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News

Read the latest news and press releases from the U.S. DOT Volpe Center below. For news associated with previous administrations, please visit our News Archive.

The U.S. DOT Volpe Center Achieves LEED Platinum Certification

The new U.S. DOT Volpe Center at 220 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA (Dave Burk/Skidmore, Owings & Merrill)
September 5, 2024
The U.S. DOT Volpe Center has been recognized for its high performance in its resiliency and sustainability with a LEED Platinum certification, the highest mark of excellence for sustainability as awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Using Uncrewed Aircraft Systems to Remotely Inspect Tracks and Highway-Rail Grade Crossings

Drone thermal image
July 24, 2024
U.S. DOT’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program awards more than $10 million annually to small businesses to enable research on and development of innovative solutions to our nation’s transportation challenges.

Solving Tomorrow’s Transportation Problems Today

Photo of binary code.
July 22, 2024
The U.S. DOT Volpe Center is supporting U.S. DOT’s innovation priority by investing in purpose-driven research to meet tomorrow’s challenges today.

Funding Innovation through the SMART Grants Program

SMART Grants Program Logo
July 22, 2024
New technologies and innovative approaches can benefit communities if they are used to improve local transportation efficiency and safety.

Working with States and Communities to Build a Convenient, Reliable National EV Charging Network

EV charging station
July 22, 2024
The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States, responsible for one third of all emissions. To address the growing climate crisis and meet the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of a net-zero emissions economy by 2050, it is critical to decarbonize transportation by eliminating nearly all GHG emissions from the sector.

Helping Federal Land Management Agencies Transition to Electric Vehicle Fleets

Helping Federal Land Management Agencies Transition to Electric Vehicle Fleets
May 16, 2024

New electric vehicle (EV) sales nearly doubled in the United States in 2021 compared to sales in any previous year; sales then grew by another two-thirds in 2022 and another 50% in 2023. EV sales will likely reach 30 percent of all new U.S. car sales in 2030 from a roughly 3.5 percent share of new car sales in 2021. In 2023, EV sales accounted for 9.3% of all passenger vehicle sales—all according to Argonne National Library...

Bridge Investment Program Benefit-Cost Analysis Tool

Bridge Investment Program Benefit-Cost Analysis Tool
May 16, 2024

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, commonly referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), was signed into law by the Biden-Harris Administration in November 2021. BIL provides $550 billion in investment funding for infrastructure improvements, including roads, bridges, mass transit, water infrastructure, climate resilience, and expanded broadband. Many new competitive grant programs established by BIL require a benefit-cost analysis (BCA) for submitted infrastructure projects to help U.S. DOT...

Putting Infrastructure Resilience and Innovation to Work

Planners reviewing a planning drawing.
May 14, 2024
The U.S. DOT Volpe Center is advancing U.S. DOT’s goals to put innovation and resilience to work to improve America’s infrastructure.

Estimating the Costs of Rail Delays Due to HAZMAT Incidents

Estimating the Costs of Rail Delays Due to HAZMAT Incidents
May 3, 2024
Rail incidents such as derailments and collisions can have serious impacts in terms of loss of life and damage to equipment and infrastructure. When the rail incident involves hazardous materials (HAZMAT), the consequences can be even more severe. PHMSA, in collaboration with FRA, asked the U.S. DOT Volpe Center to analyze an additional potential impact from HAZMAT rail incidents that was not well understood: the impact on rail operations in terms of delay and associated emissions resulting from a closure. 

Recap: The Advanced Air Mobility Workforce of the Future

Speaker series graphic featuring Laurence Wildgoose, Robin Riedel, Becky Lutte
February 27, 2024

The finale of the U.S. DOT Volpe Center and Federal Aviation Administration’s seven-part thought leadership series, Up, Up and Away, Innovations in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), wrapped up on February 15, 2024. Laurence Wildgoose, Assistant Administrator for Policy, International Affairs, and Environment, FAA, Robin Riedel, Partner, Aerospace and Defense, Travel, Transportation and Logistics, and Sustainability, McKinsey Center for Future Mobility, and Becky Lutte, PhD, Chair of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor...