As Texas lawmakers prepare for the 84th Texas Legislative Session, one of the topics on their agenda is the Texas transportation system. How to maintain and enhance all modes of transportation in the state to benefit residents, business owners and travelers has been discussed in recent sessions. Given innovations in technology and a growing population, … Read More

In 2009, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) began a fuel-transition program to replace its transit bus fleet with compressed natural gas (CNG)–fueled buses and to construct the necessary refueling infrastructure by 2012. Even though DART faced considerable up-front capital costs to build a fueling station and upgrade the existing gas pipeline, the low cost of … Read More

An estimated 15,000 public transit-agency professionals converged on Houston’s Hilton Americas and George R. Brown Convention Center Oct. 12–15 for the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA’s) 2014 Annual Meeting, which is billed as the industry’s premier event. With growing ridership, funding continues to be a leading issue for transit agencies around the country. According to … Read More

Transportation research often focuses on finding safer and more efficient ways of doing things. A case in point is older bridges. Some features may need to be modernized to make older bridges safer and more reliable. “The nation’s infrastructure is wearing out,” says William Williams, an associate research engineer at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute … Read More

Traffic congestion in Texas continues to worsen each year, but that’s not changing how the vast majority of Texans feel about their cars and trucks. This and a variety of other insights come from the first Texas Transportation Poll conducted by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s Transportation Policy Research Center (PRC). The survey examines the … Read More

When looking to buy a home, you’re more likely to get the most bang for your buck when a lot of houses are on the market. The bigger the market, the more likely a seller is to accommodate how much you want to spend, right? It’s simple supply and demand. Similarly, when travel demand exceeds … Read More

If the concept of layering works for a popular Mexican food dish, why can’t the same concept work when analyzing data to prioritize roadway improvements? That’s the thinking behind a new approach that examines a comprehensive set of condition and performance measures, and weighs those factors to help determine where transportation improvement projects make the … Read More

The No. 1 killer of U.S. teenagers is automobile crashes, especially during their first — and most inexperienced — year of driving. The Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s Teens in the Driver Seat® (TDS) program and State Farm® are enhancing their longstanding and successful relationship to prevent these tragedies. State Farm recently provided $350,000 in grant … Read More

With a new leader at the helm and significant changes in how we travel on the horizon, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) held its 88th Annual Transportation Short Course on the campus of Texas A&M University Oct. 13–15. The annual event, designed to inform employees about the latest innovations in transportation research, is organized … Read More