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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
    <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
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    <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>
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    <item>
      <title>A Performance- and Cost-Based Framework to Evaluate the Value of Multimodal Logistics Infrastructure</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2703796</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project develops a practical, data-driven framework to evaluate the value of logistics infrastructure in a multimodal freight region. Focusing on the St. Louis metropolitan area, the framework integrates freight performance measurement with generalized logistics cost modeling to translate travel time, reliability, and terminal access improvements into economic outcomes. Methods include assembling a regional freight network representation, computing corridor-level travel time and variability metrics, and applying scenario-based valuation to estimate marginal benefits of targeted investments. The project also includes a private-sector truck–rail–barge use case to quantify multimodal tradeoffs and assess the competitiveness of inland waterway transportation under alternative infrastructure scenarios. The resulting workflow provides agencies and regional partners with transparent, repeatable methods to support freight investment prioritization and decision-making.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 16 May 2026 11:52:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2703796</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Decision Support for Dynamic Risks: Determinants of Model Adoption</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2703696</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Since the COVID-19 pandemic, significant supply chain disruptions continue to impact the U.S. economy and have negative impact on transportation networks. Sudden changes in demand or freight availability contribute to increased volatility in freight prices. In turn, volatile freight rates impact the management of transportation networks and increase the difficulty of decision making. This research addresses this problem through the development of decision support tools to proactively respond to initial indicators that predict changes in driver availability and freight cost with the goal of supporting enhanced, early actions to mitigate the risk of disruptions and promote safer transportation network operations.
Work on related prior projects has underscored the importance of forecasting sources of risk to improve the management of transportation systems and the need to understand the key decision components to maximize the value of information to the decision maker. The proposed research will rely on this prior work and make advancements towards the design of an implementable system by examining the end-user perception of decision support recommendations for transportation contracting decisions. 
The research will interview transportation professionals to identify factors that influence their current decision-making and factors that would affect their adoption of a decision support tool. The results of these interviews, in conjunction with prior findings in related research, will inform the design of features for a decision support tool. Design features will be identified for an initial prototype that is suitable for conducting future usability testing of the interactive features. This research continues progress towards the development of a dynamic decision support tool that can ultimately improve the quality of transportation management decisions and continue the legacy of leadership in America’s transportation networks. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 15 May 2026 14:13:01 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2703696</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>AAM-Enabled Intermodal Freight Strategies for Supply Chain Resilience and Efficiency</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691666</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Ports and freight corridors are critical to the nation’s economy, yet recent disruptions have shown how vulnerable supply chains can be to congestion, weather events, and other unexpected shocks. While trucks and rail remain the backbone of freight movement, there is growing interest in whether emerging Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and air-based technologies could help improve reliability and resilience for specific, time-sensitive freight needs. This project explores how new air mobility services could complement rather than replace existing port and landside freight systems. The research will examine how air-based freight services can be integrated into intermodal freight networks to support more resilient, efficient supply chains, particularly during disruptions. The study will focus on identifying freight use cases where air mobility may provide added value, such as time-critical deliveries, emergency response, or port operations affected by congestion or weather. The project will evaluate infrastructure needs, operational considerations, and decision-making factors relevant to transportation agencies and port authorities. The research will also examine planning and policy considerations to ensure that potential applications support safe and cost-effective transportation outcomes. Expected results include a practical framework for identifying when and where air mobility solutions may enhance freight system performance, guidance for integrating these services into existing transportation systems, and policy-relevant insights for public agencies. The findings will support transportation decision-makers in planning for resilient, efficient freight systems that meet current needs while remaining adaptable for the future.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 23:32:25 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691666</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Strategic Investment Choice to Reduce Disruptions and Increase Resiliency of Roadway
Freight Network</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2684218</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The proposed research will develop models and algorithms to identify systematic investment strategies by reducing link disruption failure probabilities and enhancing overall roadway resilience for freight flows. A new stochastic programming modeling framework will be developed in which disruption probabilities depend on resource allocation decision variables and new algorithms will be developed to deal with the computational challenges caused by both the large number of scenarios and the nonlinearity in both first-stage and second-stage sub-problems. The framework, including data integration, models, and solution methods, will be programmed and tested with a case based on the freight network in the State of Tennessee.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Mar 2026 16:46:02 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2684218</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Fusing Shipper Behavior Models between Markets and Approaches</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2684219</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Understanding shipper behavior is critical for informed freight transportation planning and policy development. Despite the availability of various modeling approaches—including traditional analytical methods and emerging artificial intelligence (AI) techniques—significant variability persists across commodity types, shipment distances, and market scales. This project addresses the need for a unified and systematic framework to compare, integrate, and enhance shipper behavior models. Building on the complementary expertise of the Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI), the study will conduct comparative analyses of existing models, focusing on the integration of AI-based and analytical approaches such as multinomial logit (MNL) models. The research will examine model performance across diverse market conditions and geographies, using the Commodity Flow Survey (CFS) data as a foundational resource. Emphasis will be placed on developing fusion techniques to bridge methodological gaps and improve predictive accuracy, particularly in the face of imbalanced datasets common in freight data. By unifying modeling strategies and addressing data limitations, this work aims to deliver a robust framework with enhanced generalizability and practical utility. The expected outcomes include improved forecasting tools, better policy support, and more effective use of publicly available data for national and regional freight planning efforts.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Mar 2026 16:39:46 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2684219</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Generating reliable freight disruption measures with freight telematics data</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2684220</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Freight network resilience is critical for economic stability, especially during disasters and infrastructure failures. This study refines disruption measures using Robinsight, COMPASS IOT, and Robinsight telematics data, alongside WAZE crowdsourced data and infrastructure-based instrumentation (TN RDS). Building on prior research, we analyzed freight mobility impacts from events like the Oregon Durkee Fire (2024), Hurricane Helene, and major bridge closures (I-40, I-55, I-84).

