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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
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    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Advanced Sustainable Transportation Workforce Development Initiative in California’s Inland Empire</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2692313</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Spurred by significant government investments and regulatory landscape, advanced sustainable transportation (connected, automated, energy-efficient, and shared vehicles) and its supporting infrastructure is well underway in Inland Southern California. Not only are advanced vehicles becoming common among California’s Inland Empire residents, but the region is at the heart of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle programs associated with goods movement. As a result, many advanced transportation and infrastructure manufacturers are now locating to the Inland Empire due to its favorable economic landscape. What’s lacking is an advanced sustainable transportation workforce in the region that is needed for: (1) manufacturing, maintaining, repairing advanced vehicles; (2) setting up, deploying, and maintaining advanced vehicle infrastructure; and (3) responding to incidents associated with advanced vehicles and their supporting infrastructure. The project team will launch a comprehensive Advanced Sustainable Transportation Workforce Development Initiative for California’s Inland Empire, pulling together a variety of existing educational programs, developing these programs further into a cohesive vehicle/infrastructure training program, and creating a coalition of local manufacturers in this advanced vehicle space. This initiative seeks to position the Inland Empire as a national leader in advanced vehicle manufacturing and adoption. This bold vision positions the region as a model for sustainable growth, advancing the region’s goals while uplifting communities. The key goals of the initiative include: (1) Integrating workforce development, industry needs, and policy goals into a cohesive, impactful strategy. This project will deliver comprehensive training programs in advanced vehicle technology, associated infrastructure, and managing vehicle incidents across a wide range of technologies (light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles, buses, trucks, rail, aircraft). (2) Creating high-quality jobs in the region. The team’s plan is to fill the expected thousands of advanced transportation jobs with locally sourced talent, emphasizing pathways that promote societal advancement.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:12:50 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2692313</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Advancing Rail Infrastructure Asset Management and Hazard Mitigation: Educational Tools and Practitioner Decision Support Systems</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691664</link>
      <description><![CDATA[As rail infrastructure ages and faces intensifying system stressors (e.g., flooding, icing, and extreme heat), agencies need to identify pathways to enhance the durability and operational reliability of their physical assets. However, there is a significant gap in available training material regarding Rail Infrastructure Asset Management (IAM) for both university students and current practitioners. Building upon the researcher’s ongoing research into adaptive capacity and international rail best practices, this project will translate rigorous research findings into accessible educational and research tools and practical decision-support systems. The project focuses on three primary technology transfer and workforce development initiatives:


(1) Interactive Rail Asset Management Platform: The team will develop a web-based, interactive learning module (utilizing platforms such as Tigyog) targeting students and practitioners. This resource will cover the principles of IAM, condition assessment, and decision-making under uncertainty. It will feature "gamified" scenarios and narrative case studies drawn from the team's research, contrasting infrastructure failures (e.g., the East Palestine, Ohio derailment) with successful engineering adaptations (e.g., the Shinkansen automatic braking systems in Japan). Users will engage with a "build-your-own" asset management framework to apply these concepts in real-time.
(2) University Teaching Packets: To address the lack of specialized rail engineering curricula, the team will create comprehensive teaching modules for instructors. These packets will draw from the team's six-country comparative analysis (U.S., Australia, Spain, Japan, Ghana, Argentina), providing lecture slides, assignment materials, and case-study evaluations. Topics will focus on identifying key asset vulnerabilities, institutional barriers to maintenance, and successful infrastructure hardening strategies.
(3) Practitioner Decision Matrix: The team will develop a "Rail Hazard Mitigation Decision Matrix" for state agencies and rail operators.

