The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recently helped the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and Federal Highway Administration update, improve, and re-release an emergency declarations website for commercial trucking operators. [Above photo by CVSA] During an emergency, moving relief supplies efficiently to an affected area may require shippers to route through multiple jurisdictions. […]

In this episode of the Environmental Technical Assistance Program or ETAP Podcast, April Rai (seen above) – president and CEO of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials or COMTO) – provides an overview of efforts to promote equity in the transportation sector. [Above photo by COMTO] Though equity in transportation has become a major topic […]

The Senate on May 26 confirmed Steven Cliff (seen above) to serve as administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. [Above photo via NHTSA] The Senate confirmed Cliff – nominated by the Biden administration in October 2021 to head up NHTSA – by consent without objections or a formal roll call vote, according to […]

The Federal Transit Administration recently made roughly $13 million in grants available through a notice of funding opportunity issued May 26 via its Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning pilot program. Applications for this round of TOD grant funding are due by July 25. [Above photo by the FTA] The agency said its TOD pilot program seeks to […]

New legislation introduced by Senators Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to establish a pilot program to help state, local, and tribal governments prepare for a range of advanced air mobility or AAM operations is getting strong support from state departments of transportation and state aviation officials. [Above graphic by Hyundai] Entitled the “Advanced Aviation […]

Researchers with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute recently collaborated with the Virginia Department of Transportation and GeoStabilization International to pilot test “smart” work zone technology along U.S. Route 23 in Wise, Virginia. [Above photo by the VTTI] VTTI said this “safety system” for work zones aims to decrease injuries and fatalities for both highway crews and motorists by creating a […]

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials recently provided feedback to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding the incorporation of additional advanced driver assistance or ADAS technologies into the agency’s New Car Assessment Program or NCAP. [Above photo by AASHTO] AASHTO noted in its May 21 letter to NHTSA that, historically, it […]

The American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials recently highlighted its Transportation and Civil Engineering or TRAC program for middle and high school students in a new video as a way to attract more young people into the state department of transportation community. [Above photo by AASHTO] “Currently we have about 17 states actively in […]

The Federal Railroad Administration established a new Corridor Identification and Development program on May 13 to create a “pipeline of projects” ready for funding from the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA enacted in November 2021. [Above photo by Amtrak] “The Corridor ID program will help expand intercity passenger rail service beyond […]

Following confirmation by the U.S. Senate on May 10, the U.S. Department of Transportation officially swore in Rear Admiral Ann Phillips (seen above), U.S. Navy, Ret., as the 20th administrator of the Maritime Administration. She is the first woman to lead MARAD as administrator. [Above photo via the USDOT] “From her distinguished naval service to […]