Transit Research Analysis Committee Letter Report: September 26, 2023 (2023)

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1 September 26, 2023 Mary Leary Associate Administrator for Research, Demonstration, and Innovation Federal Transit Administration U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Dear Dr. Leary, The Transportation Research Board’s (TRB’s) Transit Research Analysis Committee (TRAC) convened on July 25 and 26, 2023. TRAC is an interdisciplinary committee of 12 experts from public transportation agencies, private industry, nonprofit organizations, and academia. Appointed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (the National Academies), TRAC’s members have expertise in public transportation administration and operations, labor and workforce issues, vehicles and infrastructure, and research and technology (see attachment for roster). TRAC members are charged with providing a strategic review of the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA’s) Research, Development, and Innovation (RD&I) program content, plans, and priorities on a semi-annual basis. The aim of each review is to provide constructive advice for research that is relevant, timely, and effective in meeting the diverse and changing needs of the public transportation sector. On behalf of TRAC members, I would like to thank you and your leadership team from the Office of Research, Demonstration, and Innovation (TRI) for providing an engaging and well- organized set of briefings that fostered two days of productive discussions to inform the development of this letter report. The briefings and discussions that ensued covered a wide range of topics, including TRI’s interests and activities in automation, data-analytics, new and improved mobility options, resilient and sustainable transportation, the health and safety of riders and operators, and equitable transit networks to connect communities. Before discussing TRI’s plans and current work in each of these areas, you provided a helpful, context-setting overview of FTA’s mission to “improve America’s communities through public transportation”; values that emphasize “service, integrity, innovation, sustainability, and equity”; and strategic research goals to enhance safety, improve equity, address

2 climate and sustainability, build resiliency, and connect communities. TRAC members kept these values and goals in mind when contemplating TRI’s current and planned research initiatives and in offering ideas for additional RD&I. The next section of this letter report provides a synopsis of what the committee heard and learned from the briefings, which included a high-level mapping of research initiatives to FTA’s strategic research goals, illuminating descriptions of several specific research initiates under way or being planned, and a candid discussion about several major challenges that public transportation is facing today and where TRI sees opportunities for research to help address them. This last discussion was particularly thought-provoking, prompting many of the committee’s research ideas and suggestions presented at the end of this letter report. OVERVIEW OF FTA’S ONGOING AND PLANNED RESEARCH While it was not possible to receive detailed briefings of TRI’s entire existing and planned RD&I portfolio, TRAC ascertained the major elements that align with FTA’s strategic research goals: safety, resiliency and economic growth, climate and sustainability, equity, and connected communities. This alignment, as understood by the committee, is shown in Table 1. The first set of initiatives focuses on the safety of operators, other transit, workers, and riders. These projects address bus operator and rail worker safety, passenger health and safety, and the serious problem of people intruding on transit properties and committing suicide. Building resilience and economic growth is being pursued through current and planned work on real-time asset management, advanced technologies for system inspection and disaster response, and opportunities for electric as a source of power generation during an emergency. Work to advance the climate and sustainability, the next strategic goal, focuses on extending or enhancing vehicle capacity, accelerating the adoption of zero-emission buses, and better understanding the behaviors of the traveler. For example, artificial intelligence and modeling research is aimed at providing travelers with personalized and curated information for making climate-friendly mobility decisions. In furtherance of the goal of equity, TRI is planning to sponsor research that will explore the relationships between access and public transportation and develop transit and living programs that meet the transportation needs of diverse low-income individuals. Lastly, ongoing and planned research activities are aimed at supporting better connected communities through demonstrations of mobility on demand and other innovations, ranging from micro mobility and universal payment systems to transit automation.