This tool will synthesize data on geographic hazards, system ownership models, and cost-benefit ratios to help managers prioritize physical infrastructure improvements.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 23:25:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691664</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Foundations in Energy Systems for Transportation Certificate</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691662</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project supports the transformation of transportation systems through changes in energy systems management by preparing a managerial workforce with knowledge in both energy systems management and transportation systems management. A transformed transport system will run on both existing and new energy systems. As a result, effective management of the transport system will depend upon a workforce that also has foundational knowledge in traditional and emerging energy systems. This includes knowledge of energy sources, basic economics, and the regulatory and policy environment that either supports or hinders development of those systems. This project plans to develop a certificate program that introduces case studies focused on planned or in-process energy systems case studies within public transit, supply chain logistics, personal vehicle traffic, and active transportation that draw from Center for International Trade and Transportation (CITT) expertise and guest speakers from industry leaders in its network. The certificate and corresponding curriculum development are informed by an assessment of workforce needs related to freight and transit sectors and related energy systems. The needs assessment includes both surveys and focus group meetings and will provide insights into workforce needs related to freight and transit sectors and related energy systems. Following the survey completion, the CITT team will organize focus groups to discuss the survey results and form the Curriculum Advisory Board. Concurrently, the CITT team, in conjunction with the Curriculum Advisory Board, will conduct outreach to form a pilot cohort for the first iteration of the certificate program. Module 1 of the program would provide a general overview of: energy systems foundations; including fuel types; infrastructure priorities; economic development; project lifecycle management; data needs; policy and regulatory requirements; and workforce development. Module 2 would provide modal focuses on freight and transit. For the capstone project, participants will work in groups to address a topic within the modal focus chosen in Module 2, which will be presented as the final step of the program.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 12 Apr 2026 23:19:42 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2691662</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Transforming Transportation with an Innovative and Talented Workforce: A Transportation Careers Workshop</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2689410</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The proposed event will be a two-day workshop in Durango, Colorado, at both Fort Lewis College and another community site or high school, featuring several key presentations and a panel discussion. The first day will consist of speakers and presentations. The second day will consist of interactive feedback at separate locations regarding the results of vocational assessment inventories. The target population of workshop participants will be high school and college students interested in learning more about careers in the transportation industry. Participants will complete surveys and career-planning instruments and receive detailed interpretations of their results to help them narrow their career choices. Representatives from trucking, transit, state DOTs, and the supply chain industry will be invited to participate as experts, delivering presentations that describe careers and opportunities in the transportation industry. In addition, there will be an interactive session to help participants prioritize their vocational interests and preferences. Lastly, a networking event with presenters will also be arranged.

In addition to providing career information on activities, salaries, and other employment and career opportunities in the transportation industry, the proposed workshop will also address two main needs regarding the recruitment of potential entrants to the transportation industry. First, identify a transportation career profile for prospective applicants to target highly congruent candidates for the industry. This profile will provide researchers with an opportunity to develop an interest and preference profile of prospective students whose interests are congruent with the industry. Identifying those persons who are likely to be congruent allows outreach efforts to be tailored and targeted, and limited funds and resources to be used more effectively. Second, a short, easy-to-use web page that could assist students in obtaining information about transportation careers in general, with a brief survey or questionnaire to help narrow down interests in transportation careers, which then directs users to more targeted information. This web page could then be made available to other UTC programs that conduct transportation and career outreach events. The web page will be used to tally hits, and requests for applications will help more accurately measure the impact of the workshop's outreach efforts. This outreach project will also incorporate the development and implementation of a prototype webpage to evaluate the workshop and serve other UTCs.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:37:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2689410</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Successful Strategies in Providing Training Programs for State and Local Equipment Technicians</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2681233</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Fleet managers across surface transportation agencies face ongoing challenges in identifying training needs for fleet maintenance technicians and delivering effective programs. Prior to 2020, many states relied heavily on vendor-led training to support technician development on new and existing equipment. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of vendors reduced or discontinued these offerings, requiring agencies to pursue alternative approaches.

As fleet equipment continues to incorporate more advanced technologies, the need for consistent, high-quality, and up-to-date technical training has become increasingly critical to maintaining safe, reliable, and cost-effective operations.

