California University Transportation Centers

University of California, Berkeley - University of California Transportation Center

University of California, Berkeley

The University of California Transportation Center (UCTC), with financial support from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), invites proposals from University of California faculty for research during the next academic year. Proposals must address the UCTC’s theme, “Transportation Systems Analysis and Policy”. Research may be in any discipline. The UCTC funds research on surface transportation but wil consider proposals on air or maritime transportation topics that have significant surface transportation components. Research is structured to address pressing issues centered on the theme of transportation systems analysis and policy.

California State University, San Jose - Mineta Transportation Institute

California State University, San Jose

The Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) stresses policy research in distinction to technical research. Research activities are oriented toward improving aspects of the development and operations of the nation’s surface transportation systems, improving transportation decision-making, and ensuring the United States continued global competitiveness. MTI is also committed to ensuring that its research products are of practical, not theoretical–a value to transportation officials and practitioners.

The areas of emphasis that provide a framework for MTI research projects are as follows:

• Safety and security of transportation systems
• Interrelationships among transportation, land use, the environment, and the economy
• Financing of both public and private sector transportation improvements
• Transportation decision-making and consensus building
• Transportation planning and policy development
• Intermodal connectivity and integration
• Sustainability of transportation systems
• Collaborative labor-management issues and strategies

In addition, proposed research should be responsive to the strategic objectives of the U.S. Department of Transportation (Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Highway Administration) and Caltrans.

University of Southern California, METRANS University Transportation Center

University of Southern California

The theme of the National Center for Metropolitan Research (METRANS) is transportation within large metropolitan areas. METRANS is developing and examining solutions to the transportation problems of major metropolitan areas using an integrated approach that blends engineering, policy, planning, business administration, and public administration expertise. Within the context of large metropolitan areas, METRANS is addressing national transportation issues such as advance transportation technologies, urban transportation research, transportation infrastructure technologies, intermodal efficiency, and transportation and the environment. METRANS is also a national resource for information on solutions to metropolitan transportation research problems.

The UTC conducts research in four topical areas: goods movement and international trade, urban mobility, infrastructure, and safety and security. All are oriented specifically to metropolitan transportation problems. It addresses many modes: highway (freight and passenger), rail (freight and passenger), bus transit, and non-motorized (pedestrian and bike). METRANS also addresses surface transportation linkages with ports, airports, and inter-modal facilities. It often uses the Los Angeles Region as a laboratory and for education programs reflecting an urban perspective in approach and subject matter.

University of California, Davis – Sustainable Transportation Center

University of California, Davis

The Sustainable Transportation Center (STC) program at the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis (ITS-Davis) has selected research proposals for funding through the Faculty Research Grant programs. This process has led to a program of research projects in the area of sustainable transportation that address the concerns of transportation agencies while meeting the most rigorous academic standards.

The scope of the STC encompasses many high-priority research awards identified by DOT and others, particularly those related to Planning and Environment; Policy Analysis, Planning, and Systems Monitoring; and Operations and Mobility. Specific areas of interest include:

• Advanced Research
  Advanced research is defined as “research that involves and draws upon basic research results to provide a better understanding of phenomena and develop innovative solutions.” The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) defines several focus areas for advanced research in a 4/11/06 memo, including: human-vehicle, infrastructure interactions; improved understanding of human, community, and social systems relating to transportation; improved understanding of demographic and social trends, including impact of aging society.
• Congestion Chokepoints
  In contrast, this priority initiative aims for near-term improvements in congestions. Addressing congestion within the context of sustainable transportation requires a consideration of strategies beyond capacity expansion and operational improvements. Travel demand management strategies, for example, can help to reduce peak-period travel demand and help to provide alternatives to single-occupant vehicle trips.

California State University, San Bernardino – Leonard University Transportation Center

California State Univesity, San Bernardino

The Leonard Transportation Center, with financial support from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), invites proposals from faculty for research during the next academic year. Proposals should address as least one of the focus areas: Delivery, Stewardship, Goods Movement, Mobility, Transportation Finance, and Public Transit; while also addressing the Center's theme: Decision Making and Management of Transportation Systems. The center will advertise the request for proposals (RFP) in the fall of 2007. The Center’s Strategic Plan calls for a research program with two components: “Field-Initiated” research and “Needs-Based Research. The “Small Grant” program, for which the center funded thirteen grants totaling $64,000 meets the criteria for the “Field-Based” Research and provides rather great flexibility to each submitter to define the topic areas. It is envisioned that the “Needs-Based” Research program would fund a limited number of larger grants ($35,000 to $50,000) and furthermore that the Center would be quite definitive about the focus and scope of these grants.