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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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    <language>en-us</language>
    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
    <image>
      <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
      <url>https://rip.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle-RIP.jpg</url>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
    </image>
    <item>
      <title>Addressing Mobility-Related Challenges for AAPI Older Adults</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2550452</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will use qualitative and quantitative research methods to better understand mobility-related challenges for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) older adults in order to provide government agencies and organizations such as National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) with recommendations for policy and program changes to pursue. Older adults are typically defined as people aged 55 or older. Programs and policies aimed at encouraging and keeping people healthy, independent, and mobile as they age are based on research and real-life experiences. While the real-life experiences of each person differ, the aging process affects hearing, eyesight, reaction times, balance, and overall ability to engage with and be mobile in their environment. Mobility is typically dependent on transportation options available, including walking, public transportation, various motor vehicles, and cycling. Each option comes with a set of 'providers' including oneself (in the case of walking), family members, public agencies, and private providers. One of the goals of ensuring an older adult continues to have transportation options and mobility is to maintain their life-space mobility, the ability of an older adult to navigate within their community for daily needs. Many factors, such as the built environment and transportation options available and accessible, affect an older adult's life-space mobility. Further, race, ethnicity, economic status, locale, and family composition affect a person's mobility. A few life-space mobility studies go beyond the typical assessment of an older adult's physical ability, determining how the built environment affects mobility, and even suggest transportation policies for older adults. While some AAPI older adults may be included in the research, there is a lack of studies specifically focusing on older AAPI adults, especially factoring in the added safety risk related to Asian hate, which creates additional barriers to transportation and mobility. AAPIs have been the fastest-growing ethnic group in California since 2000, accounting for a significant portion of the state's labor force. Nationwide, the AAPI community will increase to 11 percent of people 65 years and older in the United States by 2050. The transportation and mobility of older AAPI adults is hindered by a range of challenges. These include, but are not limited to, issues such as limited access to private vehicles and public transit, traffic safety and public security concerns, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as language, cultural, and technology barriers.

Since transportation and mobility can be limited for older adults, this project will focus on those 55 and older, recognizing the need to identify subgroups of older adults for whom the difference may be significant. The research will study transportation and mobility for AAPI older adults in the Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area in California. The research will fill an existing gap within the academic community on the travel behavior of AAPI older adults. The project will include a literature review and a survey with selected follow-up interviews to develop a report with recommendations for government agencies and organizations such as NAPCA to address the transportation and mobility needs of older AAPI people. The project will develop a survey to gain much-needed details on the daily experiences of AAPI older adults in Southern California. Survey research is a well-respected and much-used method to reach many people, especially when offered online effectively. We plan to use a mixed-methods approach, i.e., obtain both quantitative and qualitative information from respondents. The team will carefully design the survey to be understandable in multiple languages and reduce the likelihood of bias. 
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 06 May 2025 16:20:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2550452</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Equity Issues in Electronic Vehicle Adoption</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2459050</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Electronic vehicles (EVs) offer many environmental and economic benefits. It also has the potential to reduce traffic congestion. For example, the future integration of autonomous EVs has the potential to significantly impact traffic congestion by optimizing traffic flow, reducing accidents, and improving road utilization efficiency. As the adoption of EVs continues to spread, the resource imbalance in different aspects has hindered it from reaching many people, especially low-income and minority groups. This research proposal aims to investigate the equity challenges associated with EV adoption, focusing on socio-economic disparities, infrastructure accessibility, policy analysis, and potential solutions to foster inclusive EV adoption.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 21 Nov 2024 17:06:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2459050</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Data, Metrics, and Analytic Tools for Assessing Impacts of Surface Transportation Funding Programs</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2410388</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project was canceled on January 29, 2025, as a result of two Presidential Executive Orders: Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing (January 20, 2025) and Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity (January 21, 2025).
 ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 29 Jul 2024 18:42:22 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2410388</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Practices. Topic SA-63. How Transit Operator Health and Wellbeing Affects Workforce Strength</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2410394</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Public transit agencies are facing significant operator workforce shortages that was only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The lower-than-normal hiring and retention rates, coupled with an aging workforce and stressors affecting operators’ physical and mental health are the leading factors contributing the workforce shortage conundrum. Research finds that transit operators are experiencing adverse impacts on health and wellbeing given the demands and stressors of the occupation. According to an article published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, exposure to work‐related psychosocial hazards is projected to become a major occupational health and safety threat. There is an urgent call to address work‐related psychosocial hazards and improve worker well‐being.

