BAA-FTA_FY26_Appendix-C_03.pdf

FTA BAA 2026

Federal Transit Administration Office of Research, Demonstration, and Innovation

Broad Agency Announcement – BAA 2026

Appendix C – Research Topics

Note: Concept papers may be submitted at any time, through the closing date of the research topic.

Community Connectivity Through Mobility Innovations

Topic Title Closing Date for Concept Papers

FTA-CCM-001 Rural Community Archetype and Mobility Potential

(R-CAMP)

October 19, 2026 11:59 PM Eastern Time

FTA-CCM-002 Family-First Transit Innovations October 19, 2026

11:59 PM Eastern Time

Accessibility Support Technologies for Automated Vehicles

Papers

FTA-AST-001 Technologies for Independent Boarding and Alighting October 19, 2026 11:59 PM Eastern Time

FTA-AST-002 Technologies for Independent Passenger Restraint and Mobility Device Securement

October 19, 2026 11:59 PM Eastern Time

FTA-AST-003 User Interface Technologies and Systems October 19, 2026

Urban Rail Transit Innovations

Papers

FTA-URT-001 A Robust “Drone-In-a-Box System” Testing for Transit Tunnels Emergency Response

October 19, 2026 11:59 PM Eastern Time

FTA-URT-002 AI-assisted Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) Systems for Rail Infrastructure Monitoring

FTA-URT-003 Exploring the Use of Digital Twin for Overhead Catenary Systems Inspection and Monitoring

October 19, 2026 11:59 PM Eastern Time

FTA-URT-004 Improved Direct Fixation (DF) Fastening Systems for Increased Safety and Reliability

October 19, 2026 11:59 PM Eastern Time

FTA-URT-005

Rail Neutral Temperature Management in Transit

Structures October 19, 2026

11:59 PM Eastern Time

FTA-URT-006

Rail-Structure Interaction (RSI) Analysis Approach for

Post-Tensioned Concrete Girders October 19, 2026

11:59 PM Eastern Time

FTA-URT-007 Guidelines for Track Stiffness and Modulus of Elasticity at Special Trackwork

October 19, 2026 11:59 PM Eastern Time

FTA-URT-008 Root Cause of Studs in Transit Rail Infrastructure October 19, 2026

11:59 PM Eastern Time

FTA-URT-009

Automated Inspection Technology for Urban Rail Transit

Rolling Stock October 19, 2026

11:59 PM Eastern Time

FTA-URT-010

Life-Cycle Assessment of Frogs and Maintenance

Recommendations

Ferry Safety and Technology

Papers

FTA-FST-001 Enhancing Passenger Ferry Safety & Operational Resilience

Transit Safety Data Analytics & Management

Papers

FTA-SDA-001 Safety Data Management Strategy October 19, 2026 11:59 PM Eastern Time

FTA-SDA-002 Safety Data Taxonomy

Community Connectivity Through Mobility Innovations

Programmatic Context for all Community Connectivity Through Mobility Innovations (CCM) Research Topics:

Mobility innovation's benefits have not yet reached significant segments of the American population and communities nationwide. This focus area seeks to address this gap by targeting populations and community types where meaningful, useful, and innovative transportation improvements could yield substantial benefits for families, communities, and the nation.

Small towns hold great potential. A deeper understanding of their transportation challenges and the opportunities available with the right support could ignite a "Renaissance of small-town Main Street."

Furthermore, many Americans face unseen personal challenges that significantly hinder their ability to reach their full potential. For these individuals, transportation is both a vital need and often a barrier. By better understanding these personal challenges and developing targeted solutions, we can take a significant step toward empowering the potential in all Americans.

Topic: FTA-CCM-001

Title: Rural Community Archetype and Mobility Potential (R-CAMP)

Description:

Smaller communities across the country face transportation challenges that restrain economic and community development opportunity, jobs, and access to vital services. Main Streets, historically the core of communities, have diminished, forcing families to travel farther to access vital services.