Year 3 focuses on validating key disruption indicators, enhancing predictive models, and integrating emerging data sources to assess infrastructure failures and safety risks from freight detours. Aligned with US Department of Transportation priorities, this research provides transportation agencies with actionable insights to improve freight mobility, inform infrastructure investments, and strengthen supply chain resilience. The findings will support data-driven decision-making, ensuring a more adaptive and robust freight transportation system.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Mar 2026 16:27:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2684220</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Mid-America Freight Coalition (MAFC) Phase 5</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2683017</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Mid-America Freight Coalition (MAFC) pooled fund began in 2006 to support collaboration, innovation, and development in freight planning, freight policy, and operations across the 10-state Mid America Association of State Transportation Officials (MAASTO) region (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin). The Coalition’s operations are founded and guided by the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the Board of Directors of MAASTO and the University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison.
The MAFC’s major emphasis areas support advances in multimodal freight planning practices, freight operations and technology, and freight policy, all in a collaborative framework. Importantly, the emphasis areas are determined by the participating state professionals. The work is completed in service to both the states and the region, as well as towards advancing national freight planning priorities throughout the MAASTO region. The projects and activities of the MAFC support critical linkages between freight movement and services, as well as economic and community development. The freight coordination of the MAASTO region can provide guidance and identify best practices at a national level relating to multistate coordination of freight activities and in support of goals within the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
This solicitation is for the fifth iteration of the MAFC pooled fund. Previous iterations were TPF-5 (156), TPF-5 (293), TPF-5 (396), and TPF-5 (509).
OBJECTIVES: The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) seeks to continue leadership of a pooled fund that will: Provide guidance and solutions for state-defined freight-related research; Support the IIJA’s goals through multistate collaboration in freight policy, facility development, and operations harmonization; Improve cross-state freight-related coordination and facility development; Increase awareness of the importance of freight transportation to support state, regional, and national economies; Serve as a freight-oriented professional resource to the states; Provide freight-oriented professional development resources and peer to peer networking; Maintain and expand the region’s reputation as freight friendly.

