. (Photo: Risdon Photography) Senior program officer Ed Harrigan (right) leads a panel discussion for a National Cooperative Highway Research Program project on guidelines for solid-state roadway lighting.

TRB 2016 Annual Report | 3 strAtegic initiAtives In June 2014, the TRB Executive Committee adopted a five-year strategic plan to guide TRB volunteers and staff on several initiatives. To en- sure a focus on the most important current and future issues, the Executive Committee identi- fied three strategic areas for TRB programs and activities in the next few years. These emerging topics affect all modes and sectors of transpor- tation. The oversight committees of each TRB division are charged with identifying ways to advance the state of knowledge and the state of practice in the three strategic areas. Transformational Technologies Advances in technology have the potential to change fundamentally the way that transporta- tion services are provided and to improve safety, mobility, and sustainability significantly. TRB continues to convene experts and to manage re- search in the areas of connected and automated vehicles, which have the potential to reduce sig- nificantly the number of crashes caused by hu- man error and to improve system efficiency. Technology-enabled mobility services are altering the way that people travel, particularly in metropolitan areas; with automated vehicles, these services may change the automobile own- ership model in the United States and worldwide. Unmanned aerial systems can change freight de- livery. These services and the capture, processing, and availability of data from sensors throughout the transportation system can change the use of real-time information to inform travel decisions and to manage the system efficiently. Smart transportation, as part of the concept of smart cities, can significantly improve the qual- ity of transportation services and the quality of life. TRB is at the forefront of sharing state-of- the-practice information and managing research on issues associated with these transformational technologies. Resilience The transportation system increasingly faces disruptions from natural or man-made disasters. Severe weather events have become more fre- quent and have closed down or adversely affect- ed the operation of the transportation system. Terrorists have targeted physical and cyber ele- ments of the system and have severely disrupted the mobility of passengers and freight. Planning for natural and man-made disrup- tions, identifying ways to manage during the disruptions, and recovering from the disruptions as quickly as possible have become priorities for transportation system owners and opera- tors. TRB is convening meetings and conduct- ing research activities related to resilience. An Executive Committee task force has identified a strategic plan for addressing these issues in a coordinated manner. Public Health and Transportation Public health is an important societal goal that transportation can and should help support. Some of the many ways that transportation can The South Carolina Army National Guard helps local law enforcement work a traffic control point in Myrtle Beach during a statewide response to Hurricane Matthew in early October. Increasing numbers of severe weather events cause new challenges for transportation net- works. (Photo: Jorge Intriago, U.S. Air National Guard) Leslie Meehan, Tennessee Department of Health, briefs the TRB Executive Committee at a session on advancing public health through transportation. (Photo: Risdon Photography) In response to the TRB strategic plan, the Execu- tive Committee Task Force on Transformational Technologies in Transporta- tion developed E-Circular 208, Transformational Technologies in Transporta- tion: State of the Activities. For more information, visit www.trb.org/Publications/ Blurbs/174370.aspx.

4 | TRB 2016 Annual Report review process—from the initial calls for papers through submission, review, and acceptance—to identify efficiencies and to ensure that only high- quality articles are accepted for publication. Cooperative Research Programs At the request of sponsors and stakeholders, the Cooperative Research Programs have set a prior- ity to reduce the time from the initial submis- sion of problem statements to the availability of research results and reports. The programs’ over- sight committees and staff have undertaken pro- cess reviews and have identified opportunities to perform steps in parallel instead of in linear sequence, particularly during project selection and contracting. Also identified were ways to undertake more high-priority research through open-ended task order contracts, reducing the time required for procurement. Several Cooperative Research Programs proj- ects are making reports available online after ac- ceptance by peer review, before the final editing; this makes research results and products avail- able three to six months before the publication of the final edited report. The Cooperative Research Programs are de- veloping research road maps for select priority areas. This will ensure a more strategic approach to identify priority research and to address im- portant areas that may not surface through the more traditional problem statements. A major focus is the implementation of re- search results. This includes the pilot testing of usable products and increased dissemination activities to promote stakeholder awareness and understanding of the research products’ benefits. strengthening finAnces TRB improved its financial outlook significantly in 2016. To draw down the reserves for core pro- grams from levels that were higher than targeted, TRB had operated under a budget deficit for the past several years, but this was not sustainable. At the same time, TRB had faced uncertainty about its long-term revenues without long-term autho- rization legislation for surface transportation. The five-year Fixing America’s Surface Trans- portation (FAST) Act, passed in December 2015, offers greater certainty about revenues from federal sources and enables long-term finan- cial planning. The largest share of revenues for TRB’s Technical Activities and Cooperative Re- contribute to improving public health include re- ducing fatalities and injuries from traffic crashes, improving access to health care facilities, reduc- ing the health-related impacts of transportation from air and noise pollution, reducing the role of transportation in the spread of communi- cable diseases, addressing the mobility needs of the elderly and disabled, and improving health by encouraging active transportation—such as walking and bicycling. At the Forefront Executive Committee task forces have devel- oped plans for placing TRB at the forefront in addressing these strategic issues. TRB stand- ing committees are identifying ways to address each issue from their perspectives. The Coopera- tive Research Programs are developing research roadmaps for each of these areas. Policy studies continue to examine the issues affecting these areas. TRB is leading the way in other strategic topics as well. The Executive Committee has identified goods movement as an area of interest. A variety of TRB activities taking a strategic approach re- lated to freight are under way; as a result, freight stakeholders are more engaged in TRB activities and programs and are more aware of TRB’s work in this area. review of legAcy progrAms Each of TRB’s oversight committees regularly reviews TRB’s legacy programs to identify op- portunities to address feedback received from sponsors and stakeholders and to identify im- provements in processes and in the timeliness and quality of the products and services deliv- ered. TRB’s strategic plan identified several areas for focus. Transportation Research Record A group of experts from peer journals reviewed the TRB editorial and production processes for articles after acceptance to the Transportation Re- search Record by TRB’s standing committees. Ap- plying recommendations from this peer review, TRB has developed an implementation plan to enable earlier online availability of journal arti- cles. In addition, the earlier assignment of digital object identifiers for articles should help increase the citation impact factor for TRB’s journal. A special task force is examining the entire peer TRB collaborated with the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Educa- tion, the Committee on National Statistics, and the Board on Human–Systems Integration on a study ex- amining Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Fatigue, Long- Term Health, and Highway Safety: Research Needs.

TRB 2016 Annual Report | 5 Board. TRB also relies on annual meeting reg- istration fees, exhibits, and patrons as a source of revenue, and these continue to increase each year. TRB is looking for opportunities to diversify and increase its revenue sources. The TRB Ex- ecutive Committee’s New Revenues Task Force is exploring opportunities to attract new support from the public and private sectors. TRB launched a planned giving program in 2016 that enables individuals to support TRB activities through be- quests or other contributions. TRB’s 2016 financial statement is shown on pages 8–9. diversifying pArticipAtion The more than 7,000 volunteer participants on TRB committees and panels represent a diverse array of transportation community sectors and disciplines. It is critical that TRB reflect changes as the transportation community evolves and di- versifies. TRB therefore has focused on expand- ing participation from underrepresented sectors, particularly among new technology firms; di- versifying participation by gender, race, and young professionals; pursuing a more strategic approach to international activities; and part- nering with other transportation professional organizations. Technology innovations are disrupting the way that transportation services are provided, and TRB has recognized that transportation is attracting the involvement of many new actors from the technology sector. TRB proactively has search Programs comes from state departments of transportation (DOTs) through contributions from each state’s Statewide Planning and Re- search funds. With modest increases in these funds projected through FY 2021, the state DOT contributions to TRB will increase proportional- ly, helping TRB to remain on a sounder financial footing through the end of the FAST Act. At the same time, however, significant ear- marking of Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) research, development, and technology funds has reduced FHWA’s contribution to TRB’s Technical Activities. This will be offset in part through contributions from new sponsors: the Department of Energy, the Environmental Pro- tection Agency, and the California Air Resources Christopher Poe, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, addresses the 2016 Automated Vehicles Symposium, cosponsored by TRB and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. (Photo: Texas A&M Transportation Institute) Victor Mendez, Deputy Secretary of Transportation, welcomes Minority Fellows and their faculty advisers to the 2016 Annual Meeting. (Photo: Risdon Photography)