Increased probabilities of poor health outcomes for transit operators may be tied to the larger health disparities. These factors are contributing to the operator recruitment and retention phenomenon, in which transit agencies are starting to pilot innovative approaches aimed at reducing the stresses associated with role. A few examples include alternative scheduling approaches, new classifications of leave time that allow for recovery following trauma exposure, and material benefits such as childcare supports. While these approaches are in a novel stage, there is minimal research exploring the relationship between operator health, the health risks associated with being a transit operator, and how actual or proposed workforce solutions consider these issues. 

The purpose of this synthesis is to better understand how exposure to psychosocial hazards impact operators’ health and wellbeing. This synthesis shall identify strategies transit agencies are employing to reduce the risk of adverse impacts on operator health and well-being.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 29 Jul 2024 15:58:55 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2410394</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Refining C3 Context-classification Criteria for Low-income and Minority Populations</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2404176</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This study seeks to refine the guidance for C3 corridors to account for the unique vulnerabilities of lower-income and minority populations. The three primary objectives include 1. The identification of contextual factors that may place lower-income pedestrians and bicyclists at increased risk along C3 corridors. 2. Estimation of the relative effects that specific features of C3 corridors have on crash incidence, thereby allowing for the prioritization of safety-related countermeasures. 3. The identification of threshold values that may serve to trigger a reconsideration of design treatments along C3 corridors.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 18 Jul 2024 11:12:55 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2404176</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Spatiotemporal Trends in Pedestrian Crashes</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2325688</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Spatiotemporal Trends in Pedestrian Crashes is a study conducted by researchers from the University of Maine (UMaine) and the University of Connecticut (UConn), in collaboration with the Maine and Connecticut Departments of Transportation. The project aims to understand the factors contributing to the rising number of pedestrian fatalities and injuries in the United States, including the 7,388 pedestrian fatalities recorded in 2021—a 13% increase from the previous year.

This research focuses on identifying patterns in pedestrian crashes and the role of community and infrastructure-related factors in crash outcomes. The study will utilize econometrics and machine learning tools to analyze pedestrian crash data in Maine and Connecticut, with particular attention to rural and geographically dispersed areas.

The research plan includes defining the appropriate scale for analysis, collecting relevant data on population, community characteristics, and infrastructure variables, and applying clustering algorithms and statistical models to uncover trends and contributing factors in pedestrian collisions. The findings will support efforts to improve pedestrian safety by addressing key risk factors and identifying priority areas for intervention.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 22 Jan 2024 09:42:28 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2325688</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Identification and Elimination of Barriers to Technology Transfer at HBCUs and MSIs
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2259943</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Technology Transfer can be a revenue stream for institutions of higher learning, but Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) face a variety of commercialization challenges when compared to their non-MSI counterparts. This research project proposes using the NSF I-Corps methodology to identify barriers and challenges in technology transfer experienced by HBCUs, MSIs and non-MSI universities. New training workshops will be developed and tested to overcome these obstacles. Questionnaires and structured interviews with faculty and administrators from HBCUs, MSIs and non-MSI institutions will be used to gain insights into specific transportation technology transfer challenges.
A semiquantitative design using a representative sample of HBCUs, MSIs and non-MSIs will be used to identify common themes and challenges associated with transportation technology transfer. A curriculum based on the NSF I-Corps model of experiential learning will be developed, focusing on training academicians in customer discovery to navigate barriers and de-risk technology commercialization.
