Document Library

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to be used in many applications across rural and Tribal transit agencies, including operations, safety, human resources, and other areas. As with any technology, there are benefits and challenges. This technical brief describes the range of uses of AI for transit agencies, as well as issues including AI regulation and funding. Case studies share real-world applications of this technology by rural transit agencies.

This annual report provides a snapshot of state-by-state investment in public transportation from federal, state, and local funding sources. With detailed tables and charts, the report explains how different funding and tax mechanisms are used to support transit operations and capital projects; compares differences across modes and the latest ridership trends; and features a selection of innovative state funding initiatives and case studies that highlight the efforts by states to apply state funding to support transit programs beyond federal funding levels. All funding and ridership data has been updated to reflect FY 2024 survey results.

This year’s report includes new information on commuter rail, new assessments of ridership trends by transit modes, and information on the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on state transit programs.

State transportation agencies increasingly face major projects whose scale, risk, and financing demands challenge conventional delivery models. Progressive P3 has emerged as an experimental response, combining long-term public–private partnership structures with progressive delivery mechanisms to manage uncertainty prior to final price commitment. This report examines Progressive P3 strategy and how it can be implemented in a manner that protects public value while sustaining private-sector investment.

Based on a review of literature, contractual analysis, and interviews with subject-matter experts, the report focuses on the operational mechanics of Progressive P3 delivery, including bonding, open-book price negotiation, the role of Independent Cost Estimators, risk balancing, and offramp governance. The findings indicate that Progressive P3 is best understood as a contractual tool to mitigate the design and construction risk of complex projects in advance of a concession period, rather than a wholesale redefinition of the P3 model. Progressive mechanisms can improve price realism and delivery stability but can also impose heightened demands on agency capacity and governance. The report concludes that Progressive P3 should be applied selectively, where both P3 financing logic and progressive risk-management benefits are clearly present.

The early 21st century to the present is a pivotal era in the study of travel behavior and time use. This two-decade period has witnessed not only incremental adjustments but also transformative shifts in how individuals allocate their time across various activities and make travel-related decisions within their time and monetary constraints. These shifts are not isolated phenomena; they are deeply intertwined with broader, multidimensional changes driven by factors such as the widespread adoption of Internet and Communication Technologies (leading to innovations in mobility services and online substitutes for many in-person activities) and shifts in demographics and cultural norms. Overall, this period of change holds profound implications for transportation planning and policy development. This multi-stage project aims to navigate this complex terrain to shed light on the trends in time, travel, transit, telework, and treasure (T5) during this period. The project primarily utilizes data from the American Community Survey (ACS), the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), and the Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES), along with insights from field counts and travel estimates, to analyze these trends. Understanding these trends is crucial for effectively addressing current and future challenges and seizing opportunities in transportation management, economic resilience, and societal wellbeing.

This report benchmarks the costs of transitioning to electric bus (e-bus) fleets in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), drawing on data from 13 countries and 21 cities covering the period 2021–2025. It examines the full cost structure of e-bus deployment, including vehicle acquisition, charging infrastructure, and operating costs, and explains the substantial variation observed across markets. The findings show that e-bus costs are shaped by vehicle specifications, procurement scale, market maturity, and policy environments, with substantially greater price dispersion than conventional diesel buses. Charging infrastructure costs are highly sensitive to project scale, grid conditions, and depot location, highlighting the need for integrated transport and power sector planning. While e-buses offer clear operational advantages, these benefits depend on sound planning, competitive procurement, and coordinated policies. By improving transparency around key cost drivers, the report aims to support better decision-making and accelerate the sustainable scale-up of e-bus deployment in the region.

This guide provides a structured roadmap for agencies seeking to implement performance-based contracting (PBC) to support proactive road asset management. Drawing on decades of international experience, it outlines how to design, scale, and manage PBC programs—from pilot projects to network-wide applications—across varying levels of agency maturity.

Practitioners will find guidance on using PBC to improve asset condition, enhance safety and resilience outcomes, and shift from reactive maintenance to performance-driven service delivery. The document also includes diagnostic approaches and implementation strategies that help agencies align contracting practices with broader TAM and performance management objectives.

The Guidelines How to Prepare and Execute Performance Based Contracts for Road Asset Management - Interactive PDF For Basic PBC & Advanced Users, offer a comprehensive tool to support the introduction of PBCs. Taking into consideration the wide range of sector maturity across regions, the Guidelines are organized into two workstreams—basic and advanced—so they can be easily adapted to a particular country’s or subregion’s level of preparedness. The present Guidance Note is intended to provide a roadmap for practitioners seeking to customize PBCs to local sector maturity.

This guide explains that safety is not just about the trains themselves, but also about how people get to and from stations . Problems often come from poor sidewalks, missing sign age, bad lighting, and busy roads near stations. Children, older adults, and people with disabilities are especially at risk. In some locations, crossings lack proper barriers or signals, increasing the chance of road crashes. Reliable data on crashes is also often missing, making it difficult to pinpoint where the greatest problems lie.

This synthesis examines how State DOTs fund, manage, and coordinate the maintenance of Complete Streets infrastructure, including bicycle, pedestrian, and other active transportation facilities. As agencies expand multimodal networks, the report highlights practical challenges such as equipment compatibility, staffing capacity, and ongoing maintenance funding.

Practitioners will find examples of maintenance policies, interagency cost-sharing agreements, and partnership models involving local and tribal governments. The report also identifies strategies for workforce training, equipment procurement, and operational coordination that can help agencies sustain Complete Streets investments over time.

This document supports implementation of system-level transportation asset valuation, helping agencies translate asset inventories and condition data into meaningful measures of asset value. The resource provides case studies, worksheets, and outreach materials that demonstrate how agencies can apply asset valuation methods to support financial reporting, communicate infrastructure needs, and evaluate investment strategies.

Practitioners will gain practical guidance on using asset valuation to track system condition trends, demonstrate the impact of funding decisions, and strengthen transportation asset management (TAM) programs. The materials complement the AASHTO Asset Valuation Guide and include tools that help agencies integrate asset valuation concepts into planning, performance management, and investment decision-making.

This resource provides methods and supporting research to help agencies evaluate the safety impacts of Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures (ATSPMs). While ATSPMs are widely used to improve signal operations, this report enables practitioners to quantify their effects on crash frequency and severity using crash modification factors (CMFs).

Practitioners will gain guidance on applying CMFs to assess safety outcomes associated with signal timing and operational changes, supporting data-driven decision-making for signal optimization and safety performance management. The companion NCHRP web-only document 442 provides the underlying research and methodology used to develop these CMFs, offering additional detail for agencies seeking to replicate or adapt the approach.

Recommended Resource: NCHRP Synthesis 659: Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures: Management, Operation, and Maintenance examines how state departments of transportation are using high-resolution traffic signal controller data to monitor, manage, and improve signal performance.