OBJECTIVE: This scan will examine organizations that have successfully identified and implemented sustainable training programs for fleet maintenance technicians. The team will document how agencies structure and manage their programs, measure effectiveness, and ensure appropriate leadership support.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:03:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2681233</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Advanced Mobility Innovation Lab (AMIL) and Beyond</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2666833</link>
      <description><![CDATA[As the United States navigates the Fourth Industrial Revolution - defined by the convergence of physical, digital, and biological technologies - STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education has become increasingly vital to preparing students for the future workforce. Transportation, a sector undergoing rapid technological transformation, is deeply intertwined with STEM and plays a critical role in shaping economic development, public safety, and access to essential services. Yet, many K-12 students, particularly in rural areas, lack exposure to high-quality STEM learning opportunities.  The Advanced Mobility Innovation Lab (AMIL) was established through funding from the CR2C2 REE program to address this gap by providing portable, hands-on STEM experiences that fuse transportation technology demonstrations with project-based learning. This project will expand AMIL’s effort in projects R-EWD-1 and R-EWD-2, and increases the reach and impact by partnering with the University of Alabama’s robust K–12 STEM Education Outreach program, creating a collaborative model for multi-university engagement and STEM education. Together, these programs will deliver enriched STEM experiences that emphasize emerging transportation technologies, autonomous systems, and the STEM principles behind their development and operation. The initiative will culminate in two regional events - one in Alabama and one in North Carolina - featuring autonomous vehicle demonstrations and showcasing student learning outcomes.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 15:46:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2666833</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Transportation Workshop: Streets of the Future</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2677682</link>
      <description><![CDATA[With connected and autonomous vehicles (C/AVs), drones, and delivery robots moving from research labs to urban streets, it will not be long before these technologies wind up on city streets. Unfortunately, public and private transportation stakeholders are generally not suited to keep up with technological change, especially when multiplier effects from various strands of innovation can disrupt urban life. Therefore, there is an urgent need to train a future-focused workforce that can adapt from today's best practices and standards, be creative and critical, and come up with innovative options for road safety in the future. Likewise, there is an urgent need to demonstrate to public/private sector stakeholders the most likely transportation changes and challenges over the next two decades. This project has two aims: (i) offer a new graduate-level course focused on using urban corridors as test beds to imagine reasonably accurate future scenarios that are based on state-of-the-art knowledge from the current times, and (ii) to assemble an exhibition where the lessons learned will be shared more broadly with the transportation community through a virtual environment (VR) and posters.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 04 Mar 2026 16:43:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2677682</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Technical Specification and Publication Web Service </title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2673099</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Starting in 2021, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Research Section opted to provide access to an online standards portal for all of MoDOT. After some trial and error, the Research Section has changed vendors and limit-access to standards commonly used by MoDOT’s Bridge Division. Based on feedback from the Bridge Division, the Research Section should be able to tailor the service to meet their needs. ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:23:24 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2673099</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>FY 25/26 Florida Local Technical Assistance Program</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2673041</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The overall goal and associated objectives of the Florida Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Center is to deliver a highway training curriculum and technical assistance that will provide local agencies with tools to build their capacity and means to innovatively address their roadway network challenges and be reflective of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)’s current core areas of Safety, Infrastructure Management, Workforce Development, and Organizational excellence.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:15:14 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2673041</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Immersive AR/VR learning to enhance pedestrian safety</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663606</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Pedestrian injuries remain one of the leading causes of death among children in the United States and globally. Safe crossing behavior depends on cognitive and perceptual skills such as attention, hazard recognition, and gap judgment that are still maturing in younger populations. Traditional classroom instruction offers limited opportunities to practice these skills in realistic traffic contexts, highlighting the need for controlled, repeatable, and engaging training environments that can bridge the gap between knowledge and real-world decision making.
This project develops, tests, and disseminates an integrated Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) learning platform designed to improve pedestrian safety among children. The immersive simulator replicates crosswalks, intersections, and near-miss zones identified through the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) crash database and the DC Traffic Safety Data Portal. VR modules enable users to experience controlled crossings at high-risk intersections, while AR modules project digital traffic cues and guidance into real environments through tablets or mobile devices. Three-dimensional environments are constructed in the Unity or Unreal Engine platform and configured for both mobile devices and VR headsets to support flexible deployment across educational settings.
The methodology proceeds through four tasks: scenario design using DDOT crash data and Vision Zero reports to identify high-risk child pedestrian corridors, prototype development of immersive environments with realistic vehicle motion, environmental conditions, and compliant signal timing, controlled evaluation sessions with K-12 and university participants to assess realism, usability, and learning effectiveness, and dissemination including open-source release, a collaborative workshop with DDOT and school partners, and preparation of a deployment-ready package with simulation files, user manuals, and integration guides. Success is measured by improvements in hazard detection, gap judgment, and safe crossing decisions, with a target of at least 30 percent gain relative to baseline performance. The project also provides initial estimates of the number of crashes and injuries that could potentially be avoided if the toolkit were adopted more broadly in Washington, D.C.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 03 Feb 2026 15:36:36 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663606</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>From perception to preparedness: Virtual reality simulations of flooded roadways in coastal communities (UPRM)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663232</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Project Description: Coastal flooding regularly disrupts transportation networks, damages infrastructure, and limits access to essential services through storm surge, tidal inundation, and extreme precipitation. These events result in vehicle failures, stranded motorists, pavement damage, and delays in emergency response and daily mobility. Communities with aging infrastructure, limited resources, or constrained evacuation options face heightened vulnerability. The total annual economic burden of flooding in the U.S. ranges from $179.8 to $496.0 billion (US Congress JEC, 2024). In addition, the National Weather Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that over half of all flood-related drownings occur when a vehicle is driven into hazardous floodwater. Understanding how drivers decide whether to cross or avoid flooded roads is essential for designing warnings, signage, and roadway treatments that reduce risky behavior and improve outcomes. The use of virtual reality (VR) and immersive 360° scenarios can let residents experience rising water, blocked routes, and mitigation measures without real-world risk, increasing realism and emotional stimulus. Scenario-based VR visualizations can help translate technical flood data into intuitive, actionable information for nontechnical audiences. Local resilience depends not only on infrastructure but also on household-level preparedness and decision-making, including how individuals interpret alerts and respond to flood risks. Chacon-Hurtado (2013) advocates for embedding community preferences and preparedness considerations directly into transportation decision-making frameworks, arguing that investments should be evaluated not only on engineering metrics but also on how they advance local capacity to act under hazard conditions. 
This project will employ virtual reality (VR) simulations of flooded highways that are being developed by the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM) team to study human behavior and perception in flood scenarios, with three main goals: (1) Enhance public understanding of flood risks by immersing participants in realistic coastal flooding scenarios, (2) Evaluate driver decision-making when encountering flooded roadways, analyzing how variables such as water depth, roadway conditions, and alert systems (e.g., signage, ADAS, in-vehicle alerts) influence choices, and 
(3) Assess community preferences for flood mitigation strategies, using immersive experiences to gather feedback on potential interventions. 
Two VR approaches will be implemented. The first involves a driver simulator with 24–36 participants navigating flooded roadway scenarios to assess behavioral responses under controlled conditions. The second approach will engage community members from coastal municipalities like Isabela, Puerto Rico, in immersive 360° simulations to explore perceptions of flood risk and mitigation strategies. Pre- and post-tests will measure changes in knowledge, perception, and behavioral intent. Insights from both simulations will inform the design of more effective alert systems and flood mitigation strategies that reflect community preferences and improve safety. The findings will support transportation and emergency planning professionals in developing human-centered solutions for flood-prone coastal areas.

