Center for Transportation Research: Highlights

“As the American Public Transportation Association triumphantly reported in March, mass transit ridership in the U.S. reached  its highest level since the 1950s last year. But do those crowded buses, subways and commuter trains reflect a long-term trend, or merely a transitory reaction to the price of gasoline? A newly published study finds a small [...]

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The National Safety Council is urging motorists to stop using cell phones and text messaging devices while behind the wheel of a car. “Studies show that driving while talking on a cell phone is extremely dangerous and puts drivers at a four times greater risk of a crash,” said Janet Froetscher, president and CEO of [...]

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An excellent use of old rail road tracks in North Texas provides 64 miles of multipurpose trail: the Caprock Canyons Trailway. The Fort Worth and Denver South Plains Railway Line…enabled local producers to send their products all the way to Colorado and beyond. The line was completed in 1928 and served the Texas High Plains [...]

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May 9, 2009 marked the second anniversary of National Train Day, a celebration of the past, present and future of rail transportation. It marked 140 years of connecting travelers from coast to coast. National Train Day highlights the importance of freight and passenger rail service throughout the country. On display at the Dallas Union Station for the [...]

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As fuel prices continue to soar, researchers are experimenting with new sources of renewable energy.  Could algae be next? “According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), algae may be able to produce 100 times more oil per acre than soybeans—currently the leading source of U.S. biodiesel—or any other terrestrial oil-producing crop.  Because of its [...]

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MIT mathematicians have developed a new model to explain why some traffic jams seem to occur for no apparent reason. Formation of a \"phantom traffic jam\" Once such a jam is formed, it’s almost impossible to break up — drivers just have to wait it out, says Morris Flynn, lead author of the paper. However, [...]

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May 1 – 5, 2008 – George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston I-SWEEEP brought together over 800 young scientists in grades 6-12 from 57 different countries and 38 different states within the United States to compete in an international science fair centered on preserving and recycling Earth’s resources. This year, over 400 research projects were [...]

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The Transportation Research Board (TRB) announces student funding opportunities on public sector aviation research for 2009-2010. “To encourage applied research on airport and related aviation system issues and to foster the next generation of aviation community leaders. The program is intended to stimulate thought, discussion, and research by those who may become the future airport [...]

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