The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center published 68 reports and conference papers in 2015 spanning a myriad of transportation research topics. These reports are housed in the National Transportation Library and are listed below by topic areas.

View the 2015 research topic areas and download copies of Volpe’s transportation resources. You can also search Volpe’s full collection of reports, journal articles, and conference presentations and papers through the Volpe Technical Resource Center.

Aviation – Human Factors

Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) 2015 Industry Survey
Danielle Hiltunen, Stephanie G. Chase, Andrew Kendra, Young Jin Jo

Flightcrew Procedures for Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC)
Tracy Lennertz, Kim Cardosi

Identifying Representative Symbology for Low Visibility Operations/Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (LVO/SMGCS) Paper Charts
Andrea L. Sparko, Stephanie G. Chase

NextGen Flight Deck Data Comm: Auxiliary Synthetic Speech Phase II
Tracy Lennertz, Andrea L. Sparko, Amanda Mattson, Judith Burki-Cohen

Economic Analysis

Benefits and Costs of Programmatic Agreements
Gregory Bucci, Lydia Rainville

Energy & Environment – Alternative Fuels

Alternative Fuel Transportation Optimization Tool: Description, Methodology, and Demonstration Scenarios
Kristin C. Lewis, Gary M. Baker, Matthew N. Pearlson, Olivia Gillham, Scott Smith, Stephen Costa, Peter Herzig

Energy & Environment – Aviation Environmental Design Tool

Rotorcraft Performance Model (RPM) for Use in AEDT
David A. Senzig, Eric R. Boeker

Energy & Environment – Noise Assessments

Behind Start of Take-Off Roll Aircraft Sound Level Directivity Study - Revision 1
Michael C. Lau, Christopher J. Roof, Gregg G. Fleming, Amanda S. Rapoza, Eric R. Boeker, David A. McDurdy, Kevin P. Shepherd

DISCOVER-AQ Acoustics: Measurement and Data Report
Eric Boeker, Jordan Cumper, Amanda Rapoza, Chris Cutler, Noah Schultz, Joyce Rosenbaum, Robert Samiljan, Christopher Roof, Kevin Shepherd, Jacob Klos, Hua He, Brandon Harper, Pamela Nwokeji

Energy & Environment – Surface Transportation

Review and Analysis of Potential Safety Impacts of and Regulatory Barriers to Fuel Efficiency Technologies and Alternative Fuels in Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles
Aviva Brecher, Alexander K. Epstein, Andrew Breck

Study on Improving Rail Energy Efficiency (E2): Best Practices and Strategies
Aviva Brecher, Melissa Shurland

Evaluation

Integrated Corridor Management Transit Vehicle Real-Time Data Demonstration: Dallas Case Study
Lee Biernbaum, Paul Minnice

Motor Carrier Safety

FMCSA Safety Program Effectiveness Measurement: Carrier Intervention Effectiveness Model, Version 1.0, Summary Report for Fiscal Years 2009, 2010, 2011
Eran Segev, Neil Meltzer

Truck Sideguards for Vision Zero: Review and Technical Recommendations for Safe Fleet Transition Plan Pilot Deployment
Alexander K. Epstein, Sean Peirce, Andrew Breck, Coralie Cooper, Eran Segev

Truck Side Guard Technical Overview: Safety and Operational Considerations
John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)

Railroad Safety – Crashworthiness

Accident Report of Chicago Metra Commuter Train Derailment on September 17, 2005
Kristine Severson, Dan Parent

Full-Scale Dynamic Testing of Locomotive Crashworthy Components
Patricia Llana, Richard Stringfellow

High-Speed Curving Performance of Rail Vehicles
Brian Marquis, Robert Greif

Liquefied Natural Gas Tender Crashworthiness Research
David Tyrell

Locomotive Crash Energy Management Test Plans
Patricia Llana

Results of a Conventional Fuel Tank Blunt Impact Test
Karina Jacobsen, Michael Carolan