6 | TRB 2016 Annual Report and U.S. DOT addressed the subject of climate change adaptation, part of TRB’s strategic focus on resilience. Similarly, a new memorandum of understanding will improve the sharing of infor- mation and resources between the World Road Association and TRB. TRB is actively working to partner with other transportation organizations to identify areas of common interest and potential joint activities. These partnerships can increase the participa- tion by members of these organizations in TRB. meAsuring the impActs The TRB strategic plan called for more system- atic approaches to identify and track the impacts of TRB activities. In 2016, the National Coopera- tive Highway Research Program (NCHRP) es- tablished the staff position of Implementation Coordinator, and the Airport Cooperative Re- search Program (ACRP) has hired a contractor to track the impacts of research products. NCHRP, ACRP, and the Transit Cooperative Research Pro- gram have conducted periodic surveys to collect information on the use of their research. Com- mittees receiving a regular allocation of Cooper- ative Research Programs funds now must report annually on the benefits from previously funded projects. Working with the National Academies, TRB is employing new tools and databases for tracking the impacts of products. Information about who is using the products, about how the products are being used, and the comments about the products sought to involve participants from technology firms in activities, as well as to identify research needs. For example, attendance at TRB’s auto- mated vehicles conference has grown to more than 1,200, and many of the participants had no previous involvement in TRB activities. A TRB symposium in fall 2016 identified research needs across the range of transformational technolo- gies. TRB is partnering with other organizations interested in transformational technologies in transportation. During 2016, TRB developed and adopted a management plan for diversity and inclusion, identifying strategies to engage a diverse, inclu- sive pool of stakeholders representative of the community that TRB serves. TRB is continuing its focus on increasing the gender, racial, and age diversity of its committees and panels. Staff have partnered with leaders at organizations that serve female, minority, and young transporta- tion professionals, to engage their members in TRB activities. In 2016, the TRB Minority Fellows Program nearly doubled the number of students who received financial assistance to attend the TRB Annual Meeting from historically minority- serving colleges and universities. An Executive Committee task force reviewed TRB’s international activities and recommended an approach to increase international participa- tion related to strategic initiatives. For example, a joint symposium with the European Union TRB’s new communications materials include a brochure describing its mission.

TRB 2016 Annual Report | 7 are more readily available than ever before. In the past year, TRB started tracking references to TRB products in federal and state legislation, regula- tions, and standards, and in testimony delivered before Congress. The information is providing a better under- standing of TRB’s regional, national, and global influence and demonstrates the value of the products to stakeholders. The feedback will help TRB to enhance the value and quality of its ser- vices and products continuously. communicAting About progrAms And Activities Current and potential stakeholders are not always well acquainted with the extent of TRB’s diverse portfolio of products and services. TRB there- fore adopted a communications and marketing plan to guide efforts to increase awareness and knowledge of TRB products and services within the transportation professional community. The first step was the development and dis- tribution of a new brochure, a video, and a Pow- erPoint presentation. TRB staff and volunteers have used these communications materials at outreach events, including conferences and the annual meetings of partner organizations. TRB collected feedback from readers about its e- newsletter, and work began on redesigning the TRB.org homepage. TRB’s popular webinar series has continued to grow and has proved an effective means of increasing stakeholder awareness of TRB re- ports and current issues in transportation. TRB has started webcasting selected conferences, enabling those who cannot attend in person to participate remotely.