3 TABLE 1 Ongoing and Planned Research, Demonstration, and Innovation Initiatives Topic/Strategic Goal Ongoing Work Planned Work Safety Roadway track worker warning technology Railway intrusion detection technology for trespassers Contactless fare payment, vehicle disinfecting, and sanitization Bus operator safety compartment resign (Phase I) Bus compartment redesign (Phase II) Transit and rider safety demonstration projects Continued cybersecurity research Resiliency and Economic Strength Real-time asset management (autonomous track/vehicle inspection and monitoring) Unmanned aerial systems (drones) for inspection, disaster response, and recovery Turning hybrid electric and fuel cell buses into mobile power generators Transit Workforce Center Accelerating advanced digital construction management for large infrastructure projects Rapid development and testing of prototype smart connected systems for transit and rail Developing carbon-neutral smart vehicles, rail, and infrastructure systems Continued research and demonstrations on unmanned aerial systems Climate and Sustainability Transit Vehicle Innovative Development Program with the Center for Transportation and the Environment and CALSTART Low or No Emissions Component Testing Centers and research studies SMART traveler programs that utilize artificial intelligence and model research to enable environmentally sustainable and climate- friendly mobility Additional Low or No Component Testing Centers Transit Vehicle Innovative Development Centers to accelerate the adoption of zero- emission buses Equity Mobility, Access, and Transportation Insecurity program to explore relationships between public transit access and impacts to individual lives Transit enhanced living programs to leverage human-centered design approach to address mobility challenges for all populations, including underserved communities Connected Communities Advanced driver assistance systems for transit buses Automated transit bus maintenance and yard operations Mobility On Demand and Mobility Innovation demonstrations (including micro mobility and transit, improved scheduling, new payment options, and removed barriers for people with disabilities) Transit operations and emerging data for interoperability strategies Implement second Strategic Transit Automatic Research program Mobility NeXt programs to assist agencies with greater efficiency and accessibility (including new payment services supported by multimodal service providers)

4 TRI’s portfolio is supplemented by research and demonstration projects conducted by public transportation agencies with federal funding support administered by FTA and the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). TRAC was briefed on how transit agencies can apply for research and demonstration funding from the $100 million Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grants Program created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). In fiscal year (FY) 2022, USDOT awarded funding for 59 projects, 14 of which addressed transit and mobility technologies or practices. The BIL also converted a former grant program into the Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation (ATTAIN) program. ATTAIN provides $60 million in competitive grants annually for the deployment and operation of technological solutions for reducing travel times and improving the safety of highway and transit users. Three of the 8 grants awarded in FY2022 involved transit-related technologies. HIGHLIGHTED RD&I INITIATIVES TRAC benefited from the four presentations by FTA program staff introducing the following RD&I initiatives and explaining how they are expected to further its strategic research goals. Mobility NeXt Mobility NeXt, which is in the planning stage, will focus on research, testing, and sharing new models for mobility that are equitable and climate smart. The program, as explained, will support exploratory- and prototype-level projects focused on tools, operations, and partnerships that facilitate ease of travel and incentivize the choice of environmentally beneficial options. An example of a smart tool is payment integration or other facilitated payment program. Smart operations use new technologies (e.g., block chain) to make the integration of tools more seamless. Smart partnerships may connect privately- owned vehicles, public infrastructure, and other mobility systems. Bus Compartment Redesign and Bus of the Future TRI plans to issue a Bus Compartment and Bus of the Future Notice of Funding Opportunity. The aim of the bus compartment redesign is to improve safety—real and perceived—for operators, passengers, and vulnerable road users by providing operators with increased protection from assaults, better roadway visibility, fewer distractions, and better ergonomics. An example emphasis of the bus of the

