Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
- How does a project qualify for inclusion in the database?
- What is your definition of research, development, and technology projects?
- Isn't this database duplicating the Transportation Research Board's Research-in-Progress (RiP) database?
- Why isn't my research program/project included in the database?
- What is the difference between a Sponsor and a Manager?
- Why is the University Transportation Center (UTC) program split into two sections (FTA-sponsored and RITA-sponsored), and where can I find them in the database?
- Why don't all the completed projects have links to final reports and/or a summary of project outcomes?
- Why is information missing from the project records?
- What are the Research Clusters, and what does the Research Clusters Advanced Search option do?
- Where can I find out more about USDOT and each of its Operating Administrations?
- Are there any other sources of information on USDOT-sponsored research and other transportation research in the U.S?
- Is the search engine capable of full Boolean search functionality?
How does a project qualify for inclusion in the database?
In order to qualify for inclusion in the database, a project must meet three basic criteria:
-
(a) Must be sponsored or partly sponsored by a USDOT operating administration.
(b) Must be active or recently completed. "Active" means that the project has been initiated and the resulting project activities are underway. "Recently completed" means that the project was completed after September 30, 2008 (completed no earlier than beginning of the 2009 fiscal year).
(c) Must meet the definition of a research, development, and technology project, as described below.
What is your definition of research, development, and technology projects?
The database contains research, development, and technology projects as defined below*:
Research - A systematic study directed toward fuller scientific knowledge or understanding of the subject studied. Research is classified as either basic or applied according to the objectives of the sponsoring agency.
- Basic research - Basic research is defined as systematic study directed toward fuller knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of phenomena and of observable facts without specific applications towards processes or products in mind.
- Applied research - Applied research is defined as systematic study to gain knowledge or understanding necessary to determine the means by which a recognized and specific need may be met.
Development - Development is defined as systematic application of knowledge or understanding, directed toward the production of useful materials, devices, and systems or methods, including design, development, and improvement of prototypes and new processes to meet specific requirements.
Technology: Demonstration projects and other related activities associated with research and development activities.**
*Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget. Circular No. A-11: Preparation, Submission, and Execution of the Budget. July 2010.
** USDOT uses the term "Research, Development, and Technology", with the definition of "Technology" added to the "R&D" definition provided above.
Isn’t this database duplicating the Transportation Research Board’s Research-in-Progress (RiP) database?
No. The RiP database is a central repository for active transportation research underway in the United States and internationally, while the USDOT Research Hub is focused only on USDOT-sponsored research. While RiP does contain some USDOT-sponsored projects, up until now many USDOT research programs have not been represented. The USDOT Research Hub initiative has therefore focused on obtaining information on the USDOT-sponsored research programs that have not been represented in RiP. TRB and USDOT have agreed to exchange project records on a regular basis to ensure that both databases contain a comprehensive account of USDOT's research portfolio. While the basic design and functionality of the USDOT Research Hub is similar to that of RiP, there are several important differences between the two databases that are summarized in the table below.
TRB’s Research in Progress Database |
USDOT Research Hub |
Federal, State, and other forms of sponsored research included |
USDOT-sponsored research only |
Focused primarily on active (ongoing) research projects. Project records up to approximately 10 years old are retained in the database. |
Active projects and projects completed after 9/30/2008 only |
Final reports and other research products provided in a separate (TRID) database which is not linked to project records |
Final reports and other research products linked to project records |
Why isn’t my research program/project included in the database?
The USDOT's research investment is typically in excess of $1 billion per year. This beta version represents the first step towards obtaining a comprehensive account of the Department's research portfolio at the project level. We will continue to improve the coverage of the database in 2012 and beyond. If you know of a program or project that is USDOT-sponsored and should therefore be included in the database, please let us know.
What is the difference between a Sponsor and a Manager?
The "sponsoring organization" is the USDOT agency that is the original source of funding for the project, while the "managing organization" is the organization that manages the program through which the project is funded (other federal and non-federal organizations may also co-sponsor a project). In most cases, the project is sponsored and managed by the same USDOT agency. However, in some cases the organization managing the research is different from the sponsoring agency, like the various Cooperative Research programs, which are sponsored by USDOT agencies but managed by the Transportation Research Board.
Why is the University Transportation Center (UTC) program split into two sections (FTA-sponsored and RITA-sponsored), and where can I find them in the database?