Railroad Safety – Grade Crossing

Highway-Rail Intersection Crash Taxonomy for Connected Vehicle Safety Research
Adrian Hellman, Gabriel Lopez-Bernal

Preliminary Analysis of LED Enhanced Signs at a Passive Rural Level Crossing
Adrian D. Hellman, Aaron Lamplugh

Railroad Safety – Human Factors

An Investigation of Passing Stop Signals at a Passenger Railroad
Hadar Safer, Jordan Multer, Emilie Roth

Passenger Train Emergency Systems: Single-Level Commuter Rail Car Egress Experiments
Stephanie H. Markos, John K. Pollard

Railroad Signal Color and Orientation: Effects of Color Blindness and Criteria for Color Vision Field Tests
Thomas G. Raslear, Jordan Multer

Railroad Safety – Safety Culture

Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS) Lessons Learned Team Baseline Phase Report
Joyce M. Ranney, Melinda Davey, Jonathan Morell, Thomas Raslear

Continued Improvements at One C3RS Site
Joyce Ranney, Thomas G. Raslear

An Evaluation of Safety Culture Initiatives at BNSF Railway
Michael Coplen, Cassandra Cantu

Railroad Safety – Track

Finite Element Bond Models for Seven-Wire Prestressing Strands in Concrete Crossties
Hailing Yu, David Y. Jeong

Load Environment of Rail Joint Bars – Phase III Assessment of the Effects of Installation and Maintenance Practices
Jay Baillargeon, David Y. Jeong, Muhammad Akhtar, Curt Mademann, David Davis

Railroad Safety – Trespass Prevention

2015 ROW Fatality & Trespass Prevention Workshop
James A. Harrison

Evaluation of FRA Trespass Prevention Research Study
Aaron Jette, David Damm-Luhr, Joyce Ranney

High-Security Fencing for Rail Right-of-Way Applications: Current Use and Best Practices
Kathryn Stanchak, Frank Foderaro, Marco daSilva

Spectrum Certification

AN/UPX-41(C) Digital Interrogator System Compatibility with the National Airspace System: Chesapeake Fixed-Base Test
Miles Bellman, Pratik Gandhi, Allen Mackey, Thomas Pagano, Vaibhav Shah, John Van Dongen, Leo Wapelhorst

AN/UPX-41(C) IFF Interrogator Compatibility with the National Airspace System: Top-Level Test Plan Chesapeake Fixed-Base Experiment
Miles Bellman, Pratik Gandhi, Michael Geyer, Allen Mackey, Vaibhav Shah

AN/UPX-41(C) Test Data Analysis of Impacts to Secondary Surveillance Radars
Miles Bellman, Pratik Gandhi, Vaibhav Shah

Interim Update to the AN/UPX-41(C) Spectrum Certification Conditions (SPS-18778/1)
Miles Bellman, Thomas Pagano, Vaibhav Shah

Sustainability

Climate Change Adaptation Support for Transportation Practitioners: 2013 Volpe Center Innovation Challenge Project
Jon Cybulski, Kristin Lewis, Kevin McCoy, Ben Rasmussen

Integrating Climate Change in Transportation and Land Use Scenario Planning: An Example from Central New Mexico
Benjamin K. Rasmussen, James Andrew, Erica Simmons, Alex Epstein, Paige Colton, David Daddio

International Practices on Climate Adaptation in Transportation: Findings from a Virtual Review
Gina Filosa, Alexandra Oster

Potential Climate Change Impacts and the BLM Rio Puerco Field Office's Transportation System: A Technical Report
Erica Simmons, Paige Colton, Alexander Epstein, Benjamin Rasmussen

Technology Transfer

2015 OST-R Transportation Technology Scan: A Look Ahead
Elizabeth Machek, Joseph Stanford, Stephanie Fischer, Kara Canty, Brian Dechambeau, Gary Ritter

Transportation and the Economy: A Volpe Thought Leadership Series
Bahar Barami, Clark Merrefield, Ellen Bell

