Funding Constraints Fuel New Paradigms in Federal Transportation Policy
Emil Frankel shared his insight on the significant reforms emerging from MAP-21.
thought leadership
This page shows Department of Transportation content pertaining to a specific tag. If you cannot find what you’re looking for on this page, please use the search box in the top right of our website.
Trucks in Towns: Urban Freight Congestion
Transportation experts are revisiting the problems of freight movement in cities. It is a growing challenge, as the world becomes more urbanized, and growing urban populations demand more deliveries to their own doors. This shifts truck traffic away from centralized destinations, such as stores...
The Walkability Challenge: Measuring the Impact of Health and Environment
Do people who live in more densely populated areas get more physical activity than those who live in sprawling neighborhoods? Is walkability a solution to a number of health problems, both physical and mental? How do you measure the benefits? These relationships are extremely complex, said Dr....
Railroad Trespassing is Risky Business
Some people do dangerous things at railroad crossings. Marco daSilva, a systems safety program manager at Volpe, described how recent work, in support of the Federal Railroad Administration, has captured images of a car whose driver had run the safety gates and stopped only inches from a passing...
Improving Transit Performance with Automated Data Collection Systems
Nigel Wilson relies on the London Underground Oyster card, but not for his daily commute. Wilson uses data from transit fare cards to research and improve transit services in London.
STAMPing Safety into Aviation Practice: Analysis of a U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Mishap
In September 2008, four crew members and a U.S. Coast Guard HH-65 helicopter perished offshore of Oahu, Hawaii, in the aftermath of a night training mission. While practicing a medical evacuation from a small boat, the helicopter's hoist cable tangled in a deck fitting.
Safety Programs Motivate Behavior Change in Truck and Bus Industry
"Safety is number one" at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, said the agency's deputy administrator, Bill Bronrott.
Disaster Recovery: Stay Safe and Train Often
A casual sport shirt and khakis are Terry Sheehan's version of dressing for success. "You have to always be ready—you never know where you might end up," he said. Sheehan, the Regional Emergency Transportation Representative for the U.S. DOT's New England Region, is prepared to be deployed...
Cracked Up—Broken Rails Are Serious Business
Nearly all cracks in rails are hidden—so says Dr. David Jeong, senior mechanical engineer at Volpe, The National Transportation Systems Center. Jeong and his colleagues, in support of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), have been examining the mechanics of metal fatigue and crack growth...
Resilient Infrastructure Can Take a Licking and Keep On Ticking
"Overcoming adversity used to be part of the American DNA. Can we build that back into our national character?" It's more than a philosophical question for Stephen Flynn, co-founder of the George J. Kostas Research Institute for Homeland Security and professor of political science at...