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 31 Jan 2026 12:03:43 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663232</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Professional capacity building and field-based education in coastal transportation durability (UPRM)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663231</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Project Description: Coastal transportation assets are routinely exposed to coastal hazards, including flooding, erosion, saltwater intrusion, and storm impacts, that undermine safety, mobility, and service continuity. Capacity building in effective vulnerability assessment and risk management requires more than technical modeling: practitioners need applied skills in infrastructure screening, community‑sensitive evaluation, data‑driven decision making, risk communication, and cross‑agency coordination. The US-DOT developed in 2015 a spreadsheet-based tool called Vulnerability Assessment Scoring Tool (VAST) to assist in documenting the vulnerability of transportation assets in a study area. The assessment includes (1) determining the scope of the vulnerability assessment, (2) selecting appropriate indicators, (3) collecting data about those indicators, and (4) devising an approach to convert raw data about indicators into scores. The result is a set of vulnerability scores that can be used to rank assets by their level of vulnerability or inform other analyses of the results. Today, state and local agencies often lack the staffing and training to use screening tools consistently or to translate assessment results into prioritized investments, while college education delivers essential theory but rarely provide the real‑world, community‑engaged practice needed to make assessments actionable. To close current workforce gaps, this project proposes two complementary capacity‑building tracks: a college‑level track that will prepare upcoming engineers and architects with interdisciplinary foundations and hands‑on experiences, and a professional‑level track that will help upskill practicing engineers in the application of vulnerability assessment methods and tools, such as FHWA VAST. Both tracks share core competencies but differ in depth, delivery, and assessment to match learners’ roles and incentives. 
This project will address professional capacity gaps by developing educational modules, workshops, and training materials for students, communities, and professionals. These resources will be delivered through the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM) Interactive Learning Hub (ILHUB) and in-person sessions via the Puerto Rico LTAP training program. The ILHUB serves as an online repository focused on coastal resilience and community preparedness. The educational approach integrates coastal resilience, transportation performance, and blue economy strategies into accessible learning resources, enhancing technical knowledge and community capacity across diverse stakeholders. The UPRM team is applying the VAST approach using data from the PR-466/4466 coastal highway corridor in Isabela, Puerto Rico, incorporating community characteristics into the scoring method to enrich the assessment with contextual insights. Professionals will strengthen their competencies in blue economy and transportation durability strategies, as well as in applying the Enhanced VAST. Building on this effort, the project will develop instructor-led and self-paced online training modules to equip professionals with the skills to apply the assessment tool in real-world contexts. Puerto Rico LTAP will assist in delivering these sessions and disseminating the educational materials through its network. On the college track, students will gain hands-on experiences through field case studies of transportation vulnerability situations in coastal zones that will complement their classroom education, strengthen their problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and improve their career readiness. Communities will be also engaged as part of the case studies to improve their understanding of how the durability of transportation systems supports coastal livelihoods.