This topic seeks to understand the scale of the latent economic power of rural areas and small towns in America, how that potential can be unleashed by improving mobility, the solutions that may address the challenges, and the path to broad, national impact.

Research under R-CAMP shall identify common archetypes of rural and small communities in which greater transportation-supported connectivity could benefit the local economy and the welfare of people and families. Key objectives shall include:

● Use a defined process of measurement to identify, categorize, and quantify archetypes of rural and small communities that share characteristics, mobility challenges with demonstrable negative impacts on the local economy and potential solutions.

● Envision, by means of a broad and multi-factor economic analysis that draws on measures of value at the personal, community, and regional level, the economic potential that could be realized by communities within each archetype if they could resolve their transportation challenges. Relatedly, cataloging the potential innovations in mobility that can be assumed, via analysis, to meet local mobility challenges.

● Extrapolate the potential benefit to a national scale by estimating the potential economic benefit of resolving mobility challenges within archetypal communities, noting the number of American communities that fit within each archetype, and describing an overall degree of latent economic potential.

Topic: FTA- CCM-002

Title: Family-First Transit Innovations

Description:

Research projects submitted under this topic shall evaluate the capacity of existing (though not widely used) innovations to improve the family friendliness of public transportation. Proposals shall tackle one or both of the following use cases:

• Intelligent Preventive Maintenance of Family-First Infrastructure: Transit agencies could, with the installation of currently available sensor technologies, accurately predict when an elevator or escalator is near failure. As such, efforts under this use case shall evaluate the feasibility of tech-enabled preventive maintenance in reducing the downtime of family-first infrastructure and, in turn, maintenance costs.

Further, proposed projects must also investigate how this solution can be used to inform traveler-facing systems (i.e., Google Maps) with more accurate real-time outage information so travelers can adapt travel plans.

• Wayfinding Completeness: New technologies and innovations are improving wayfinding capabilities, unlocking the potential for significant improvements benefitting all transit riders. As such, efforts under this use case shall evaluate meaningful and cost-effective improvements in the ease of wayfinding for travelers, including (but not limited to) improved wayfinding coverage, piloting various solutions based on universal access, and wayfinding planning using virtual reality. For the latter, efforts are encouraged to utilize digital twins of transit infrastructure to demonstrate cost-effectiveness and validate wayfinding solutions (e.g., signage placement and pathway following).

Accessibility Support Technologies for Automated Vehicles

Programmatic Context for all Accessibility Support Technologies for Automated Vehicles (AST) Research Topics:

The integration of automated driving systems (ADS) in transit buses offers opportunities to enhance accessibility and improve the rider experience. However, the use of ADS may not be enough to do so on its own. The research topics in this section focus on advancing accessibility support technologies to support independent use by passengers with disabilities (i.e., without relying on third-party human assistance, such as assistance currently provided by a transit bus driver). While some passengers may continue to prefer receiving human assistance, relying solely on staff intervention can inadvertently highlight disabilities in ways that might draw negative attention, increase stress responses, and lead to stigmatization. Errors can occur when personnel are not properly trained or practiced enough to provide the level of support required. Additionally, fostering self-sufficiency may lead to a more independent transit experience. These technologies can also improve operational efficiency, reducing dwell times at stops where a bus driver currently needs to leave their seat to provide assistance.

Topic: FTA-AST-001

Title: Technologies for Independent Boarding and Alighting

Description:

To be accessible, a transit bus must include a lift, ramp, or other level-change mechanism for people with mobility impairments to board and alight from the bus. Bus operators are required to assist passengers with the use of ramps and lifts where necessary, or upon request.

This topic seeks to investigate and test new technologies that enable people with physical disabilities to board and alight from a transit bus without assistance from onboard staff. Some non-exhaustive examples of these types of technologies include:

● Ramps or lifts that are deployed upon request from a passenger (via button or other communication mechanism) or upon detection of a passenger using a mobility device, instead of being actuated by a driver.