The project aims to empower innovation and technology transfer at universities and seeks to advance transportation infrastructure solutions, foster sustainability, and resilience in the face of challenges. The effectiveness of the curriculum will be piloted and tested in selected institutions, the number of invention disclosures and patents filed as evaluation criteria. Dissemination of research findings and program outcomes through academic publications, conference presentations, and workshops will promote wider adoption and awareness of the successful approach.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 04 Oct 2023 12:34:07 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2259943</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Smart Transportation Technology Workshop</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2244378</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) is one of the eight national hubs in the Apple Inc funded HBCU C2 program, which is a national teaching and learning initiative that empowers any HBCU to bring coding and creativity experiences and program opportunities to their home campus and community. This program involves all the 108 HBCUs in America. The research team proposes that this Transportation Research Center will utilize this platform to reach out to the entire community of institutions of higher learning for the following activities: (1)  Host summer workshops to discuss and address the emerging smart transportation technology and new demands, thus attracting minorities to study/work in the transportation area. (2) Develop inter-discipline smart transportation course modules that can be imbedded in related courses in Civil & Environmental Engineering, Computer Science, and Computer Engineering.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 13 Sep 2023 13:01:39 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2244378</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>SPR-4805:  The Development of a Comprehensive Training and Toolkit for Recruitment and Retention of Women and Racial Minorities in the Heavy Highway Industry</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2238856</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will take INDOT’s current affirmative action data and develop a comprehensive training and toolkit for recruitment and retention of women and racial minorities in the heavy highway industry.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 31 Aug 2023 16:47:08 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2238856</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Understanding How Marginalized Genders Travel Using NJ Transit</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2132217</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Through this project, New Jersey Transit (NJ TRANSIT) seeks to understand how women, girls, and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer plus community, sometimes referred to as Sexual and Gender Minorities (SGMs) travel on NJ TRANSIT so the agency can provide better accommodations for all customers, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. While women and SGMs may face 
common socio-economic and structural barriers regarding travel needs, each demographic may face their own unique challenges and ultimate solutions may be different. The goal for this research project is to gather and analyze identity-specific data that reflects how women and SGMs travel that can be incorporated into future planning and decision-making. The objectives of this research are to: (1) identify and understand the mobility barriers, challenges, and concerns that women, girls, and SGMs face when using NJ TRANSIT; (2) develop recommendations on what can be done to address the concerns, challenges, and needs of women, girls, and SGM riders so changes can be incorporated into the design of both public transportation infrastructure, such as bus stops, train and light rail stations, as well as rolling stock; (3) identify ways to improve safety for women, girls, and SGMs; and (4) improve customer-facing employee training to better understand how to serve these populations without bias or discrimination and with an understanding of the unique needs of these populations.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Mar 2023 10:36:18 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2132217</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Access to Food in a Severe Prolonged Disruption: The Case of Grocery and Meal Shopping During the COVID-19 Pandemic</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2087516</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the fault lines in society. Whether it be remote work, remote learning, online shopping, grocery and meal deliveries, or medical care, there are disparities and inequities among socio-economic and demographic groups that leave some segments of society more vulnerable and less adaptable. This project aims to identify vulnerable and less adaptable groups in the context of access to food. Using a comprehensive behavioral survey data set collected during the height of the pandemic in 2020, this project aims to provide insights on the groups that may have experienced food access vulnerability during the disruption when businesses and establishments were restricted, the risk of contagion was high, and accessing online platforms required technology-savviness and the ability to afford delivery charges. The project proposes and presents estimation results for a simultaneous equations model of six endogenous choice variables defined by a combination of two food types (groceries and meals) and three access modalities (in-person, online with in-person pickup, and online with delivery). The model estimation results show that attitudes and perceptions play a significant role in shaping pandemic-era access modalities. The model revealed that, even after controlling for a host of attitudinal indicators, minorities, low-income individuals, and individuals residing in rural low-density areas are particularly vulnerable to being left behind and experiencing challenges in accessing food during a severe and prolonged disruption. Social programs should aim to provide these vulnerable groups with tools and financial resources to leverage online activity engagement and access modalities.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 21 Dec 2022 12:17:42 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2087516</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Equitable Workforce Outcomes: A Study of Women and Minority Representation at Airports</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2007985</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP)’s recent Insight Event on Systemic Inequalities in the Airport Industry highlighted that, while many United States airports are striving to address diversity, equity, and inclusion, there remain considerable challenges. One key challenge is the lack of robust data. For example, analysis of demographic information (e.g., gender, race/ethnicity, career stage) of U.S. airport employees would provide valuable insight into women and minority participation in different airport occupations. The data could be used to highlight the areas of greatest concern and as benchmarks that could allow the industry to measure its progress over time.
