Transit research and industry news update : January-February 2010.
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Summary
This document is a periodic news update issued by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) covering transit research and industry developments from January to February 2010. It serves as a compilation of administrative announcements, research project summaries, and industry news rather than a single empirical study. The update highlights a significant policy shift under the Obama Administration, led by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, which prioritizes "livability" in federal transit funding. This new approach rescinds previous budget restrictions that focused primarily on cost and commute time savings, instead emphasizing economic development, environmental benefits, and community improvement in the selection of New Starts and Small Starts projects. The report details several ongoing research initiatives and federal publications. Key projects in progress include a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) peer-to-peer exchange led by New York University to develop best practices for bus lanes in large cities; a pilot project by Ayers Electronic Systems to test Transit Communications Interface Profiles (TCIP) for vehicle tracking at the LYNX transit agency in Orlando; and a demonstration of Fischer-Tropsch synthetic diesel fuel by VSE Corporation to assess emission reductions in transit fleets. Additionally, the document outlines the continued support for the University Transportation Centers Program, which funds higher education and workforce development in transportation. Several completed research findings and reports are summarized. The Bus Crash Causation Study, conducted in New Jersey, identified human error as the critical reason for 90 percent of fatal or injury-causing bus crashes. A study on light rail vehicle safety demonstrated that retrofitting vehicles with segmented energy-absorbing bumpers significantly improves automobile passenger safety in collisions. Other publications include guidelines for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise disparity studies, a legal handbook for the New Starts process, and best practices for Title VI compliance. The update also notes the release of the Transit IDEA Program annual report, which tracks innovations in transit efficiency and safety. The significance of this update lies in its documentation of the strategic direction of U.S. transit policy during this period, specifically the integration of sustainability and livability into federal funding criteria. It also highlights advancements in alternative energy technologies, such as the durability milestone reached by UTC fuel cell buses and the expansion of compressed natural gas fueling stations. Furthermore, the report covers the impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, noting that Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction (TIGGER) grants were awarded to 43 projects to promote green technologies and job creation. The document underscores the administration’s focus on safety, evidenced by new Positive Train Control standards for rail, and the broader effort to modernize transit infrastructure through research and innovation.
Key finding
The document reports that the Obama Administration proposed shifting federal transit funding criteria to prioritize livability and environmental benefits, while also highlighting various ongoing research projects and new safety regulations in the transit sector.
Methodology
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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.
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