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Project on Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Problems
This is a staff digest of the progress and status of TCRP Project J-7,
"Synthesis of Information Related to Transit Problems," for which the
Transportation Research Board is the agency conducting the research. Individual
studies for the project are managed by Donna L. Vlasak, Senior Program Officer.
BACKGROUND
The Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) was established in 1992. The
U.S. Department of Transportation proposed the TCRP, and it was authorized in
the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991. On May
13, 1992, a memorandum agreement outlining operating procedures for the TCRP
was executed by three cooperating organizations: the Federal Transit Agency
(FTA); the National Academy of Sciences, acting through the Transportation
Research Board (TRB); and the Transit Development Corporation, Inc. (TDC), a
non profit educational and research organization established by the American
Public Transportation Association (APTA).
A storehouse of information exists on nearly every subject of concern to the
transit industry. Much of this information has resulted from both research and
the successful application of solutions to the challenging issues faced by
practitioners in their daily work. Because there has been no systematic means
for compiling such useful information and making it available to the entire
transit community, the TOPS Committee--an independent governing board organized
by the TDC and designated the TCRP Oversight and Project Selection
Committee--authorized TRB to undertake a series of studies to search out and
synthesize useful knowledge from all available sources and to prepare
documented reports on current practices in the subject areas of concern.
Reports from this endeavor constitute a TCRP report series, Synthesis of
Transit Practice, that collects and assembles the various forms of information
into single concise documents pertaining to specific transit problems or sets
of closely related problems.
THE SYNTHESIS PROGRAM
This synthesis series reports on various practices, making recommendations
where appropriate. Each document is a compendium of the best knowledge
available on measures found to be successful in resolving specific problems. To
develop these syntheses in a comprehensive manner and to ensure inclusion of
significant knowledge, TRB hires a consultant with expertise in the topic area
to gather and analyze available information assembled from numerous sources
including a large number of transit agencies, and write a summary report. A
panel of experts in the subject area is established to guide the researcher and
to review the synthesis report.
For each topic, the project objectives are (1) to locate and assemble
documented information; (2) to learn what practice has been used for solving or
alleviating problems; (3) to identify all ongoing research; (4) to learn what
problems remain largely unsolved; and (5) to organize, evaluate, and document
the useful information that is acquired.
Each synthesis is an immediately useful document that records practices that
were acceptable within the limitations of the knowledge available at the time
of its preparation. As the processes of advancement continue, new knowledge can
be expected to be added to that which is now on hand; eventually the synthesis
may need to be updated or redone. Whenever you believe that a synthesis should
be updated, it would be appreciated if you would write TRB and let us know.
Selection of Topics
TCRP Project Committee J-7 meets each year to select topics for study using
funds from the upcoming fiscal year. Current funding allows for initiation of
about four syntheses per year.
The following factors are considered in the selection process for synthesis
topics:
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The problem should be widespread enough to generate broad interest in the
synthesis.
- The problem should be timely and critical for expediting
delivery, improving the quality, or lowering the cost of transit services.
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The problem is appropriate if current practice is non-uniform or inconsistent
from agency to agency, or if the validity of some practices appears to be
questionable.
- The quality and quantity of useful available information
should indicate a need to organize and compress that, which has already been
learned and written on the topic.
- The topic should not be one where ongoing
research or other activities in progress might be expected to render the
synthesis obsolete shortly after completion.
The continued success of this project depends on a constant supply of worthy
synthesis topics. Candidate topics can be submitted via the Internet using the
"Suggest an NCHRP or TCRP Synthesis Topic" button provided on the
Synthesis Web page. Candidate topics are suggested by members of the J-7
committee and by a variety of other sources, including transit officials,
equipment and service suppliers, research organizations, FTA, APTA, and TRB
Committees. The interest of those who have recommended topics is sincerely
appreciated, and they are urged to continue.
Conduct of the Studies
Throughout the year, following the J-7 project committee's selection of topics,
studies are initiated essentially in the order of priority assigned by the
committee. A panel consisting of practitioners and researchers is formed for
each topic. At its first meeting, this topic panel thoroughly discusses the
topic, refines the tentative scope to its final form, suggests sources of
information, and and discusses potential topic consultants.
Following this meeting, a fixed-fee contract is initiated with a consultant to
gather information on the topic, synthesize it, and draft a report. Typically,
the agreement covers a period of 7 months. Information gathering and
preparation of the first draft of the synthesis report usually takes from 4 to
5 months. This draft document is reviewed by the topic panel with the
consultant, at a second panel meeting. A subsequent draft is prepared and
additional meetings may be scheduled if necessary, although this rarely occurs.
After the staff is substantially satisfied with the report, a final draft is
sent to the members of TCRP Project Committee J-7 for their approval. At the
same time, topic panel members have their last chance to review the draft
document. Comments from both these reviews are incorporated into the final
report, which is usually published as a TCRP Synthesis of Transit Practice.
New TCRP Synthesis Topics
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