]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 31 Jan 2026 12:00:17 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663231</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>University of Miami’s National Summer Transportation Institute (UM)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663224</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Already inhabited by more than 50% of the population and contributing to more than 55% of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP), coastal regions are still continuing to grow and attract people. At the same time, coastal regions are facing increasing threats from erosion and flooding caused by chronic events  like heavy rainfall, as well as discrete extreme events such as hurricanes. These events put people and properties, as well as the region's economies, in harm's way. It is through deliberate and strategic investments in STEM education, outreach and workforce initiatives, that the USDOT has the workforce to meet challenges, while advancing and maintaining our technological superiority.
The University of Miami (UM) is requesting to host the National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI) program to encourage the younger generations into the STEM disciplines and coastal transportation infrastructure. Activities will include lectures, laboratory hands-on activities, and fun competitions related to coastal transportation infrastructure. Participants will engage in science rich activities, and develop critical thinking, teamwork, and career development skills. The PI was the director of the 2024 CREATE UM NSTI as well as 2015-2017 UM NSTI funded by FHWA and has the experience and expertise in transportation outreach programs. The following points include the goals that the NSTI program at the University of Miami seeks to accomplish. (1) Provide an exciting and effective summer program that will depict the principles, applications and challenges of the STEM fields through use of lessons, teamwork, group activities, competitions and field trips. (2) Create awareness of the coastal transportation industry and its career opportunities. (3) Encourage high school students toward the STEM disciplines by educating them on transportation engineering career opportunities. (4) Develop teamwork, problem solving, computer, writing and reporting skills to enable high school students to excel in their intended STEM field.


The University of Miami will conduct recruitment procedures through several media to select interested and enthusiastic high school students to participate in the summer program. The following media will be implemented to recruit students for the summer program: Flyers, Website, social media, school visits, information sessions.

Program Curriculum: (Week 1: 2nd week of July) Weekly Objective: Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of engineering. As the week progresses, the components of transportation engineering will be explored. The focus of this week will be on the explanation of advanced and high-performance construction materials used in the various modes of coastal transportation infrastructure, the importance of safety in transportation engineering, the different types of transportation structures and vehicles, and the new technological advancements in the coastal transportation infrastructure engineering industry. In addition, this week will also discuss the engineering of airport terminals and airplanes. (Week 2: 3rd week of July) Weekly Objectives: Students will learn about the emerging technologies for enhancing safety and resilience in coastal transportation infrastructure. Students will become familiar with the other modes of transportation, including water, and continue to learn about the air transportation.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 31 Jan 2026 10:57:13 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663224</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Promoting Teachers' and Young Learners' Engagement of Transportation Issues</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652184</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will develop, implement, and distribute standards-aligned curriculum that focuses on real-world transportation issues to include stormwater runoff and erosion mitigation and air quality issues. The curriculum will serve as educative curriculum materials (ECM) for teachers as they engage students with research-based instruction focused on Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) and transportation industry research and recommendations, science content ideas (e.g., water cycle, erosion), and non-science considerations (e.g., economic, ethical, social, legal). The curriculum will also profile the authentic work of TTI researchers, other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)  professionals, and the characteristics of their work. Research will be conducted on how professional and curriculum development affects knowledge bases and practices, and how implemented curriculum impacts students’ knowledge of science and engagement of real-world societally important scientific issues.   ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 13 Jan 2026 14:13:31 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2652184</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Intervention Strategies to Enhance Motorcoach Seatbelt Use</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2643026</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Seatbelt use among motorcoach passengers remains extremely low despite federal requirements for lap and shoulder belts on new vehicles. Prior research indicates that verbal safety announcements and visible promotional messaging can improve awareness and compliance, yet these practices have not been consistently adopted across the motorcoach industry. This project addresses the gap between known effective strategies and real-world implementation.

The research will develop, test, and refine targeted training and promotional materials designed for motorcoach drivers, dispatchers, terminal managers, and regulatory agencies. Activities include the creation of instructional podcasts, educational brochures, and guidance documents outlining effective promotional practices and regulatory roles. The effectiveness of these interventions will be evaluated using surveys and implementation metrics. Results will support scalable best practices that can be adopted nationwide to improve motorcoach passenger safety.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:46:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2643026</guid>
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