● Integration with vehicle sensors to ensure that the level-change mechanism is deployed in a safe and accessible location, detecting obstacles between the boarding door and the bus stop.

● Automatic measurement and/or adjustment of ramp slope or bus-kneel depth to ensure that the maximum allowable slope is not exceeded.

● Precision docking at level-boarding platforms to minimize the gap between the bus and the platform.

Topic: FTA-AST-002

Title: Technologies for Independent Passenger Restraint and Mobility Device Securement

Description:

Securement systems focus on securing wheelchairs and other mobility devices and safely restraining passengers while the vehicle is in motion. To be accessible, a vehicle must contain a minimum number of securement locations and devices. Bus operators are required to assist passengers with the use of securement systems, where necessary or upon request.

This topic seeks to investigate and test new technologies that enable people who use mobility devices, such as wheelchairs and power scooters, to secure themselves and their devices independently. Some non-exhaustive examples of these types of technologies include:

● Automated securement and restraint systems that are compatible with forward-facing securement.

● Advancement of universal docking interface development.

● Devices that can secure a wide variety of mobility devices without manual adjustments while being able to integrate with existing bus designs in a cost-effective manner.

Topic: FTA-AST-003

Title: User Interface Technologies and Systems

Description:

Passengers encounter a variety of interaction points as they use public transportation. User interfaces enable passengers to interact with the vehicle or to obtain information related to service operations. Examples of these technologies include messaging screens and audiovisual cues intended to signal passengers inside the vehicle, and road users outside of the vehicle, as well as smartphone applications.

This topic seeks to investigate and test user interface technologies and systems to enable people with sensory, cognitive, or mobility disabilities to perform tasks, such as flagging down a vehicle, recognizing when their stop is approaching, and requesting a stop, without assistance from onboard staff on automated transit buses. Some non-exhaustive examples of these types of technologies include:

● Visual, auditory, and haptic interfaces to enhance passengers’ situational awareness of where the bus is along its route and to signal that a stop is requested.

● Exterior communication devices to communicate vehicle status and intent with diverse road users and in complex situations.

● Automated detection and assessment of passenger needs (inside and out of the bus) to take appropriate actions to enhance safety, comfort, and quality service (e.g., identify that a passenger is waiting for a bus, or needs assistance onboard).

Urban Rail Transit Innovations Research

Topic: FTA-URT-001

Title: A Robust “Drone-In-a-Box System” Testing for Transit Tunnels Emergency Response

Description:

Robust testing of drones for transit tunnel emergency response is critical for addressing the dual challenges of GNSS-denied (GPS-denied) environments and hazardous, low-visibility conditions. The project will validate if drones can safely and reliably perform emergency response tasks inside transit tunnels, and evaluate communications, navigation, sensing, autonomy, and human–machine interaction under tunnel-specific constraints (e.g., GPS denial, radio frequency reflections, dust/smoke, confined geometry). The core testing areas and objectives are:

● Navigation in GNSS-denied Environments: Testing autonomous flight without GPS.

● Thermal Imaging: Detecting heat signatures from fires or people through smoke and darkness, providing immediate situational awareness.

● Operational Resilience: Testing drones for stability in low light, heavy dust, and toxic fumes (such as from fires or ventilation shafts) where human entry is unsafe.

Topic: FTA-URT-002

Title: AI-assisted Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) Systems for Rail Infrastructure Monitoring

Description:

AI-assisted Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) systems provide an opportunity to analyze several high-priority train and track defect signatures to prevent derailments and reduce maintenance downtime by processing massive, noisy datasets generated in fiber optic cables. AI has the potential to distinguish between normal operational noise and specific structural or mechanical failures. The topic seeks proposals that design, deliver, deploy, and maintain AI-assisted DAS systems for continuous monitoring of transit rail infrastructure. The objective is to detect, classify, and localize rail-related events (i.e., rail breaks, wheel flats, bearing defects, trespass, slope/embankment instability, washouts, unauthorized work, vehicle intrusion at grade crossings, and other anomalies) in near real-time and provide actionable alerts to enable rapid response and improved safety and asset management.

