<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"><channel><title>TRB Publications Index</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/</link><atom:link href="http://pubsindex.trb.org/common/TRIS Suite/feeds/rss.aspx?tc=NN%3ACr" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /><description></description><language>en-us</language><copyright>Copyright © 2015. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright><docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs><managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor><webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster><image><title>TRB Publications Index</title><url>http://pubsindex.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle.png</url><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/</link></image><item><title>NCHRP Legal Research Digest 87: Homeless Encampments in Transportation Rights-of-Way: Laws and State Transportation Agency Practices</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2506088</link><description><![CDATA[This article highlights research into legal factors faced by state transportation agencies when addressing homeless encampments in transportation rights-of-way. National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 20-06/Topic 25-04, “Laws Governing Homeless Encampments in Transportation Rights-of-Way,” and the resulting publication, NCHRP Legal Research Digest 87: Encampments of Unhoused Individuals in Transportation Rights-of-Way—Laws and State DOT Practices (2022), aim to clarify the legal landscape surrounding the prevention and removal of homeless encampments on rights-of-way, as well as the authorized use of these spaces for social services or shelters. The study team analyzed various laws, surveyed state departments of transportation, examined ordinances from major metropolitan areas, and conducted interviews at relevant local agencies. The team found that managing unauthorized access to rights-of-way varies widely by state, often includes dealing with public health and safety issues, may require coordination with law enforcement or social service agencies, and includes legal considerations around liability, property rights, and constitutional rights.]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 16:31:08 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2506088</guid></item><item><title>Is Federal Transportation Performance Management on Target?</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2381893</link><description><![CDATA[The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), signed into law in 2012, included new federal transportation performance management requirements for state departments of transportation (DOTs), metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and transit operators. For the first time, public agencies were required to set targets, monitor performance, and align investments to support progress toward a consistent set of federally identified measures related to safety, asset management, and system performance. On March 30, 2023, the Transportation Research Board (TRB) held a webinar—Successes and Challenges: The First 4 Years of Federal Performance Management—to explore this topic. This article presents an overview, from benefits to unintended consequences, of the response to federal performance rules and explores opportunities for future improvement.]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 29 May 2024 09:28:54 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/2381893</guid></item><item><title>Truck Size and Weight Research Challenges</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1844485</link><description><![CDATA[Research is needed to address the challenge of calculating truck size and weight (TSW) limit policy impacts. While the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 set a gross vehicle weight limit of 73,280 pounds/96-inch width on the Interstate Highway System, it allowed for preexisting state size and weight laws. In addition, many states make allowances for heavier trucks under certain circumstances. These varying policies create difficulty when attempting to analyze data related to truck size and weight impacts. To address these challenges, the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Truck Size and Weight Limits Research Plan Committee (CTSW) began work in 2017 to identify research topics to address truck size and weight data. Their report, “Research to Support Evaluation of Truck Size and Weight Regulations,” developed a series of 27 research problem statements that outline how the topic improves TSW evaluation methods and data, general approaches, and likely project durations and cost. Although the committee’s work is not designed to solve TSW issues, their efforts are intended to move the conversation forward by translating TSW research challenges into fundable research statements for the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) program.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 09 Apr 2021 17:33:12 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1844485</guid></item><item><title>Golden Anniversary of Landmark Legislation: The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1693602</link><description><![CDATA[In the 50 years since the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was signed in 1969, many laws, rules, and guidance have been revised and updated to help transportation agencies comply with the legislation. This article explores the environmental crises that led to NEPA, its legislative history, how NEPA is regulated, the establishment of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and potential areas of research to aid organizations in NEPA implementation.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2020 17:19:19 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1693602</guid></item><item><title>Tragedy in Schoharie, New York, and Stretch Limousine Regulatory Reform</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1633466</link><description><![CDATA[A 2018 limousine crash in Schoharie, New York, killed 20 people in one of the deadliest transportation disasters in nearly 10 years. The author examines the implications of the crash, legislative and policy responses, and possible next steps to increase limousine safety, as well as stretch limo industry trends and safety protocols and regulations.]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 09 Jul 2019 11:27:51 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1633466</guid></item><item><title>Public-Private Partnerships: Policy,