This is due to the way in which the UTC program is funded. RITA receives UTC program funding annually through an allocation from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and a reimbursable agreement from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The projects funded by the FTA reimbursable agreement have been considered as FTA-sponsored, while the other projects funded through the FHWA allocation have been considered to be RITA-sponsored. Because many people associate the UTC program with RITA, the FTA-sponsored projects can be found within the RITA section (by clicking on the "Managed Only" tab in the left navigation bar) as well as within the FTA section of the database.
Why don't all the completed projects have links to final reports and/or a summary of project outcomes?
We are in the process of adding the links to research products funded through individual projects, and coverage should increase through 2012. Documented "project outcomes" will also continue to be added over this period, but it should be noted that only certain types of research, such as applied research and demonstration projects, will have any documentable impacts, and that it sometimes takes years or decades for a project to have a documentable impact.
Why is information missing from the project records?
Field coverage is highly variable across the database. The database collects information from a wide-range of sources. Some sources match closely to the kinds of information required to populate the USDOT Research Hub fields, while other sources do not. We have populated as many fields as possible using the existing data sources at our disposal.
What are the Research Clusters, and what does the Research Clusters Advanced Search option do?
The Research Clusters are an online community of interactive web pages designed to facilitate information sharing and collaboration among US DOT researchers, DOT-funded researchers and their colleagues from across the nation. The Research Clusters are organized into the following fourteen thematic research areas:
- Data-Driven Decision Making
- Economics
- Energy Sustainability
- Human Factors
- Infrastructure and Materials
- Livability
- Travel Behavior
- Modeling and Simulation
- Multimodal ITS
- Policy Analysis
- Position, Navigation & Timing
- Risk Based Safety Analysis
- System Resilience and Global Logistics
- Aging and Special Needs Populations
A list of keywords has been developed for each Research Cluster to describe the research topics covered within that cluster. The Research Clusters option in the Advanced Search simply performs a text field search for all the keywords associated with an individual Research Cluster, returning a set of project records that represent the active or recently completed research on that Research Cluster topic. For more information on the Research Clusters, click here.
Where can I find out more about USDOT and each of its Operating Administrations?
Weblinks to further information are provided below:
USDOT: http://www.dot.gov/
USDOT Agencies:
| Office of the Secretary of Transportation | http://www.dot.gov/ost/ |
| Federal Railroad Administration | http://www.fra.dot.gov/ |
| Federal Transit Administration | http://www.fta.dot.gov/ |
| Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration | http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/ |
| National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | http://www.nhtsa.gov/ |
| Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration | http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/ |
| Federal Aviation Administration | http://www.faa.gov/ |
| Maritime Administration | http://www.marad.dot.gov/ |
| Federal Highway Administration | http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ |
| Research and Innovative Technology Administration | http://www.rita.dot.gov/ |
| Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation* | http://www.seaway.dot.gov/ |
| Surface Transportation Research Board* | http://www.stb.dot.gov/stb/index.html |
| Office of Inspector General* | http://www.oig.dot.gov/ |
* Not represented in the database
Are there any other sources of information on USDOT-sponsored research and other transportation research in the U.S?
| RITA National Transportation Library | http://ntl.bts.gov/ |
| Transportationresearch.gov | http://www.transportationresearch.gov/ |
| DOT Research Clusters | http://www.transportationresearch.gov/dotrc/default.aspx |
| FHWA TFHRC Research Database | http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/research/tfhrc/projects/projectsdb/index.cfm |
| FHWA Exploratory Advanced Research | http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/research.cfm |
| I-95 Corridor Coalition | http://www.i95coalition.org/i95/Default.aspx |
| FAA Aviation Grants Program | http://www.tc.faa.gov/logistics/grants/grantsaward.html |
| NHTSA Research in Progress | http://www.nhtsa.gov/Driving+Safety/Current+Research+In+Progress |
| PHMSA PRIMIS Project Database | http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/matrix/ |
Transportation Research Board:
- Home page - http://www.trb.org/Main/Home.aspx
- Research in Progress (RiP) database- http://rip.trb.org/
- Transportation Research Information (TRID) Database - http://trid.trb.org/
Is the search engine capable of full Boolean search functionality?
Yes. The search engine is capable of a variety of search syntax options including Boolean searching, phrase searching, truncation, wildcards, and word stemming. For more information click here.