Airports also would benefit from resources and tools that would help them address challenges such as recruitment, retention, promotion, and wage disparities for women and minorities. Some airports have had success implementing initiatives that aim to support their employees and close the gender and racial wage gaps in their organizations. A better understanding of those initiatives could motivate other airports to take similar steps.
OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this research are: (1) to identify and evaluate the current state of women and minority representation among direct employees of U.S. airports, and (2) to use the information collected to develop resources and tools to address potential issues identified including, but not limited to, recruitment, retention, promotion, and wage disparity. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 16 Aug 2022 14:28:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2007985</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Student Leadership Summit – University Transportation Centers Open Competition</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1741271</link>
      <description><![CDATA[There is a need to increase the number of students interested in transportation. This
grant will provide support to the KU ITE Student Chapter with direct support to plan
and host the Midwestern and Great Lakes Districts Student Leadership Summit to be
held in Fall 2020. Further, this grant will provide support for the KU ITE Student
Chapter's regular annual activities including travel to the Midwestern district meeting
and support for monthly chapter meetings. Additionally, this grant will provide direct
funding to the School of Engineer’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to
attract and retain talented minority students in engineering.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 07 Mar 2022 17:39:32 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1741271</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Incorporating Equity in the Transportation Planning Process</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1906740</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will focus on incorporating equity into the planning process, the resulting recommendations, and final decisions. The project team's goal is to influence transportation decision making in a way that results in more equitable transportation facilities and services. The compounding of past transportation decisions, in many instances have contributed to a disproportionate environmental and health impacts in overburdened communities and vulnerable populations. One way the project team proposes to accomplish this is by identifying areas in which past WSDOT transportation decisions have negatively affected minorities and low-income populations in Washington state. By identifying places and communities that have been historically disproportionately affected it is the goal to then be able to provide some actionable mitigation measures in future planning processes and products for these communities. In order to ensure transportation decisions are innocuous and will not disproportionately affect overburdened communities and vulnerable populations, it is important to identify and understand transportation related “leading indicators”.  Acknowledging the “community is the expert” in defining such “leading indicators”, the research will engage the community in the collaborative development of primary measures.   Based on the list of adverse impacts and transportation “leading indicators", provide a list of possible practical strategies that should be considered, evaluated, and incorporated in statewide, regional, and corridor planning products leading to future implementation. 

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 27 Jan 2022 14:40:14 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1906740</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Interactions Between Automated Vehicles and Pedestrians and Bicyclists: A Literature Review</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1888388</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will provide information on behavioral safety considerations surrounding interactions between automated vehicles (AVs) and pedestrians and bicyclists so that NHTSA can develop countermeasure programs to help reduce the number of pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and fatalities.  A literature review will be conducted to investigate the current knowledge surrounding safety considerations for pedestrians and bicyclists when interacting with AVs. As a whole, the body of automated vehicle research is rapidly expanding; however, details of safety and interactions of pedestrians and bicyclists with AVs are limited. Some of the safety issues to consider when looking at these interactions include, but are not limited to,
detection problems on the part of the AV, lack of communication of intent between AVs (e.g., lights and signals, passenger-carrying and non-passenger-carrying) and pedestrians and bicyclists (e.g., gestures and facial expressions), right of way laws that differ by jurisdiction and State, pedestrians and bicyclists feeling more confident of AV movements (leading to both positive and negative outcomes - more walking/bicycling, maneuvering into traffic, over-trust of AVs, hostility/gaming), and traffic flow and pattern changes (e.g., more congestion, pedestrians crossing at unspecified locations).
Alternate (from duplicate) abstract: 
The focus of this project is synthesizing the role of vehicle automation as it relates to pedestrian and bicycle safety, with specific attention to the wide spectrum of pedestrians and bicyclists and their behaviors. This includes older pedestrians, children, people using canes and other assistive mobility devices, people with cognitive and sensory disabilities, people using micromobility devices, as well as often marginalized groups such as low-income populations, women, Black, Indigenous, and people of color. The review will identify, assess, and synthesize current literature and research on behavioral safety considerations surrounding interactions between AVs and pedestrians and bicyclists as well as research gaps. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 26 Oct 2021 14:47:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1888388</guid>
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