Practice, and Popularity</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1605951</link><description><![CDATA[Although public–private partnerships (P3s) have been in use in U.S. transportation projects for decades, the acceptance, popularity, and market share of P3s are still low. The article looks at the history of P3s in the U.S., discusses State legislative authority including scope and limitation, and provides examples of funding and financing such as high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes, the U.S. DOT Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan program, private activity bonds, and State government contributions. The legal implications of P3s, examples of failed P3 agreements, and the attributes of sustainable P3 projects are discussed. The article concludes with examples of successful projects including the incorporation of innovative solutions, such as, building information modeling, advanced sensors, and hyperloop technology.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2019 16:29:20 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1605951</guid></item><item><title>TRB Special Report: Renewing the National Commitment to the Interstate Highway System: A Foundation for the Future</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1605947</link><description><![CDATA[This article summarizes Transportation Research Board (TRB) Special Report 329. This congressionally requested report examines the challenges facing Interstate highways—aging assets, increased traffic, reduced revenues, a radically changing vehicle fleet, and more—and presents recommendations including possible changes in law and resources. Key recommendations include: (1) Congress should legislate an Interstate Highway System Renewal and Modernization Program (RAMP); (2) In the near term, Congress should increase the federal fuel tax to a level commensurate with the federal share of the required RAMP investment, and adjust the tax as needed to account for inflation and changes in vehicle fuel economy; (3) Congress should prepare to employ new federal and state funding mechanisms; (4) Congress should lift the ban on tolling of existing general purpose Interstates; and (5) Congress should direct the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration to develop criteria for a rightsizing component of RAMP that would address current and emerging demands to extend the Interstate Highway System’s length and scope of coverage. Additional complementary recommendations called for in the report are also briefly discussed. It is suggested that implementing these recommendations would represent a rededication to a modern highway system resulting in lasting societal and economic benefits.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2019 16:29:20 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1605947</guid></item><item><title>Equity Implications of TNC Fare Variation: A Case Study of Didi Chuxing, Shanghai, 2015</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1572992</link><description><![CDATA[The rise of transportation network companies (TNCs) such as Uber, Lyft and Didi Chuxing has been well documented, and is viewed with concern by some policy makers and planners. Some have advocated regulating TNCs to address perceived problems, which include unfair competition with existing taxis, a perception that TNCs may be less safe than conventional taxis, road congestion caused by a proliferation of ride-hailing vehicles, and a belief that TNCs may reduce transit ridership. Possible regulations to address these problems include background checks for drivers, safety standards, and in Shanghai, restrictions on TNC licenses and regulations on the ability of TNCs to rely on drivers from outside the city. Such regulations could cause TNC fares to increase, reinforcing ride-sourcing as a premium service targeting medium to high income travelers and hurting less well-off households. This study focuses on how the travel demand of users from different socio-economic groups changed in responses to changes in TNC fares during the introductory period of Didi Chuxing's operation in Shanghai in 2015. Using a large global positioning system (GPS)-based travel dataset from 2015 in Shanghai, the authors conducted panel analysis of how ride-sourcing demand was related to average property value, as a proxy for socioeconomic status, measured at small spatial scale at trip origins and destinations. The paper provides some of the first evidence about which user groups are more likely to use TNCs. The authors find that ride-sourcing demand in Shanghai is more elastic in high value locations, implying that regulatory interventions on TNCs in the Shangai context likely have their largest impacts on more well-off residents.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 01 Mar 2019 15:51:19 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1572992</guid></item><item><title>Serving the Riders that Need it: Understanding the Causes of Service Inequity in Multijurisdictional Transit Agencies</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1572990</link><description><![CDATA[This paper explores the connection between local autonomy and inequitable transit service distribution. The authors use a mixed methods approach, first analyzing fine grained data in the Dallas region to compare levels of accessibility across space. The authors then examine the policy decisions that led to inequitable distribution of financial resources at the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system (DART). Primary causes identified were state authorizing legislation that gave significant power to local member cities, forcing DART to focus its attention on spreading resources across its members, rather than providing services designed to help low income residents access the jobs and services needed to get ahead.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 01 Mar 2019 15:51:19 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1572990</guid></item><item><title>Regional Land Use and Transportation Sustainability: Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and the Art of Nudging Local Governments</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1572553</link><description><![CDATA[California’s Senate Bill (SB) 375 encourages regional land use planning that would reduce automobile-focused development and that would help achieve California commitments to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) from transportation. The state’s metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) must outline a regional land use vision (called the “Sustainable Communities Strategy” or SCS) that would reduce driving and transportation-related GHGs by Californians. Yet, statutory language within SB375 affirms local land use control and tasks regional transportation planning (RTP) bodies, MPOs, with crafting that broader land use vision to guide local governments in a region. Still, it grants MPOs no land use authority to implement the vision. MPO efforts to nudge local governments on implementing more compact land use will grow more important as GHG target-years draw near. This study offers practical lessons about external and internal factors that have led MPOs to advocate for plan implementation and to nudge local governments to do the same. It also considers those MPO features (e.g. institutional layering) that may be included in design principles for these and other coordination institutions imposed in statutes. There is wide variation in MPOs’ data-collection practices and the data and information they seek are subject to bias. Generally, MPOs conduct limited assessment of how recent land-use activities and built-environment changes relate to SB 375. All MPOs update their baseline information regularly for RTP/SCS development, but they seldom systematically assess real-world changes by comparing measures from the current period baseline with the previous baseline using observed (not forecasted) data. These findings suggest there is room for more standardized, possibly statewide monitoring of regions’ progress in implementing more sustainable development patterns, a prospect considered in the paper.