5 future will be to make the bus entryway easier to navigate for passengers. TRI has held listening sessions with transit workers, agencies, and riders to gain a better understanding of the needs and opportunities for bus redesigns for safety, convenience, and comfort. Workforce Development The Transit Workforce Center (TWC), which FTA funds, is a technical assistance center for transit workforce development. TWC provides resources, strategies, and initiatives for hiring and retaining operators and other workers. For example, its National Transit Frontline Worker Campaign Toolkit provides sample marketing strategies, advertisements, recruitment videos, and case studies about recruiting and retaining drivers, mechanics, and technicians. TWC also sponsors research that focuses primarily on improving data and analytic methods for transit workforce performance and planning. TWC has assisted in the development of a program for training bus drivers in operating zero-emission buses. TWC is also coordinating with FTA and the U.S. Department of Labor to develop a transit industry National Workforce Strategic Plan for 2023–2028. Climate Resiliency Mapping and Location-Based Data FTA has partnered with several agencies, including the National League of Cities, and other private companies to use image data from vehicle dashboard cameras to identify problems for road surfaces, bus stops, and other transit-related infrastructure. The information helps in monitoring and understanding how transit risk factors may be changing and emerging because of climate change. FTA has also studied opportunities for using anonymized and aggregated data from smart phones and other location-aware devices to infer information about people’s travel patterns, including trip origins and destinations, modes of transportation, and when trips occurred and their overall travel times. The data—which can supplant or supplement traditional methods, such as automated passenger counter devices and ridership surveys—can help transit agencies better understand travel patterns for improved scheduling and placement of services. TRANSIT CHALLENGES TRAC members are well aware of the many pressing challenges facing the public transportation sector, including long-standing issues that have been exacerbated by climate change and the aftermath

6 of the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges, as you explained in your briefing, include the following:  The impending “fiscal cliff,” especially for large transit agencies that operate rail systems and are anticipating unprecedented shortfalls in operating budgets as pandemic support funds are expended. This is exacerbated by the fact that many transit operators are grappling with issues of ridership recovery.  Assaults on operators and passengers that are heightening concerns about the safety of using public transit and working on the front lines, complicating workforce recruitment and efforts to attract and retain riders.  The persistence of inequities in transit access due in part to the lack of walkable routes to transit services and limited travel choices generally, especially for disadvantaged communities.  The need for greater resiliency to climate change, as major climate events—wind, heat, flooding, snow, etc.—put transit operations and assets at risk, especially older infrastructure.  The complexities of transitioning to a low and no-emission electric fleet, including investments in charging and fueling systems and meeting changing fleet service and maintenance requirements.  Changing ridership patterns that are favoring more flexible on-demand systems where some fixed-route services are becoming obsolete.  Worker recruitment, retention, and retraining imperatives in an environment characterized by persistent worker shortages. FTA rightly views these challenges as opportunities for TRI to conduct, sponsor, and coordinate RD&I in the search for solutions. You pointed to several opportunities, including some already being pursued, that involve:  Capitalizing on advanced technologies, including automation, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.  Improving the user experience through more integrated mobility options and personalized travel information.  Leveraging social and health services to help improve the safety and mental health of transit riders and workers.

7  Creating more transit options and transit-oriented places, especially in suburban, rural, and tribal communities. With these challenges and opportunities in mind and having the benefit of hearing about TRI’s ongoing and planned research initiatives, you asked TRAC members to offer their ideas on possible research topics for TRI to pursue. As we understood your request, you are interested in ideas that emerged spontaneously from the discussions rather than a vetted and prioritized list of research needs and recommendations. It is therefore in this spirit, intended to help TRI think differently or in a new way about RD&I opportunities, that the following research topic ideas are offered. RESEARCH TOPIC IDEAS The following research ideas are directed to FTA generally, as the committee understands that TRI is not the only FTA unit that conducts and sponsors research, and that research is also programmed through the FTA-funded Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP), which is administered by TRB. At future meetings TRAC would benefit from a comprehensive overview of FTA research to include TCRP’s portfolio. Vehicle Electrification TRI’s research on no- and low-emission buses emphasizes electric batteries. The increasing adoption of battery-powered electric vehicles is expected to tax the capacity of the electric power grid, potentially requiring additional power distribution systems for recharging during peak hours. Research on the impacts of battery-powered passenger cars on the grid is ongoing; however, TRAC members are not aware of comparable research on the potential impacts of bus charging, accounting for the timing of charging and the power supply requirements at bus depots. FTA may want to consider devoting research to the effects of a transition to battery-powered buses on local and regional electric power grids, especially during peak periods, and by leveraging information from research on personal vehicles. In addition, certain grids may not have the capacity to support the transition to transit electrification in the first place. In these cases, FTA could consider which federal investments would be required to increase the capacity of the grid and enable the transition to battery-powered buses.

