TCRP Releases Annual Report; Hosts Upcoming Rural/Tribal Mobility Webinar

The Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) has released its 2025 annual report, summarizing the status of current and pending projects. Sponsored by FTA, TCRP serves as a means for the public transportation industry to develop innovative near-term solutions to a multitude of demands. TCRP reports and other tools help public transportation practitioners solve problems and inform decision-makers. APTA is a TCRP partner.

In 2026, the program covers nine research fields: operations, service configuration, engineering of vehicles and equipment, engineering of fixed facilities, maintenance, human resources, administration, policy and planning, and special projects. Research in progress covers such topics as AI; transit capacity; zero-emission planning; technology implementation for rural and small agencies; cyber vulnerability; and serving disabled, women, children, and hard-to-reach populations.

Looking ahead, TCRP Program Manager Gwen Chistholm Smith, says, “Transit is navigating shifting ridership patterns, evolving workforce needs, and new financial pressures—all while technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace.” This is reflected in how the program selects and shares research projects to be responsive to industry needs and challenges.

In addition, TCRP is hosting its Improving Mobility in Rural and Tribal Communities webinar Feb. 25, 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. Eastern. The webinar, based on NCHRP Research Report 1144/TCRP Research Report 251: Public Transportation in Rural Areas and Tribal Communities: Guide for Service Improvements [see below], will explore a range of service design strategies and transit modes, including emerging non-traditional services, that may be appropriate for rural and tribal contexts. The webinar will also highlight practices aimed at improving efficiency and effectiveness in providing mobility options. Presenters will share examples, lessons learned, and practical considerations to help agencies better respond to the diverse mobility needs of rural and tribal communities. Learn more and register.

Read the following recently released TCRP reports:

National Cooperative Highway Research Program Research Report 1144/TCRP Research Report 251: Public Transportation in Rural Areas and Tribal Communities: Guide for Service Improvements provides a guide to help public transit agencies in rural and tribal communities initiate new or enhance existing services to improve mobility and accessibility, enhance performance, and consider appropriate innovations. Nine case studies are featured in the guide. [Register for related webinar above].

TCRP Research Report 252: Public Transit Workforce Development for Zero-Emission Vehicles identifies and is organized around seven areas that public transit agencies will need to address. Each identifies the skills and knowledge needed by transit agency frontline employees to operate and maintain zero-emission vehicles in revenue service, specifically full-size, 40- to 60-foot battery-electric and fuel-cell buses.

TCRP Research Report 255: Investigation and Mitigation of Insulated Joint Electrical Failure: A Guide provides information on how to identify arcing at IJs; methods to diagnose the contributing factors, underlying causes, strategies for investigating IJ failures; and examples of how others have mitigated arcing.

TCRP Research Report 256: Resilient Zero-Emission Transit Bus [ZEB] Fleets provides a framework for public transit agencies to update their resilience plans to operate ZEB fleets. It also offers a roadmap for agencies to integrate existing zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) transition strategies into broader resilience planning efforts.

TCRP Research Report 257: Determination of Actual Derailment Loads on Transit Bridges provides the public transit industry with a reasoned basis for derailment loads on bridges. It also offers methodologies that bridge design engineers can utilize to calculate the horizontal and vertical derailment impact loading.

TCRP Research Report 259: Low-Level DC Leakage and Fault Currents in Transit Systems: Developing a Prototype for Detection and Mitigation develops a prototype system that can detect low-level faults in electrified transit systems powered by third rails. (The report is supplemental to TCRP Research Report 211: Guidebook for Detecting and Mitigating Low-Level DC Leakage and Fault Currents in Transit Systems).

TCRP Synthesis 182: Providing Low-Income Fare Discounts at Public Transit Agencies documents the current state of the practice of low-income fare discount programs offered by North American transit agencies.

TCRP Synthesis 183: Operational and Service Factors When Integrating or Consolidating ADA Paratransit and On-Demand Services provides information, analysis, and examples of the current state of the practice in integrating or consolidating ADA paratransit and other types of paratransit service with on-demand microtransit for the general public, including documented findings and results from agencies, municipalities, and other local government entities providing these commingled trips.

TCRP Synthesis 184: Improving Transit Customer Perception of Personal Security documents the current state of the practice related to customer perceptions of safety and security on bus and rail. Drawing from a literature review, a national survey of 35 transit providers, and in-depth case examples of five transit providers, this synthesis highlights strategies to improve customers’ outlook, the effectiveness of those strategies, how the strategies are communicated to the public, and the associated change in customers’ perceptions.

TCRP Synthesis 185: Use of Automatic Vehicle Monitoring, Vehicle Health Monitoring, and Diagnostic Systems by Transit Agencies explores how AVM, VHM, and other technologies are utilized to monitor an array of onboard vehicle components in order to assist in the early identification of potential mechanical issues, thus supporting effective maintenance practices.

You Can Help Shape the 2026 TCRP Synthesis Program!

Enter a topic through the TCRP Synthesis Topic Submission Portal by March 27. Review active and published TCRP synthesis topics to help inform your submission.

How Have You Benefited from TCRP Research?

Let TCRP know how its research has impacted your agency challenge. TCRP would like to share your success story with the public transportation industry in a case study. Submit your story here.