Topic: FTA-URT-003

Title: Exploring the Use of Digital Twin for Overhead Catenary Systems Inspection & Monitoring

Description:

Digital twin (DT) applications for railway overhead catenary systems (OCS) create virtual, data-driven replicas of physical overhead lines to allow for real-time monitoring and diagnostics, enabling transit operators to move from reactive to predictive maintenance strategies. Under the predictive maintenance regime, they can analyze trends and predict when components will fail or require service to minimize unscheduled downtime and lower maintenance costs, increasing overall performance optimization and improving safety. The topic will explore DT applications to demonstrate, evaluate, and deliver an operational proof-of-concept digital twin for OCS to improve condition assessment, anomaly detection, predictive maintenance, asset management, and decision support. It also investigates exploratory work to define requirements, integrate sensing and data sources, develop a DT model and dashboard, validate performance in a representative environment, and recommend paths for deployment and scale.

Topic: FTA-URT-004

Title: Improved Direct Fixation (DF) Fastening Systems for Increased Safety and Reliability

Description:

Direct Fixation (DF) fastening systems are integral to U.S. urban rail transit infrastructure, yet recent high-profile failures linked to anchorage patterns, clamping force, and substrate quality have compromised safety and operations. Furthermore, many legacy systems are reaching the end of their design life without established replacement strategies, while existing design guidelines also often overlook the complexities of the wheel-rail interface. There is a critical need for research that improves both new construction and capital replacement projects by addressing these design deficiencies and performance gaps of current DF systems.

To address these needs, research projects submitted under this topic must provide for a mechanistic understanding of DF system performance through data synthesis, laboratory testing, and field experiments.

Projects should aim to optimize design practices and extend service life while reducing lifecycle costs, ensuring more resilient track infrastructure. To ensure practical alignment with real-world operating conditions, all proposals must include a formal commitment of support from at least one operating urban rail transit authority.

Topic: FTA-URT-005

Title: Rail Neutral Temperature Management in Transit Structures

Description:

Managing thermal and longitudinal stresses in continuous-welded rail (CWR) is vital for rail transportation safety, yet transit-specific environments (e.g., stations, subways, and long aerial structures) face unique challenges.

Current mitigation strategies often lack routine monitoring of rail neutral temperature (RNT) and rely on open-track standards that do not account for embedded or direct-fixation trackage, or the dynamic forces of frequent braking and acceleration. Further, legacy infrastructure upgraded to CWR may lack the structural capacity to handle these increased thermal loads, necessitating clearer guidance on the use of specialized fasteners and expansion joints.

To improve operational reliability, research is needed to transition from conservative, ambient-temperature-based slow orders to more precise, data-driven stress management. Establishing a mechanistic understanding of RNT shifts in the transit environment and developing practical maintenance standards will allow urban rail transit authorities to better manage longitudinal rail forces. As such, research projects submitted under this topic shall develop one or both of the following results:

● An ambient-to-rail temperature model that compensates for the unique infrastructure associated with urban rail transit operations, accompanied by practical strategies for rail temperature sensor deployment within active transit environments.

● Definitive guidelines for rail laying temperature in embedded and direct-fixation tracks (such as those utilized in light rail and subway systems, respectively), including execution strategies for various track construction techniques.

The results of these efforts would allow operators to reduce unnecessary speed restrictions and, in turn, minimize maintenance overhead while ensuring safety.

Topic: FTA-URT-006

Title: Rail-Structure Interaction (RSI) Analysis Approach for Post-Tensioned Concrete Girders

Description:

Rail-Structure Interaction (RSI) imposes significant load on longer bridges with continuous-welded rail and direct fixation track. Previous research conducted under the Transit Cooperative Research Program established a uniform and rational approach for RSI analysis in typical transit structures. However, the time-dependent effects of post-tensioned concrete, especially in segmental construction, greatly complicate the problem and require additional research.