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:48:53 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2683017</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Vulnerability assessment and durability of coastal freight networks (UPRM)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663230</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Project Description: Freight networks, including ports, coastal highways, bridges, and distribution hubs, are critical lifelines that sustain regional economies, enable everyday commerce, and support emergency response after catastrophic events. The coastal location of this essential transportation infrastructure makes these assets uniquely vulnerable to extreme natural events such as flooding, storm surge, coastal erosion, and compound hazards. The Puerto Rico’s 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan explicitly calls for reducing transportation vulnerabilities to extreme weather effects and improving connectivity. Puerto Rico could serve as a critical logistics hub for U.S. freight operations in the Caribbean, offering strategic access to regional markets and maritime routes. But recent storms Hurricane María (2017) and Hurricane Fiona (2021) have highlighted the freight network’s fragility and the urgent need for targeted resilience measures. 
The assessment of Puerto Rico’s freight network, one that relies solely on the performance of the highway system, can be a case study to evaluate the system vulnerabilities derived from natural flood hazards, aging infrastructure, urbanization in coastal areas, and congestion in strategic corridors. A rigorous vulnerability assessment combines data from hydrologic and coastal flood modeling with traffic flows, asset condition inventories, and safety records to identify critical and single-point-of-failure links. This integrated analysis can provide a method to reveal which corridors and nodes are most likely to fail under different flood scenarios, how congestion and limited redundancy amplify delays, and which assets require immediate reinforcement or operational changes. It can also uncover system-level interdependencies among ports, road networks, and distribution hubs that are not visible from isolated asset inspections. This project can assist local transportation agencies, freight operators, and decision-makers in identifying risks to the freight network, improving the assessment of infrastructure assets by including the interdependence between ports, road networks, and distribution hubs, and prioritize improvements in strategic planning and project development. This project is envisioned as a two-year program. Year 1 will define Puerto Rico’s primary freight network anchored at the ports of San Juan and Ponce, map major distribution points, and develop an interactive dashboard showing asset condition, corridor flows, crash hotspots, and flood-vulnerable links and nodes. Four analytical dimensions will be assessed: infrastructure condition, traffic flows, safety, and durability, using official data, operational reports, and geospatial analysis to identify hotspots and critical vulnerabilities. Year 2 will focus on network optimization and investment prioritization, applying stochastic and optimization models to produce a prioritized, implementable resilience strategy. A Texas State University team will collaborate in the review of stochastic and optimization approaches, the evaluation of data requirements and computational complexity, and provide recommendations about the best model(s) for optimizing freight flows and prioritizing investments from ports to distributors.

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 31 Jan 2026 11:32:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663230</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Identifying and evaluating the most effective actions to prepare Puerto Rico’s primary ports and freight road transportation infrastructure for flooding disruptions using stochastic models</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2662990</link>
      <description><![CDATA[One of the seven issues listed in the freight assessment section of the 2050 Long Range Multimodal Transportation Plan (LRMTP, approved in 2023) encompasses the need for Puerto Rico’s ports and road freight transportation network (RFTN) to be less vulnerable to extreme weather events that affects the durability of the infrastructure and disrupts the movement of goods and services. Puerto Rico has an excellent geographic location for the transshipment of goods to other places in the Americas. Strategies to mitigate infrastructure damage to ports and roads resulting from overuse and to keep the system operating effectively will help Puerto Rico maintain its position as a global logistics hub. The development of an adaptable highway transport system is crucial, as railroads are not well-developed to undertake the freight transport needs, and the use of the marine-based freight M2 route connecting main and secondary ports is only emerging. 
The objective of this research project is to quantify and classify the impact of certain operational decisions made before and after flood-related weather events on four performance or optimization criteria: ports and RFTN infrastructure, traffic flows, safety, and flexibility to avoid delays and disruptions. The operational decisions to include are: increasing ports’ operating hours, locating regional hub-and-spoke points where freight coming from the ports is transferred from large trucks to smaller vehicles and routed to the distribution points, determining existing or to be developed alternative roads that reduce congestion at hotspots, and routing loads between ports. To accomplish the objective, TXST will develop a preliminary stochastic programming model to optimize a prototype of Puerto Rico’s RFTN, considering multiple flooding scenarios, forecasts of freight demand over 5 and 10 years, and the above-mentioned operational decisions and optimization criteria. A variant of the developed model, which represents the current operations of ports and roads without incorporating any of the proposed operational decisions, will be used for comparison purposes. The main freight distribution points and associated demands to input into the models will be identified in cooperation with the listed project partner faculty at UPRM.  Puerto Rico’s industry, government agencies, and consultants for these agencies will be sources to get the models’ input data, as well as information available online. If needed, the distribution points will be clustered.  In this preliminary model, the unavailable data will be identified and estimated. The model will demonstrate to the Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works, the Puerto Rico Highway and Transportation Authority, and other relevant agencies a process they can apply for making informed decisions to enhance the durability and resilience of port and RFTN infrastructure under uncertainty caused by flooding and the relevance of collecting any highly relevant and missing data.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:19:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2662990</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Enhancing Rural Freight Resilience in the Southeastern U.S.: Data-Driven Modeling and Decision Support for Supply Chain Efficiency.

