Transformation at Work: Examples of Success
We work with diverse stakeholders to share noteworthy practices and accelerate the adoption of innovations and technologies. Here are some examples of that work:
Cooperative Automation Research Mobility Applications (CARMA) – Developed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the CARMASM Program uses a multimodal approach to encourage collaborative research on the technology, open source tools, and frameworks poised to improve transportation system mobility, safety, and efficiency. The CARMA Program is leading research on cooperative driving automation (CDA), leveraging emerging capabilities in automation and cooperation to advance transportation systems management and operations (TSMO) strategies.
Every Day Counts (EDC) – EDC is a State-based model that identifies and rapidly deploys proven, yet underutilized innovations that make our transportation system adaptable, sustainable, equitable and safer for all. Proven innovations promoted through EDC facilitate greater efficiency at the State, Local and Tribal levels, saving time, money, and resources to ensure our infrastructure is built better, faster, and smarter.
Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Office of Research, Development, and Technology (RD&T) located at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) – A federally owned and operated national research facility that houses 15 laboratories, support facilities, and data sets; and conducts applied and exploratory advanced research in vehicle-highway interaction, and a host of other types of transportation research in safety, pavements, highway structures and bridges, human-centered systems, operations and intelligent transportation systems, and materials.
Federal Transit Authority (FTA) Mobility on Demand Sandbox Program – Developed to help communities nationwide incorporate the latest technology into their public transit services, with the goal of making them more effective, efficient, and equitable. Urban, suburban, and rural communities alike will benefit from better first and last mile connections, improved paratransit services, smart congestion management, and more.
Highly Automated Systems Safety Center of Excellence (HASS COE) – HASS COE brings together talent and expertise from across the Department of Transportation to centralize and deepen DOT's expertise in automation and human factors, computer science, data analytics, machine learning, sensor technology, and other technologies involving automated systems.
Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility Grants – Access and Mobility Partnership Grants seek to improve access to public transportation by building partnerships among health, transportation, and other service providers. This program provides competitive funding to support innovative projects for the transportation disadvantaged that will improve the coordination of transportation services and non-emergency medical transportation services.
Intelligent Transportation System Complete Trip: ITS4US – The Complete Trip - ITS4US Deployment Program is a $40 million multimodal effort, led by the ITS JPO and supported by OST, FHWA, and FTA to identify ways to provide more efficient, affordable, and accessible transportation options for underserved communities that often face greater challenges in accessing essential services. The program aims to solve mobility challenges for all travelers with a specific focus on underserved.
Non-Traditional and Emerging Transportation Technology (NETT) Council - the NETT Council was established by DOT Order 1120.34 in December 2018 as an internal DOT vetting body for new and emerging transportation technologies that are not yet established enough to fit into obvious modal categories or require new policy approaches.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program – The U.S. DOT is one of 11 federal agencies that participates in the SBIR program. U.S. DOT's highly competitive SBIR program awards contracts to domestic small businesses to pursue research on and develop innovative solutions to our nation’s transportation challenges.
Strategic Transit Automation Research (STAR) Plan – Advancements in technology are rapidly transforming the transportation system and provide the potential to improve transit systems. To support the development and deployment of automated bus transit services, FTA has developed a five-year Strategic Transit Automation Research (STAR) Plan that outlines FTA’s research agenda on transit bus automation technologies.
Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program - The SMART program was established to provide grants to eligible public sector agencies to conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced smart community technologies and systems in order to improve transportation efficiency and safety.
The Transforming Transportation Advisory Committee (TTAC) - TTAC is being established to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary about needs, objectives, plans, and approaches for transportation innovation.
University Transportation Centers (UTCs) – The congressionally mandated program awards and administers grants to consortia of colleges and universities across the United States. The UTC Program advances the state-of-the-art in transportation research and technology and develops the next generation of transportation professionals.