RSI analysis is typically required for bridges exceeding 400 feet with direct-fixation track and is important in curved bridges, both of which commonly feature post-tensioned concrete girders. Although, creep and shrinkage effects in post-tensioned concrete can affect the results of the RSI analysis. Properties of the concrete, including strength and stiffness, can change over time, and this change interacts with the post-tensioning force in the girders. Most changes occur within two years of construction, with the most significant occurring within the first six months.

Further, structural geometry and post-tensioning arrangement within can also compound or counteract the RSI forces.

Presently, there are no guidelines on how the RSI analysis should be approached in these situations; limited and anecdotal evidence suggests that change in construction schedule from what was assumed in design may affect the reliability of the RSI results. As such, research projects submitted under this topic shall:

● Develop recommendations for safe and economical design of post-tensioned concrete girders due to RSI forces.

● Correlate RSI analysis to existing bridge design guidelines for post-tensioned concrete girders (e.g., AASHTO or ASBI) to enhance consistency and reliability in design practices.

This will ensure both a safe and reliable design as well as ensure economically driven design efforts, reducing the overall cost of the structure by eliminating over-conservative methods.

Topic: FTA-URT-007

Title: Guidelines for Track Stiffness and Modulus of Elasticity at Special Trackwork

Description:

Frogs are a key component of special trackwork, and studies have established that track stiffness and modulus play a key role in the performance of special trackwork; track stiffness changes can result in higher dynamic loads and uneven track settlement that may reduce the life of special trackwork components and increase maintenance costs for transit agencies. However, there is little guidance on what the optimal track stiffness is, and how to minimize variation in track stiffness and modulus through special trackwork. As such, research projects submitted under this topic shall develop guidelines for track stiffness and modulus at special trackwork for different transit track structures to improve life-cycle performance by extending the life of the special trackwork components and minimizing maintenance.

Topic: FTA-URT-008

Title: Root Cause of Studs in Transit Rail Infrastructure

Description:

Rolling contact fatigue, or RCF, defects represent a significant challenge to rail integrity, maintenance costs, and operational safety. Among the RCF-initiated defects seen in urban rail transit systems today, studs are beginning to have more prevalence. Studs are RCF-initiated surface defects that look very similar to squats in the field;

however, they have very different characteristics and inherent risks. As opposed to squats, studs can form very early in the life of new rail, typically within 10 million gross tons of traffic. Despite the early initiation, studs do not typically pose as significant risk as squats on their own; as opposed to squats (which can propagate vertically, potentially resulting in a rail break), studs develop horizontally and remain shallow. However, the remediation of studs can be quite burdensome as grinding may not be an effective long-term strategy, resulting in major delays for passengers. Further, there is potential for increased risk of rail breaks when studs appear with other track defects.

Given the critical nature of studs in terms of safety, efficiency, and reliability of urban transit rail operations, research projects submitted under this topic shall be designed to properly investigate the root cause(s) of stud development and propagation. The investigation should, at minimum, take into consideration the following factors: rail metallurgy, wheel-rail contact mechanics, use of friction modifiers, operational characteristics of the trainsets and supporting infrastructure, and environmental conditions. For perspective, FTA envisions a separate effort in the future in which the results achieved here are used to develop a model to predict the transition of a stud from a "benign" surface crack to an ingrained defect.