Transportation Planning – Economic Analysis

Evaluating the Economic Benefits of Nonmotorized Transportation: Case Studies and Methods for the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program Communities
Erica Simmons, Michael Kay, Amy Ingles, Monisha Khurana, Margueritte Sulmont, William Lyons

Metropolitan Planning Organizations and Transportation Planning for Megaregions
Haley Peckett, William M. Lyons, David Daddio

Performance-Based Planning for Small Metropolitan Areas
William Lyons, James Andrew, Logan Nash

Review of State DOT Approaches to Distribute Federal Metropolitan Planning (PL) Funds to MPOs
William M. Lyons, Catherine Duffy

The Secret to Making Federal Tax Dollars Work for Your State
Clark Merrefield, Susan Smichenko, Gerry Flood

Synchronizing Environmental Reviews for Transportation and Other Infrastructure Projects: 2015 Red Book
John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)

Transportation Planning – Freight

National Multimodal Freight Analysis Framework Research Workshop: Workshop Summary Report, December 11, 2013
Andrew Berthaume, Tom Morton

Transportation Planning – Public Lands

Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Maryland: Traffic Safety Plan
Susan Smichenko, Michelle Maffeo, Ryan Yowell

Gateway Arch Circulator Conceptual Feasibility Study: Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
Patrick Shea, Patty Sacks, Scott Lian, Heather Richardson

Isle Royale National Park Transportation Study
Frances Fisher, Daniel Mannheim, Bob Pray, Katie Lamoureux, Peter Carter, Caitlin Bettisworth

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area: Confluence Area Shuttle Plan
Jared Fijalkowski, Jonathan Frazier, Ben Rasmussen

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area: Shuttle Market Analysis
Heather Richardson, Jonathan Frazier, Ben Rasmussen

National Alternative Transportation Evaluation (NATE): Overview of Data and Trends for Alternative Transportation in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)

Transportation Planning – Transit

Cross-Modal Project Prioritization: A TPCB Peer Exchange
Scott Middleton

Establishing and Integrating Performance Measures: A TPCB Peer Exchange
Scott Middleton

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge: Transit Planning Study
Elisa Kropat, Scott Lian, Haley Peckett, Ryan Yowell

NPS National Transit Inventory and Performance Report, 2014
David Daddio, Lauren Deaderick, Jessica Baas, Eric Burkman, Heather Richardson, Chris Timmel, Scott Lian, Alex Linthicum

Performance-Based Planning and Programming in the Context of MAP-21: A TPCB Workshop
Scott Middleton, Terry Regan

Transit Feasibility Analysis and Recommendations: Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest Transportation System Alternatives Study
Haley Peckett, Benjamin Rasmussen

Vehicle-to-Vehicle Technology

Benefits Estimation Framework for Automated Vehicle Operations
Scott Smith, Jeffrey Bellone, Stephen Bransfield, Amy Ingles, George Noel, Erin Reed, Mikio Yanagisawa

Dynamic Mobility Application Policy Analysis: Policy and Institutional Issues for Integrated Dynamic Transit Operations (IDTO)
Caitlin Bettisworth, Josh Hassol, Cynthia Maloney, Amy Sheridan, Suzanne Sloan

Dynamic Mobility Application Policy Analysis: Policy and Institutional Issues for Multi-Modal Intelligent Traffic Signal System (MMITSS)
Caitlin Bettisworth, Josh Hassol, Cynthia Maloney, Amy Sheridan, Suzanne Sloan

Dynamic Mobility Application Policy Analysis: Policy and Institutional Issues for Response, Emergency Staging and Communications, Uniform Management, and Evacuation (R.E.S.C.U.M.E)
Caitlin Bettisworth, Josh Hassol, Cynthia Maloney, Amy Sheridan, Suzanne Sloan

Independent Evaluation of the Transit Retrofit Package Safety Applications: Final Report
Emily Nodine, Scott Stevens, Wassim G. Najm, Chris Jackson, Andy Lam