Trbs core technical activities program will serve as a forum for issues of concern to the usdot federal transit administration (FTA) and its constituencies and to track the state-of-the-knowledge…

The Federal Transit Administration awarded the National Academy of Sciences $250,000 in a Cooperative Agreement effective December 10, 2025, through November 30, 2026, under the Technical Assistance and Workforce Development program (CFDA 20.531).

The award funds core technical activities of the Transportation Research Board, serving as a forum for issues of concern to the Federal Transit Administration and its constituencies while tracking state-of-the-knowledge and state-of-the-practice in public and mobility transportation research, development, innovation, and technology. Deliverables include: operating the TRB Annual Meeting held each January in Washington D.C., which convenes approximately 13,000 transportation professionals for hundreds of sessions and workshops; supporting approximately 100 standing technical committees that address various transportation modes and functional components; conducting a sponsor and field visit program to facilitate information exchange and increase sponsor participation in TRB activities; maintaining and operating Transportation Research Information Services, including the TRID (Transport Research International Documentation) and Research in Progress (RIP) databases available to researchers and practitioners across all transportation modes and disciplines; and publishing and distributing reports and technical information in hard copy or electronic format to support technology transfer.

Performance occurs in Washington, D.C. The assistance type is a Cooperative Agreement. The National Academy of Sciences is headquartered in Washington, D.C., operating as the parent entity of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Activities

Task 1: TRB annual meeting. The TRB annual meeting ordinarily held every january in washington D.C. Is a broad-based transportation research and innovation meeting that brings together approximately 13000 transportation professionals for hundreds of sessions and workshops with thousands of presentations that address topics of interest to all attendees.task 2: standing technical committees. TRB currently has approximately 100 standing technical committees together with other volunteer groups that promote coordination and collaboration among the committees. The standing technical committees address various modes and functional components of transportation.task 3: sponsor/field visit program. TRB will continue to operate a staff-run program to visit TRB core program sponsors to facilitate the exchange of relevant information and increased participation by sponsors in TRB activities. Task 4: transportation research information services (tris). TRB provides two research databases: trid (transport research international documentation) and the research in progress database (RIP). Trid and RIP are valuable research tools to researchers and practitioners in all modes and disciplines of the transportation industry.task 5: publication and distribution of reports. TRB will continue to develop arrange for publication and distribute in either hard copy or electronic format a variety of reports and other publications to assist in the transfer of technical information.

Expected outcomes

TRB will provide personnel facilities services and materials as may be required to carry out the core technical activities program. In addition to the TRB annual meeting TRB supports and stimulates research and development in public transportation through standing technical committees the sponsor visit program transportation research information services (tris) and publications.

Intended beneficiaries

Trbs core technical activities program benefits the public transportation community including industry and travelers the FTA stakeholders and other organizations and individuals globally. These activities support ftas mission to improve public transportation for americas communities and support and advance innovative transportation technologies and best practices through stakeholder engagement research to practice and technology transfer activities.