PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION: PRIORITY TOPIC MEMO
SEPTEMBER 2024
NATIONALLY SCALING
TRANSPORTATION ADVANCEMENTS
By implementing a comprehensive approach to nationally scale
proven transportation innovations, the incoming administration can
save lives on the road, reduce travel time for all, accelerate the flow
of critical goods, and protect our planet from harmful emissions.
The Case for Action
Highways, public transit, heavy rail, aviation, and waterways connect our
communities to healthcare, food, schools, and work and serve a critical role in
national defense and disaster relief. Unfortunately, transportation challenges are
pervasive. The United States is facing an increasing trend in road fatalities, travelers
continue to experience delays despite access to real-time traffic information, vehicle
owners are concerned about buying electric cars and trucks without a national
charging network, and commodity flows are disrupted due to more and higher-
intensity infrastructure failures.
Imagine a transportation system with zero fatalities,
1
equitable mobility for all, net-
zero emissions, and resilient supply chains. For more than two decades, the U.S.
government and its partners have researched, developed, and tested advanced
technologies for integration with infrastructure and vehicles at local levels. These
investments have resulted in roadway designs that protect pedestrians, real-time
video-enabled management of corridor traffic flows, smaller and more powerful
electric batteries, and connected truck platoons, among other innovations. Despite
their positive and wide-ranging benefits, persistent barriers remain to scaling proven
transportation innovations across the country.
We recommend the incoming administration provide leadership, direction, and tools
to scale transportation innovations in a way that maximizes investment benefits,
manages technical interoperability, and engenders public trust.
Key Challenges and Opportunities
Nationally scaling transportation innovations presents challenges and opportunities
resulting from the distributed nature of transportation planning and management
among state, local, tribal, and territorial governments; the continuous rapid
development of transportation technology solutions; and the complex interactions
within the transportation system.
The identified
challenges and
opportunities call
for the incoming
administration to lead
the national scaling
of transportation
advancements,
building on ongoing
investments and the
existing technology
innovation community.
MITRE’s mission-driven teams are
dedicated to solving problems for a
safer world. Through our public-private
partnerships and federally funded R&D
centers, we work across government and
in partnership with industry to tackle
challenges to the safety, stability, and
well-being of our nation.
mitre.org