The National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) is preparing for its 11th year as a Tier I University Transportation Center (UTC). In our first 10 years, we have completed 114 research projects funded by the Florida Department of Transportation and the United States Department of Transportation. The results of these projects have provided valuable information to help better understand travel markets, and enhance the capabilities of public transit agencies and commuter assistance programs throughout Florida and the nation. Once again, we are seeking proposals for research projects for next year’s cycle of funding beginning in July 2009.

NCTR receives approximately $1 million a year from the USDOT to conduct research, prepare students to become the next generation of transportation professionals, and broadly disseminate the results of our research. Our federal grant has been generously matched by the Florida Department of Transportation over the years. Approximately 10 projects are selected each year, at an average cost of about $100,000 per project. All final reports are available for downloading by going to http://www.nctr.usf.edu/publications.htm

The theme of NCTR is to make public transportation and alternative forms of transportation, including managed lanes, safe, effective, efficient, desirable, and secure. For more information, please view the NCTR Strategic Plan that further describes our focus and directions.

Each year we try to suggest themes and topics to guide you in the development of your research proposals. USDOT Secretary Raymond Lahood has stated that President Obama’s national priorities for transportation are:

1. Safety
2. Economic development and investment
3. Sustainability in terms of climate change and energy
4. Livability by preserving and enhancing the unique characteristics of every community

NCTR is interested in how those themes are applied to public transportation, alternative forms of transportation, and managed lanes. You are also encouraged to go to TRB’s new Research Needs Statements (RNS) website http://rns.trb.org/home.asp  TRB committees submit the ideas to RNS. This could be a good source of ideas for the next round of NCTR projects. If you agree with the intent of one of those projects and believe the subject matter is important, please feel free to submit that for consideration for NCTR funding. There are over 120 research needs statements found under Public Transportation.

We encourage you to take a few moments and send us any proposals that you think we could conduct research on behalf of the industry.

Please use the form below (http://www.nctr.usf.edu/researchneeds.htm#form)  to submit your idea and a project description of no more than 250 words. 

The deadline for receipt of your proposals is May 8, 2009.

The time frame is relatively short, so we encourage you to act on this quickly. We look forward to your ideas, and hope that we can include a number of them in our research program that will begin in July 2009. Thank you very much!

Please note that most of the research is conducted by NCTR researchers; this is not an opportunity to obtain funding for your program.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at 813-974-9847, or via email at volinski@cutr.usf.edu.

Thank you for participating in our process!

Sincerely,

Joel Volinski
Director, NCTR

Submittals are due by May 8, 2009.

Joel Volinski, Director, National Center for Transit Research
Center for Urban Transportation Research, University of South Florida
4202 Fowler Avenue, CUT100, Tampa, FL 33620-5375

Phone: (813) 974-9847, Fax: (813) 974-5168, E-mail: volinski@cutr.usf.edu

Thank you for your time.

I. Problem Title The title should be no more then ten words.

II. Research Problem Statement In no more than 250 words, please provide a general description of the problem or need.

III. Previous Research in no more than 100 words please note prior research in this area and differentiate this proposal from that research

IV. Process Used to Develop the Problem Statement State whether this problem statement is the product of an individual, a formal committee or another group. Please specifically name the group or committee.