8 In discussing vehicle electrification, TRAC members thought of the looming issue of surface transportation funding sources and levels as more electric vehicles displace gas- and diesel-powered vehicles in the highway fleet. Fuel tax revenues remain the primary source of federal aid (and in some cases state and regional aid) for public transportation. Given the pace of electrification, it would benefit FTA to sponsor research on the potential fiscal impacts of declining fuel tax revenues on public transportation. Ridership and Safety Transit ridership has been declining, especially on rail and for daily commuting, as more people work from home. But many other factors—such as changing demographics, concerns over crime and safety, and non-work lifestyle changes—impact public transportation demand and need to be better understood for transit agencies to make responsive adjustments to services. FTA research could shed more light on the reasons for declining or shifting patterns of ridership demand. The results of this research could inform measures, perhaps demonstrated in select cities, to boost ridership. For example, it is common for transit use to increase during large events, such as conferences, sporting events, and concerts. FTA could scan the horizon for best practices for coordinating transit services with these large events, perhaps through the integration of fares and event ticketing. TRAC members also discussed how increased ridership may improve the perception of transit safety, as a larger number of transit users may outweigh the perceived problems created by a small number of potentially disruptive riders. Conversely, patron concerns over transit safety, including a perceived lack of safety, are likely contributing to ridership declines. Addressing safety concerns and reassuring riders of their safety is a priority for transit agencies. FTA therefore may want to sponsor research that identifies the parts of the trip (i.e., travel to/from stations, waiting at stops, onboard travel) that raise the greatest safety concerns, and how these concerns and perceptions of safety may vary demographically, such as by the gender, age, and race of travelers. For instance, the research could compare the incidence of crime on transit vehicles and at bus stops and stations, how transit crime rates compare with those in metropolitan areas more generally, and how transit crime is treated in the media relative to other crime locations. In the case of media reports on crime, it may be hard to determine whether transit crime is being disproportionately reported and adversely affecting traveler perceptions of transit safety. Nevertheless, it will be important to understand such impact better because transit agencies will need to take actions that both reduce crime and reassure patrons that travel by transit rail and bus is safe.

9 Homelessness and Mental Health Addressing the high incidence of people who are homeless and have mental health disorders is a societal imperative and a foremost concern for public transit providers. Public transit vehicles and facilities are being used by people for shelter and security in addition to transportation. Consequently, transit agencies are increasingly interested in exploring methods to support people experiencing homelessness and mental health disorders, while also ensuring safe and sanitary conditions for all patrons and transit workers. Here again, FTA could gather information about best practices for supporting people who are homeless and experiencing mental health issues and perhaps assess the efficacy of these practices through demonstrations in selected locations. For instance, TRAC suggests research into opportunities for transit agencies to work with public health and social service agencies toward solutions that make transit facilities less attractive and needed for shelter and security. Conditions during the pandemic contributed to mental health issues experienced by frontline transit personnel who were expected to be on the job to keep services running while employees in many other sectors could work from home. Interest in mental health should therefore extend to the transit workforce, which FTA could support through similar efforts to survey and assess the employee mental health resources and programs implemented across the transit industry and other sectors where workers have experienced similar challenges. Fare Payment Systems The discussion of TRI’s research on alternative bus fare payment options—such as contactless systems and digital cards—prompted TRAC members to consider how the removal or scaling back of traditional fareboxes could help reclaim space onboard vehicles and make boarding easier for people with disabilities. At the same time, however, a move to contactless and digital systems that leads to the removal of cash fareboxes could pose a barrier to people without bank accounts or smart phones. The transition to cashless options for bus fare payment is well under way. Accordingly, FTA may want to study how these systems are being implemented and affecting different riders, including unbanked populations, and to identify best practices for ensuring their implementation is equitable.

10 CLOSING REMARKS TRAC members are pleased to have had an opportunity to raise these research ideas, which were stimulated by your team’s informative briefings and the dialogue that ensued. I hope you find this letter report’s meeting summary to be accurate and the research ideas timely and constructive. TRAC members and I look forward to future updates on FTA’s RD&I plans and priorities and we anticipate more conversations to generate additional feedback and advice. Sincerely, Leslie S. Richards, Chair Attachments