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| Volume 17, Issue 2 | Summer 2005 |
What is TCRP and How Can I Participate? By Carol WrightJames River Transit Jamestown, ND I first learned about TCRP when I went on the Fall Transit Study Mission Trip to South America. I think I was the only one of the participants who had never heard of TCRP panels and research projects, so I asked lots of questions. The Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) conducts research on behalf of the transit industry through competitive contracting. The TCRP is sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation. It is managed by the Cooperative Research Program office which is a division of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences and Engineering. Its headquarters are in Washington, D.C. TCRP develops problem statements and RFPs (Requests for Proposals) for research projects of interest to transit providers throughout the United States. Once a research project is completed, the results are published in a digest available to anyone interested in that particular topic. Here's where I put in a "plug" for our newly expanded resource library being maintained by the Small Urban & Rural Transit Center located at NDSU. We all have access to the TCRP reports that have been published to date. They are available FREE from SURTC. Check out the DTA web page at www.dakotatransit.org for a list of TCRP publications. You might ask, "OK, so what does TCRP have to do with me?" TCRP is very interested in having representation from small, rural transit projects as well as the larger urban programs. Here's where YOU come in. There has never been a better time for rural and small urban projects to get involved. It is critical that we have a voice in the type of studies that are being conducted. This research can benefit us all! Large projects in metropolitan areas can afford to hire firms to come in and conduct studies specifically for their organizations. We do not have the funding to hire our own consultants. But we can participate in panels that select problem areas to investigate and tailor studies to examine areas that affect our projects. This spring/summer I participated in a TCRP panel examining the topic, "Understanding How to Motivate Communities to Support and Ride Public Transportation." To become a panel participant, there was an application process (very brief and easy to complete), a selection notification, and a verification that I would be willing to go to Washington, D.C., for a minimum of two meetings - one to develop the RFP and one to evaluate proposals received in response to the Request for Proposals. Panel members are selected on the basis of background and experience in the specific topic area. Our panel consisted of 11 panel members, 3 FTA representatives, a liaison from APTA (the American Public Transportation Association), a liaison from CUTA (the Canadian Urban Transit Association) and a TCRP Staff representative. TCRP pays for your airfare and hotel expenses up front. All other expenses are reimbursed by TCRP, including mileage to the airport, meals, cab fares from the hotel to the meeting site, etc. Neither you nor your project, have any out-of-pocket costs after reimbursements. The entire process is very interesting and I have learned a lot. I have met transit professionals from all over the United States. Most importantly, I have had the opportunity to let them know more about rural transit issues and concerns. I have found them to be incredibly receptive in trying to understand transit from our perspective. I have genuinely enjoyed the experience, and I want to encourage all of you to begin participating in similar activities. Please consider applying to serve on a TCRP panel in the near future. If you want more information, you can go to the TCRP website at www.tcrponline.org or the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies website at www.trb.org.
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