1. Transportation Research Board National Cooperative Research Programs RAC 101 July 26, 2010 Kansas City

3. TRB Cooperative Research Programs National Cooperative Highway Research Program (1962- $37 mill.) Transit Cooperative Research Program ( 1992 - $9 mill) Commercial Truck & Bus Safety Synthesis Program (2002 - $300,000) Airport Cooperative Research Program (2005 - $15 mill)

4. TRB Cooperative Research Programs (cont’d) Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Program (2007 - $1 mill) National Cooperative Freight Research Program (2007 - $4 mill)

5. NCHRP “AASHTO’s Research Program” State DOT support Formed in 1962 Applied Research Focus

6. APPLIED Research: l AASHTO Guides and Specifications l Guides for practitioners l Software products l Product enhancements l New or improved models/tools l Improved operations and services l Testing/evaluation techniques

7. Continuing NCHRP Projects: l Synthesis of Practice l International Scanning Program l Domestic Scanning Program l Quick response studies for AASHTO

8. Financial Support l From State Departments of Transportation l With 5 1/2% of State Planning and Research funds (voluntary contribution) l SPR = 2% of Federal Aid Highway apportionment

9. RAC Participation in NCHRP: l Developing problem statements l Reviewing problem statements l Nominating panel members l Serving as panel members l Providing funding through SP&R l Evaluating and implementing results

10. The NCHRP Process

11. Problem Statements: l Annual solicitation (June) l Must be submitted by either… –State Departments of Transportation –AASHTO committees and subcommittees –Federal Highway Administration l General description of problem or research need

12. TRB Standing Committees: WHY GET INVOLVED? To learn Keep yourself and your organization up to date on latest research and issues Get to know leaders in profession Leaders in profession get to know you! Become part of a community To help develop research ideas

13. How can I get my problem statement selected? NCHRP problem statements must be … Understandable Original Achievable Affordable Implementable Beneficial National in Scope High priority Widely supported, esp. by DOTs and AASHTO committees

14. “How to write an effective problem statement” See: Funding Sources for Transportation Research: Competitive Programs, Appendix B http://www.trb.org/ResearchFunding/index.asp

15. Problem statements reviewed by: l NCHRP and FHWA staff l AASHTO Standing Committee on Research l AASHTO Research Advisory Committee

16. Projects selected by: l AASHTO Standing Committee on Research - SCOR l Approval Required by 2/3 of AASHTO Board of Directors

17. Formation of Advisory Panels l Experts in subject matter l Typically 8 members l 4-5 State DOT l Academia, Associations, Private Sector, Local Gov’t l Liaison member from FHWA

18. Why serve on NCHRP panels? How do I submit my nomination? l Through AASHTO Research Advisory Committee Members (see Research.Transportation.org) l Directly to NCHRP

19. NCHRP website http://trb.org/NCHRP/Public/NCHRP.aspx Information on NCHRP and TCRP Search engine Project Info since 1988: Anticipated / Active / Completed CRP publication lists / ordering info Requests for proposals Registration form for notification of RFPs