Projects

Summary

Public transportation agencies nationwide face persistent challenges in understanding the underlying causes of bus collisions and deploying proven, scalable solutions. Industry data show that collision counts and rates have risen since 2020, reaching a new high in 2024; most incidents involve motor vehicles, followed by people and fixed objects. At the same time, average property damage per collision has climbed to nearly $12,000 per event in early 2025.

The project will deliver a practical roadmap that helps agencies move from reactive responses to proactive, data‑driven safety improvements—spanning operator training, technology deployments, roadway and vehicle design, and policy and procedures.

CUTR will partner with WSP USA, Inc., bringing national best practices in safety, systems engineering, and data analysis to the effort.

Project Execution

• National Transit Database analysis: Ten years of NTD major event data will be mined for patterns tied to weather, lighting, roadway configuration, vehicle action, collision type, and narrative factors that infer causation.
• Case studies at 13 agencies: Semi‑structured interviews and data collection will capture proven tactics and lessons learned from agencies with mature Safety Management Systems.
• Frontline engagement: CUTR will gather input from bus operators and their representatives to ensure solutions are grounded in real‑world operating conditions.
• Risk‑based prioritization: Causal factors will be evaluated by severity and frequency to guide agencies toward the highest‑impact actions first.
• Other industry engagement: The CUTR research team will extensively engage industry stakeholders to further inform the research and understand topics of interest to this research effort, including causal or contributing factors in collision events and successful mitigation strategies.

Summary

Federal and state statutes require the establishment of a metropolitan planning organization (MPO) to manage the transportation planning process for urbanized areas (UZAs) with populations larger than 50,000. Lee and Collier Counties are home to two fast-growing contiguous UZAs covered by two MPOs, the Collier and Lee County MPOs. This consolidation feasibility study will provide information necessary for local elected officials to determine whether to pursue the creation of a new regional MPO through the consolidation of the two existing MPOs.

Summary

Description: In 2023, the three metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) covering the Tampa-St. Petersburg urban area (UZA) in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas Counties jointly completed a report to the legislature outlining the feasibility for creating a single MPO. This project supports the respective MPOs and local government partners considering MPO consolidation by creating an organizational framework, staffing, and financial management plan for a new regional MPO covering the three core counties in the Tampa Bay area.