</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2643108</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This research aims to address the issue of limited alternative routes in rural freight systems by modeling rural freight networks to identify critical vulnerabilities and evaluate potential recovery strategies. The study also proposes new methods for addressing truck parking shortages using models such as reservation and automated allocation for predicting demand and optimizing supply. The project leverages network science, emerging data sources, and simulation tools to develop methodologies for assessing the resilience of rural freight networks. Additionally, the study will explore the potential of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) for improving operational efficiency and reducing parking demand, particularly for middle-mile delivery and short-range freight operations. This research directly addresses these issues by (1) Developing network-based modeling techniques to analyze rural freight resilience, (2) Identifying critical corridors and evaluating alternative routing strategies, and (3) Proposing innovative truck parking solutions to improve operational efficiency. This includes broader operational strategies such as parking reservations, staging areas near hubs or ports, route reservations, and quicker incident resolution for truckers.  ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 20 Dec 2025 17:04:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2643108</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Optimal Design of Inland Waterway System to Increase Supply Chain Resilience</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2625874</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project seeks to conduct research to develop mathematical models of supply chain network resilience that leverage the US inland waterway system. Extending the research conducted during year 1, which laid the foundation for developing advanced optimization and simulation methodologies to increase the resiliency of the inland waterway freight transportation system. Given the increasing threats from accidents, weather-related hazards, and terrorist attacks that have heightened risks for both freight and passenger transport systems, this project recognizes the pivotal role of inland waterways in mitigating these vulnerabilities. The resilience of intermodal systems, which are often significantly impacted by such events, leading to considerable economic losses, can be substantially improved by integrating inland waterways. This integration will be examined through the lens of network topology, investigating how different configurations and connectivity within the waterway system can influence key resilience metrics such as recovery time, system throughput, and adaptability in the face of disruptions. The expected deliverables include a characterization of resilient network topologies. A final synthesis report will present the research findings, including methodology, results, and recommendations for policymakers, stakeholders, and industry players. Reports will be shared with relevant stakeholders and research conferences, fostering public awareness of the benefits of inland waterway freight transport to increase supply chain resilience. The research endeavors seek to pave the way for a more resilient, interconnected, and environmentally friendly freight transportation network within the United States.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 18 Nov 2025 13:46:39 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2625874</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Resilient Multimodal Transport Systems via Container-on-Barge</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2600576</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Recent events like the crack in the I-40 bridge, California wildfires,
and the Dolton, Illinois landslide have revealed vulnerabilities in transportation systems, causing closures, delays, freight rerouting, and congestion. Traditional resilience measures such as redundancy and infrastructure strengthening help mitigate some disruptions but often fall short against natural disasters and lack long-term impacts. Container on barge (CoB) transport, although currently underutilized in the nation and less explored in academic research, can alleviate the pressure on the existing system during disruptions and offer a more flexible, cost effective and sustainable solution. Therefore, in this project, the research team proposes to conduct a holistic study examining the integration of CoB into intermodal freight transportation systems, focusing on system resilience. Specifically, the team will first develop a context-aware approach for uncertain disruption quantification, and then design  reliable CoBbased strategies to further mitigate disruptions. Additionally, the team will perform numerical experiments to validate the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:37:36 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2600576</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Develop Multi-Modal Maritime-Rail-Roadway Transportation Model for the Texas Inland and Intercoastal Waterways</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2614515</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Texas plays a key role in freight transport nationally and internationally. Freight systems are highly multi-modal (maritime, rail, roadway) and complex, with infrastructure serving different cargo types (bulk goods, containers, hazardous material, etc.). The research team will develop a simulator and decision-support tool for routing and scheduling freight in this system. This work builds on and enhances simulation models and tools the research team has designed, developed, and deployed to successfully represent multi-modal freight operations in the Port of Houston, Houston Ship Channel, and Texas road and rail networks for past projects. This prior experience has shown that the greatest challenges involve data availability, computational speed for statewide modeling, and reflecting the complexities of real-world logistics in routing and scheduling algorithms. The work plan is specifically designed to address these challenges: in terms of data, the research team will use both publicly-available datasets (including the ones used to calibrate its past models) and its existing relationships with port and rail operators and other stakeholders; in terms of computation, the research team will explore a hybrid discrete-event simulator architecture; and in terms of realism, the research team will incorporate uncertainty and reliability in the decision-support tool.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 28 Oct 2025 11:09:51 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2614515</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Preserving and Protecting Freight Infrastructure and Routes</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2582841</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Freight transportation infrastructure and operations are threatened by a variety of factors and trends. Examples include gentrification along truck routes connecting to urban freight generating facilities such as manufacturing and distribution facilities and marine ports that create pressures to reduce or constrain freight activities; prohibitions placed on freight operations because of noise, visual pollution, and emissions impacts; and incompatible land development adjacent to century-old port and rail facilities. Local citizens often influence decision makers to adopt public plans, policies, and investments that force relocation or discontinuance of freight operations and facilities, both public and private. Without better planning, the projected growth in urban areas in the United States, combined with the corresponding increase in freight demand, will result in the continued threat to freight infrastructure from “higher value” land use. Once encroachment by incompatible development has occurred near freight facilities, mitigation is an expensive, lengthy, and often unsuccessful process. Similarly, freight “relocation” often negatively impacts freight transportation by increasing travel distances or adding complexity to freight interchanges, ultimately resulting in increased costs to business and consumers. A better approach is to plan for and identify potential areas of encroachment and conflict before they occur and provide governmental agencies and private stakeholders with the knowledge and tools to prevent incompatible development near critical freight infrastructure. And where freight and non-freight uses do coexist, adopt more effective strategies for mitigation, conflict mediation, and redevelopment approaches that integrate freight facility preservation into broader public planning efforts.
 