Topic: FTA-URT-009

Title: Automated Inspection Technology for Urban Rail Transit Rolling Stock

Description:

Research projects submitted under this topic shall be directed towards the development and testing of sensors for a new automated rolling stock inspection system for urban rail transit systems. The goal of this research is to augment traditional manual inspections with high-speed, automated inspection technologies, capable of assisting inspectors in assessing the condition of its fleet in a passive manner. FTA is looking for innovative solutions that utilize, for example, machine vision, LiDAR, or acoustic sensors to detect structural and mechanical defects in real-time. FTA’s intent is to eventually implement such systems into a customizable inspection portal through which trains can pass at operational speeds. Submitted proposals shall focus on one or more key areas as follows: vision-based surface inspection (i.e., defect detection and vehicle identification/tracking), dynamic component analysis (i.e., component health and performance analysis), and data analytics and predictive modeling. Offerors are encouraged to leverage technologies currently being utilized in other industries (e.g., freight railroad) for similar applications to enable timelier development.

Topic: FTA-URT-010

Title: Life-Cycle Assessment of Frogs and Maintenance Recommendations

Description:

FTA is seeking proposals for a comprehensive research project to assess the full life-cycle costs of various frog designs used in urban rail transit systems and develop data-driven recommendations for their ongoing maintenance. Current transit agency feedback indicates a critical knowledge gap regarding the long-term financial impacts of different frog implementations, particularly when balancing performance benefits, such as noise reduction, against higher procurement and upkeep costs across differing operational environments. The selected research team will be required to conduct long-term investigations by partnering with multiple transit agencies to secure detailed, historical track and vehicle maintenance records. The final objective is to analyze this data to establish clear correlations between frog types, operational environments, and maintenance practices, ultimately delivering reliable guidance that enables agencies to accurately predict total life-cycle costs and optimize infrastructure investments.

Ferry Safety and Technology Research

Topic: FTA-FST-001

Title: Enhancing Passenger Ferry Safety & Operational Resilience

Description:

Projects submitted under this topic shall be directed towards actionable research that identifies, analyzes, and mitigates safety risks within the passenger ferry industry. FTA is seeking innovative solutions that address both vessel integrity and passenger survivability in diverse maritime environments. While projects proposed under this topic are not restricted to the following, potential areas of research being sought include:

● Fire Safety and Suppression Systems: Studies on the fire risks associated with Lithium-ion battery transport on vehicle decks and advancements in fire suppression materials and systems.

● Human Factors and Crew Performance: Research into fatigue management, emergency response psychology, and the impact of automated bridge systems on situational awareness.

● Next-Generation Evacuation Systems: Development and testing of rapid-deployment evacuation technologies, specifically for high-capacity vessels and aging populations.

● Environmental Monitoring and Collision Avoidance: Leveraging artificial intelligence and sensor fusion (e.g., LiDAR, radar, and/or thermal imaging) to improve navigation in, for example, heavy fog, high-traffic corridors, or debris-heavy waters.

Transit Safety Data Analytics & Management

Topic: FTA-SDA-001

Title: Safety Data Management Strategy

Description:

This is a research effort to document and standardize safety data collection processes, define and manage data quality, and develop a safety data catalog that inventory safety systems and processes that FTA currently uses.

Building on this foundation, the project will recommend capabilities and architecture to meet FTA’s data management and analytics needs. This could include an analysis environment that integrates incident, inspection, risk, asset, and training data; automated safety metrics with embedded data quality checks and validation; and anomaly detection to identify emerging risks.

Expected Output: Outline enterprise data governance strategy with clear roles and standards for FTA to implement.

Topic: FTA-SDA-002

Title: Safety Data Taxonomy

Description:

This research topic aims to improve reporting and analytics and, ultimately, safety within the industry by developing a standardized safety and security “data taxonomy” for transit. Projects submitted under this topic shall engage FTA and transit stakeholders on establishing and voluntarily adopting a standard taxonomy to manage safety and security events. Doing so will empower FTA and transit agencies to prioritize areas for improvement, proactively address emerging risks, and implement targeted interventions to enhance overall safety and security. The taxonomy also fosters a culture of continuous improvement by ensuring that lessons learned from past events are incorporated into future practices and policies.

Expected Output: Standardized Safety Data Taxonomy