Research and Innovative Technology Administration
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| Research and Innovative Technology Administration | |
|---|---|
| Name | Research and Innovative Technology Administration |
| Formed | 2005 |
| Preceding1 | Bureau of Transportation Statistics |
| Dissolved | 2012 |
| Superseding | Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology |
| Jurisdiction | United States Department of Transportation |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Chief1 name | Gregory Winfree |
| Chief1 position | Administrator |
| Parent agency | United States Department of Transportation |
Research and Innovative Technology Administration was a component of the United States Department of Transportation established to coordinate transportation research, data, and technology transfer across federal agencies. It consolidated functions related to transportation statistics, research planning, and intelligent transportation systems to support policy development and operational improvements across modal administrations such as the Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Highway Administration, and Federal Railroad Administration.
History
The creation drew on precedents like the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office, and initiatives from the National Cooperative Highway Research Program. Its establishment followed legislation debated alongside bills influenced by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Early leadership included figures linked to Department of Transportation transitions under the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations and intersected with advisory input from entities such as the National Academy of Sciences, the Transportation Research Board, and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
The administration operated during policy cycles shaped by acts like the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century and the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act. Its operations overlapped with research organizations including the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, the Federal Transit Administration, and university consortia such as the University Transportation Centers Program. The unit was reorganized after evaluations by the Government Accountability Office and eventually subsumed into structures aligned with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology.
Mission and Functions
Its mission connected strategic planning from the National Transportation Policy with analytic capacity from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and technical innovation promoted by the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office. Core tasks involved coordinating research agendas like those of the Maritime Administration, aligning safety priorities with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and facilitating data standards referenced by the Federal Communications Commission for spectrum used in vehicle-to-infrastructure trials. The organization provided interagency liaison to stakeholders including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on projects spanning aviation weather research, freight modeling, and resilience planning.
Organizational Structure
The administration incorporated offices patterned after research management units at the Australian Road Research Board and the Transport Research Laboratory. It housed divisions akin to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics data offices, an ITS program office paralleling the Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office, and planning functions comparable to those in the Federal Highway Administration Office of Policy. Leadership reported to the Secretary of Transportation and coordinated with modal administrators from the Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
Programs and Initiatives
Programs included coordination of the National ITS Architecture, support for the Volpe Center projects, and management of competitive grants similar to the University Transportation Centers Program. Initiatives supported pilot deployments in metropolitan areas with partnerships like Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York), Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and regional bodies such as the Chicago Transit Authority and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Collaborative research activities connected to the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the Federal Railroad Administration for high-speed rail and freight corridor studies. Technology transfer efforts engaged private sector partners similar to Siemens Mobility, Alstom, Boeing, and Cisco Systems.
Policy and Regulatory Role
The administration informed rulemaking at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and data-driven policy at the Federal Transit Administration. It supported standards development interfacing with Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Society of Automotive Engineers, and the American Society of Civil Engineers. Advisory committees included experts drawn from the National Academies, university researchers from institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Berkeley, and Georgia Institute of Technology, and representatives from state departments such as the California Department of Transportation.
Funding and Budget
Funding mechanisms paralleled congressional appropriations processed through the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Appropriations with grant programs administered akin to the Federal Transit Administration competitive discretionary grants and formula programs. Budget oversight involved reviews by the Government Accountability Office and engagement with the Office of Management and Budget for research portfolio alignment. Partnerships leveraged cooperative agreements with research centers such as the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Argonne National Laboratory.
Legacy and Impact
The organization influenced subsequent institutional arrangements via recommendations adopted by the National Research Council and practice changes observed at modal administrations including the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Aviation Administration. Its data stewardship practices informed the evolution of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and contributed to deployment models used by municipal agencies like the New York City Department of Transportation and Chicago Department of Transportation. The consolidation and lessons learned influenced later investments in research coordination reflected in initiatives championed by figures associated with the U.S. Department of Transportation leadership and affirmed by studies from the Transportation Research Board and the RAND Corporation.