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to provide guidance to public and private stakeholders to develop, preserve, protect, and enhance freight transportation infrastructure and routes for all modes of transportation.
 ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 04 Aug 2025 16:56:12 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2582841</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Integrating Large Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety into State Freight and Safety Planning




</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558373</link>
      <description><![CDATA[According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts 2022, crash rates in the United States involving large trucks increased 25 percent from 2009 to 2021. Given their size and weight, large-truck crashes can result in closure of one or more lanes of a highway, particularly for rollovers or cargo spills. Large-truck crashes also have the potential to damage pavements, bridges, and other infrastructures. 

Large commercial motor vehicles include heavy-duty tractor-trailers and heavy equipment such as dump trucks. Data collection and reporting related to large commercial truck crashes and safety are the responsibility of federal and state agencies, diffusing the “ownership” of commercial truck safety among largely unrelated agencies. However, state department of transportation (DOT) officials often do not reach out to agencies with these responsibilities, such as the FMCSA or the state’s highway patrol agency, in their freight and highway safety planning processes. Plans developed from these planning processes are not informed by the data collected and managed by these agencies. The lack of agency coordination means that the infrastructure needed to support large commercial trucks are not fully considered in state highway and freight planning processes. Thus, infrastructure such as truck parking and emergency escape ramps may not be prioritized in highway safety and freight plans and funding programs. 

Research is needed to identify integrated approaches that consider large commercial motor vehicle safety in highway freight and safety planning processes and plans. 

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to develop a guide for the integration of commercial motor vehicle safety into state freight and safety planning processes.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 May 2025 12:59:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558373</guid>
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