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 01 Mar 2019 15:51:02 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1572553</guid></item><item><title>NASEM STUDY: Eliminating Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1571463</link><description><![CDATA[To combat the deadliest, costliest danger on U.S. roads—alcohol-impaired driving—a study committee of the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) identified evidence-based interventions to reduce fatalities caused by alcohol-impaired driving in the United States. The committee embraced Vision Zero, a philosophy in which no alcohol-impaired driving deaths are acceptable and in which each alcohol-impaired driving crash represents a failure of the system, from excessive alcohol service to poor road design to lack of effective policies and enforcement. This article highlights interventions examined in the committee's consensus study, "Getting to Zero Alcohol-Impaired Driving Fatalities". Topics include: Blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) laws, sobriety checkpoints, ignition interlock devices, primary seat belt laws, and Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) vehicle-integrated technology. In addition, forms of transportation such as designated drivers, ridesharing, safe ride programs and public transit are also discussed.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 07 Dec 2018 13:46:14 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1571463</guid></item><item><title>Connected and Automated Vehicle Activities in Canada</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1552783</link><description><![CDATA[Like other countries, Canada is preparing for the vast potential and complex challenges of connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) and the transformative changes in transportation that these vehicles are expected to enable. This article describes the development of national policies, regulatory approaches, and standards to ensure that these vehicles can operate across jurisdictional boundaries in Canada and the United States. Also addressed are research and development to advance CAV technologies; legislative changes to allow automated vehicle (AV) testing on public roads; and collaborative partnerships between public agencies, private companies, and academic institutions to conduct CAV pilot tests. Examples of specific activities and projects being conducted by Provinces, Municipalities, and Universities are also included.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 05 Oct 2018 15:28:03 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1552783</guid></item><item><title>The Self-Driving Car Future</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1516861</link><description><![CDATA[The arrival of self-driving vehicles in coming years is of paramount importance to the longer-term development of transportation network companies (TNCs). This brief article discusses the role of regulation, government oversight, and government policy as self-driving cars and shared self-driving services evolve.]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 29 Jun 2018 10:31:56 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1516861</guid></item><item><title>Driver License Renewal Laws and Older Adults’ Daily Driving, United States, 2003–2015</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1494942</link><description><![CDATA[Aging population has posed significant concerns regarding their transportation safety and mobility. Previous studies in the United States (US) have focused on the effects of driver license renewal laws on crash outcomes among older adults. No study has evaluated the impacts of driver license renewal laws on older adults’ mobility. This study aimed to identify the associations of driver licensing laws with older adults’ (65 years or older) daily driving percentage and time. The 2003 to 2015 American Time Use Survey data were merged with driver license renewal legislation. Adults 40-54 years were the reference group to control for the non-driver-license-renewal-laws effects. The weighted Poisson and linear regressions were used to estimate the associations of various provisions of driver license renewal laws with older adults’ daily privately owned vehicle (POV) driving percentage and daily POV driving times, respectively. A shorter length of driver license renewal period, more frequent mandatory in-person renewal, and reporting laws for physicians were associated with a lower daily driving percentage and time among older adults. This study provides valuable information for policymakers to design license renewal policies to protect older adults from injurious traffic crashes and, meanwhile, preserve their mobility and independence.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 25 Jan 2018 09:35:15 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1494942</guid></item><item><title>Challenges to CV and AV Applications in Truck Freight Operations</title><link>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1479203</link><description><![CDATA[This report documents one of a suite of research projects addressing outstanding issues around connected and automated vehicle (CV/AV) technologies, with particular emphasis on the research, planning and resolutions at state and local transportation agencies needed to evaluate and, where applicable, facilitate successful deployments. This particular project had a modal focus on heavy trucking.  The report identifies existing and emerging freight regulatory, planning, policy, and operational environments and challenges for connected and autonomous truck technologies. The report examines barriers and opportunities that the public and private sector may face when implementing these technologies in freight operations.  In addition, the report explores next steps for addressing the challenges for deployment and adoption.]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 03 Aug 2017 14:50:44 GMT</pubDate><guid>http://pubsindex.trb.org/view/1479203</guid></item></channel></rss>